Tara could not have known that Eric assumed that his command had worked and that she was now dead.
Eric himself, squashed his guilt over the matter and fabricated a story about Tara's demise. One in which no one could point a finger at him over. And that story was that Tara had hooked up with Candyman and killed Bill, Dermot and yes, poor Sheriff Hood.
Sheriff's Deputy Kurt Bunker, suspected that that was not true. Could he prove it? No.
The part about Sheriff Hood, yes, for he had seen that happen with his own eyes…though whether his former boss was actually in outerspace or at the bottom of the ocean, could not be verified with any certainty. What was clear was that Hood was indeed gone.
What was also clear to Kurt, was that Tara was not dead. He didn't understand all that was happening to him as a newly turned vamp, but he sensed her—still. And he now had to wonder if his great grandsire, truly could not feel that his grand-daughter was still alive but was elsewhere? Or was he just lying about her to cover his own tracks with regards to Tara's disappearance?
Kurt didn't know what to think. He had never gotten the impression that Eric didn't care for Tara, but yes, he had seemingly moved on. Well, more than 'seemingly'.
Eric and Sookie were getting married. Sookie had seemingly forgotten about Bill and his progeny, Jessica, was pissed off! Neither she, nor Jason, quite bought how everything went down, but then again, nothing could be proven. Tara had disappeared. Bill and Sheriff Hood were gone. Dermot had turned to some sort of sparkly dust and was gone as well.
But what bothered Kurt Bunker the most, was that he could not shake the feeling that Tara was not dead. He could not shake the odd sensation that he could hear her in his mind….that he could hear her thoughts. And wherever she was, things were happening that she had no control over.
Because Tara's powers were gone.
Kurt told himself that he was just imagining things. He told himself that because he had been related to Tara, that these feelings he was experiencing were no more than vamp emotions or something. But there was a part of him that wondered if he should be warning Eric about what he was feeling? He was a much, much, much older vampire. Maybe Eric knew what he was feeling and experiencing?
Kurt had remained in Banshee to help concoct a cover story for Lucas Hood's disappearance. Deputy Brock Lotus had never been a fan of Sheriff Hood's, but he also wasn't stupid. He just didn't think Hood would up and leave, knowing he had two kids to care for. And poor Deva and Max Hopewell were now in foster care.
Kurt agreed and pretended to be just as stumped over Hood's exit from their lives as everyone else was. But he knew Deputy Lotus suspected some kind of vampire fuckery. Not to mention that Tara, who used to work at this very police station, was now considered a 'vamp of interest' with regards to the situation.
It was night and Kurt had hired two people to run The Forge, since it's legal owner, Bill Compton, was 'missing' as well. That was something Kurt had not shared with anyone. No one knew that Bill had hijacked the bar from Tara and no one knew that he was missing.
But as he sat at a table in the bar, someone walked in that knew damned well something was off with regards to Bill Compton.
Bill's progeny—Jessica Hamby. And she approached him, while ignoring wolf-like stares from other customers, and looking very much like a vamp Jessica Rabbit.
"Jessica." Kurt said as Jessica sat down, uninvited at his table.
"Kurt. I know we don't know one another really well, but I couldn't think of anyone else to turn to. Bill is missing and I need to know why. The true reason, that is." Jessica said in a low tone.
"Bill is missing? Maybe he just went on a trip or something." Kurt replied.
"Okay. I know you're related to Eric, who is the biggest bastard around. But you don't have to be like him."
"How am I 'being like Eric'?" Kurt argued. "I just told you that I don't know where Bill is."
"I don't believe you. He told me he was coming here to help Tara with The Forge like a week ago. Suddenly, Sookie is found, Tara runs off with Candyman and Eric is marrying Sookie. I would think Bill would have had something to say about that." Jessica said, peering at him.
Kurt shrugged.
"I don't know about that. I don't know Bill Compton very well."
"But you know Tara, right?"
"Not very well, Jessica. I'm sorry but I haven't seen Bill."
"I'm not buying that." Jessica said pointedly. "And your Sheriff is gone. The one Tara was hot for. You don't know anything about that either, hey?"
Kurt leaned forward.
"No. But I do know that Eric will have a problem with all of these questions you are asking of me, as his great grand progeny. He won't like the fact that you called him a bastard, either."
"I can't sense Bill anymore. I know he's dead. It's just a matter of figuring out who killed him. And I don't think he ever left this town. He was the King of Louisiana, Kurt. I don't know if you understand that someone will have to answer for that. But as his progeny, I have been made 'Queen of Louisiana'. That makes me over Eric. And you."
Jessica stood up, giving Kurt one final hard glance, before turning and walking out of the bar. Kurt cleared his throat and pulled out his phone to call Eric.
Eric had had a sauna built at the home that he and Tara had once shared, and Sookie screamed with passion, as she sprung up and down on Eric's now bloated sex, at turbo speed! Sookie's breasts galloped at a matching pace, slamming against Eric's face as he continuously spread and closed her buttocks. Their mutual pleasure was all consuming and not to be interrupted.
