Pam stood on the balcony and sipped her drink. The blood was divine on her tongue; it was better than anything she had tasted in years. Human blood was vastly affected by the abundance of processed food, the wide availability of alcohol and drugs. Whatever Russell had done to the blood, it had purified it.
She heard their voices again as they laughed, and she knew what she had to do. It was a betrayal like no other, but she could not allow this to happen. So as quietly as she could manage she made her way out of the room she'd found herself in, down the hall, and back to the party. Before she got to the grand ballroom, she found the very person she was looking for. "Godric." She whispered, her voice breaking with the weight of what she was about to do.
"I know... I had hoped he would come to me, but it appears he has made his choice. Unfortunately for him, he has already been betrayed." Godric's voice was flat, none of the anger Pam was expecting.
As Eric pulled on his jacket, his mind drifted back to the last time he had worn a tux. Well, it wasn't a tux in the modern traditional fashion, it was some hideous assembly with more ruffles than any person had a right to wear, especially a male of any species. He allowed himself a small chuckle at the thought of that night. That night had ended with him fucking more people in one night than he ever thought possible. It was rather unfortunate he had to kill so many as well. He had been careless, and innocent lives had paid for it. It was also the night that sobered him somewhat. He hadn't taken a life needlessly since that night.
He forced his thoughts back to the present day as he set the security alarm and headed for the Corvette. For the first time in five and a half weeks, he would see Pamela again. The night he made a fool of himself in front of everyone that mattered she had disappeared. While Yvetta was giving him the runaround, Pam was on her way out of the country. She left a note saying she needed a break and nothing else. He had no idea where she had gone, and hopefully tonight she would tell him. It wasn't the first time he and Pam had gone their separate ways, but it was the first time she had left him in that manner, and the first time he had feared never seeing her again.
The drive to hers didn't take long, the minute he switched off the ignition she was out the door and locking it behind her. She was on time, which was a rarity for her even for an event of such magnitude. Still, he stepped out of the car to greet her, his smile was wide at the sight of her. "Pam, welcome back. I trust you had a wonderful time."
"Yes, I did. It was a well-earned break." In truth, she had been bored out of her skull. There was only so much shopping one could do before it became monotonous. It went to show just how much shopping she did. She had no appetite for anything else. She'd even met a wonderful vampire, yet she found she could not fully enjoy her presence. Paris, for the first time in Pam's existence, had felt like a noose around her neck.
The drive to the Stackhouse's farmhouse was done in silence, a choking uncomfortable silence. Just before Eric turned into the newly paved driveway that led to the farmhouse, he turned to Pam. "I'm done. I was chasing something that didn't want me. I was chasing someone who saw me as something to be scraped off the bottom of her cheap boots. I felt this driving need to lower her, make her yield, I wanted to punish her for making me feel small. Then I wanted her because she was unattainable. If Godric could have her, why couldn't I. Then it became an obsession to know what she was. Maybe if I knew that, it wouldn't feel so... indignant to know she made me feel that way. Well, I managed to make myself feel smaller than she ever made me feel. I'm done... Sookie Stackhouse can be whatever she wants and do whatever she wants with whomever... I no longer care." He meant every single word of it, and Pam knew it too.
"It's a shame it took you humiliating yourself in such a grand fashion to see sense, but I'm happy you did." She smiled at him for the first time, and he felt his non-beating heart soar.
He parked in front of the garage as instructed and stepped out of the car before he made a move to get her door Pam was already out of the car. "It's rather nice." She whispered as she stared at the farmhouse. She had no idea what she expected, but the Stackhouse farmhouse was a large well-built home with a porch that covered the front of the house. There were several comfortable chairs lined on the porch.
"It is." Eric agreed as he was truly seeing it for the first time. The last time he had been in the vicinity he was flying and paid little attention to anything.
He lifted Pam up bridal style and flew over the house to the back as instructed. Godric, it was clear no longer trusted him so much, so he wasn't even allowed to walk through the house to the backyard. His maker wasn't going to give him so much as an inch anymore. Both he and Pam was surprised by the sight of the helicopter on the Stackhouse lawn. Eric knew nothing about helicopters, but this was big and clearly designed with style and comfort in mind. It was a seven-seater helicopter. He landed by the pool just as Thalia came out with her trusted sword, followed by Jason, who had a sword strapped to his back as well.
"Pam, you are back." Jason was clearly happy to see Pam. It was obvious to Eric they'd be great friends if it weren't for him. Simply put, they didn't trust Eric and as a result, also kept Pam at a distance.
"Yes, it's good to be back. Paris was fun, but nothing beats being back home."
"Paris, I'd love to go there one day," Jason murmured
"We will go for Christmas," Thalia answered offhandedly.
"Sounds like a great idea," Sookie added joining them. "Pam, welcome back, you have been missed." Sookie would admit she missed Pam's sarcastic disposition.
"Yes, I missed you too. I'm even more pissed I missed you having to shop for that gown." Sookie was in a red number that fitted her to perfection. Pam suspected it was tailor-made for Sookie.
"I did no such thing, so you missed nothing. It was delivered, it fit, so I'm wearing it." Sookie shrugged missing the smirk her bonded was spotting. Pam shook her head in exasperation, the fact that Sookie had missed the obviousness of a tailor-made gown didn't surprise her in the least. The girl gave zero fucks about fashion.
"Let's go, we have a queen to pick up." That came as a surprise to both Eric and Pam. That explained the swords Jason and Thalia were wearing. He should clearly be wearing one, but again he was reminded of the complete lack of trust his maker had in him.
The flight took just under two hours to arrive at the queen's residence. Something about all this didn't sit well with Eric. He was flying blind, and he didn't like it at all. They were met by some of the queen's guards who simply acknowledged them, but said nothing.
Sophie-Anne was dressed and waiting for them. "Godric, thank you for doing this." She was well aware of the fact that he was doing all this for his bonded and her family and she was grateful for it nonetheless.
"Louisiana is now home and remains home as long as it stands so it will stand. Thalia and Jason will be keeping their eyes on you tonight. Do me a favor, do not do anything against their advice. If they say we are leaving, it doesn't matter if God himself is in the middle of a conversation with you." Godric warned.
"Understood," Sophie-Anne said with a nod. "Miss Stackhouse, I would like to apologize for the disruption I caused in your life. Even when I was aware of who you were, I still persisted. My apology may sound hollow, but I will give it all the same. I am truly sorry. Your very life and happiness ensure my existence. Thank you." Much to everyone's surprise, she bowed. Pam looked at Eric at a complete loss as to what was happening. He shrugged just as lost.
An hour later they landed on the lawn of Russell Edgington's ostentatious mansion. Russell was celebrating his consort's seven hundredth year as a vampire. The whole event was one grandiose affair that had been going on all week and ended that night with a lavish black-tie affair.
"She can't be that broke if she makes this short a trip in a fucking helicopter," Talbot whispered. Russell's thoughts run along the same line as he stared at Sophie-Anne and her entourage, surprised to find two humans... that thought slammed to a halt when he finally got a whiff of them. Fairies, he'd know that smell anywhere no matter how muted.
"Sophie-Anne, welcome to our grand abode for this glorious night of celebration." Sophie-Anne managed to keep her cordial smile despite that condescending greeting