And yet it was. By Eric's phone that was lying around in the steam someplace. His instincts told him to ignore it, but he sensed it was Kurt and common sense overcame him. His youngest and only living progeny would not be calling if there was not trouble.
"Eric, don't!" Sookie moaned but Eric lifted her off of him and answered.
"Kurt, this had better be important."
But Kurt was hardly afraid. Because there was something else he had not told Eric…
"I don't think Tara killed herself like you instructed."
Eric kept his expression blank, as to not worry Sookie.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I can sense her! You don't sense her, still? I feel like I can hear her thoughts! She's someplace else and she's fighting to get back here…probably to kill you! I can't believe I can sense her and you can't!"
"You are not sensing her, Kurt. I am sure this…whatever it is…is something else."
"Jessica is in town. She's the new Queen of Louisiana and she thinks we both had something to do with Bill's disappearance."
Eric sighed. His 'Tara running off with Candyman' story, was not working. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I will be in Banshee later on tonight." Eric answered and hung up. Sookie wrapped a towel around her passion thrilled body.
"What's wrong? And don't lie to me because I can see it. What did Kurt say? Have they found Tara? Or Bill?"
Suddenly, the room filled with blinding steam and Eric got up to wrap his arms around Sookie! What the hell? Was the sauna malfunctioning?
Then they both heard deep laughter and they knew…
The steam disappeared and Candyman revealed himself. He gave Sookie a disdainful glance before speaking.
"We need to talk. Alone." Candyman said. Eric looked down at Sookie.
"Leave us." Eric told her, kissing her quickly before Sookie pulled away and glared at Candyman!
"You raped me!" Sookie snapped.
Daniel Robitaille lifted his hook and pointed it at her.
"Next time it won't be my cock inside of you, whore. Leave us!"
Sookie backed back and then turned to leave the sauna. Eric spoke first.
"Don't you ever call my fiancee a whore again, are we clear?"
"As long as you are clear, that if you ever threaten me again, I will summon Pam from the bowels of hell and fuck her right in front of you. Notice I said 'Pam' and not 'Tara'."
Eric walked over a bench to get a towel. He draped it around his waist.
"We have nothing more to say to one another. If you were going to kill me, you would have, long ago. Why are you here?"
"You know why. Did you really think I would go along with your blaming me for more murders than I actually committed? Tara is more powerful than Dermot or yourself ever imagined she would be. And that's a problem, isn't it?" Daniel asked sarcastically.
"Do you know where Tara is?"
Daniel nodded.
"And you are here to lord that over me?" Eric asked with thinning patience.
"I am here to tell you, that you will do what I say, when I say do it. If I want to fuck Sookie until sun up, or down, I will do it. If I want to watch you fuck a mountain lion, you will do it."
Eric mouthed the words 'mountain lion' and shrugged. He was willing to try anything…
"And if you do not do anything and everything I ask, I will bring Tara back here to 'wish' anything she likes."
Eric clenched his jaw.
"You know about that little skill of hers? How long has she been able to do this?"
"Since she went and studied at Dermot Brigant's 'school'. I sense that he taught her the skill and Tara herself did not realize it, or know of it until something…probably jealousy, triggered it. She was the one that summoned the funnel that took Sookie and the school away." Daniel revealed.
"And all you want is to be able to fuck Sookie and watch other people fuck, Daniel? When you were alive, you were much more interesting." Eric said sarcastically.
Daniel smiled.
"Tara can 'unwish' things as well. Brigant never got a chance to show her how before you killed him. And her powers come from her real father. You know him, don't you?" Daniel asked slyly.
"What do you want?" Eric asked again.
"For you to break off your 'engagement' to Sookie. I haven't been fucking her for no reason. I need to be with her three more times…and then I will have my Caroline back."
Eric just stared at him for a moment before answering.
"I won't let that happen."
"You can let it happen or I will bring Tara back here into this realm. I will bring her back here and she will 'wish' you and Sookie away. Probably someplace not so nice."
"And if Tara returns and wishes Sookie away, you will not be able to get your precious Caroline back."
"Or Tara could 'wish' for her not to be dead. You see, Eric Northman, I have a back-up plan for every back-up plan." Daniel Robitaille said, grinning, before disappearing. Eric stared at the empty spot that Candyman had just stood in, for a long moment before shaking his head. Goddamnit! Goddamnit to hell!
Then he thought of Kurt.
Kurt who could sense Tara's thoughts. Eric could not hear or sense anything about Tara any longer, which is why he thought she had actually perished. He looked around for his phone again and called Kurt.
"I need for you to come to Shreveport. I want to try something with regards to our 'Tara Problem'."
TARA'S REALITY-
Tara awoke in a tent of sorts and this time, the bed she was lying in was cool and comfortable. She sat up and suddenly Lucas Hood, dressed much like Bombaata was, entered. She knew enough to know she was still back in some hell like past, so she was unsure as to what to call him.
"Hey!" Tara settled on for a greeting.
Lucas Hood looked around before speaking…
"Tara, what the LIVING HELL ARE WE DOING HERE?"
Tara stared at him.
Then she spoke.
"You called me 'Tara'."
"That's your name, isn't it? And Bill is here! They think he's a eunuch!"
"Oh." Tara coughed. Good, fucking God! She had wished Lucas and Bill away…to outer space! What the hell were they doing here?
"What the hell are we doing here, Tara?! Huh? How did Bill Compton, you and me get here? It was Northman, right?" Lucas asked in a browbeating manner.
"You don't remember anything from before you 'disappeared'?" Tara asked carefully.
"You were pissed off about Sookie and I, and you said something about the ocean and outer space and then nothing! Then I was here. Then Bill showed up and then you! Now that guy that looks like Northman and is looking to marry you, I think that's Eric's father from back in the day!" Lucas revealed.
"Yeah, I think so too." Tara half coughed.
"Okay…so you're part fairy, right? Can you do anything at all to get us out of here? Deva and Max are probably wondering where in the hell I am!" Lucas huffed.
Suddenly, the tent opened and Bill entered. Bill, who knew just what had really happened to Hood and himself. He looked around him at Tara.
"I am a eunuch here. Really, Tara?"
Hood glanced at him.
"Your 'condition' is not her fault. Somehow, someway, we all ended up here. For all we know that Ulfrik Norseman guy out there is really Eric and he's pretending to be some ancestor of his! We have to find a way back!" Lucas exclaimed.
Bill gave Tara a hard look before Ulfrik Norseman walked in and gave the two men in his fiancee's tent, a cold stare.
"There are two men…well…one, in my wife-to-be's tent. You, Eunuch, is Princess Tarja ready to be wed?"
Bill looked from Ulfrik to Tara, who shook her head at him.
Bill then looked at Ulfrik.
"Yes, Your Highness, she is most definitely ready. She is very eager to become your wife and share your bed on this evening."
Lucas gave Bill a WTF look! Tara almost snarled but covered when Ulfrik looked at her.
"I am pleased to hear this." Ulfrik said, looking very much like a bearded Eric.
"I bet." Tara muttered.
"What was that?" Ulfrik asked. But Bill Compton answered.
"Princess Tarja says that she is 'all set'. She would also like for you to take your marital privileges now…before the wedding." Bill said between gritted teeth. Ulfrik looked from Bill to Tara, who gave Ulfrik a fake smile.
Then, Ulfrik backhanded Bill!
"Princess Tarja would never say such a thing, Eunuch! You have insulted my house and my wife-to-be. And for that, you will die." Ulfrik Norseman told Bill.
Tara stood up on shaky legs.
"Uh, Ulfrik, I'm sure that unmanly eunuch there, didn't mean anything by that. And death would be too good for him, considering what he is now." Tara told him.
"Perhaps." Ulfrik said but now looked at Hood.
"Have him whipped."
Lucas walked over to Bill and grabbed his arm! He hustled him out of the tent and dragged him aways away!
"What the hell was that? Why did you sic him on Tara like that?"
"She is the reason we are here, Sheriff Hood! She wished us here and somewhere along the line, she wished herself here! Probably by accident!"
"Okay, but I'm sure she just didn't know what she's doing. I know Tara. I used to work with her at the police station. She would never do something like this on purpose."
"She did it once she realized you wanted to be with Sookie!" Bill protested.
"Maybe. But we can't worry about that now. We have to help Tara wish us back."
"Neither Tara or I are vampires here!" Bill seethed.
"No, but I think Tara is still part fairy. I don't like any of this either, but we need to help Tara tap into her fae powers and get us the hell out of here. Now let's go! I have to make it look like you got away." Hood told Bill.
Meanwhile in the tent, Tara peered out of the opening, just as Ulfrik Norseman, Eric Northman's look alike father, pulled her back away from the front of the tent and over to him. Tara was wearing a billowy, peach v-neck gown and Ulfrik moved the straps off of her shoulders and cupped her now bare breasts possessively.
Tara should have been more appalled. She should have pulled away or slapped him or something! But she found herself feeling oddly warm at Ulfrik's very touch.
"I cannot wait until tomorrow. The wedding will take place in one hour, Tarja." Ulfrik murmured, as his hands moved downwards to her waist. "Tell me you cannot wait for us to share a bed…tell me…" he murmured as his lips buried themselves into the concave of her neck."
"Uh…" Tara rasped, her throat feeling suddenly dry, "I…"
And then just like that, Tara was back in her own studio apartment in Banshee! Only she was still wearing the gown that Ulfrik was practically helping her out of. Tara slowly walked over to her wall mirror and put herself properly into her dress. She had come back a second time but chances were, neither Hood nor Bill were here in this reality again.
Tara could still feel Ulfrik Norseman's hands on her body. And in that moment, in that timeless place that was not of this reality, Tara would have given him his marital rights and anything else he had wanted! Tara stared at her now flushed body, closed her eyes and tried to will herself back to him.
She soon opened them again. She was still in her studio apartment.
Only she was not alone.
Candyman's reflection suddenly appeared behind her, brandishing his hook menacingly. And Tara had not even called his name.
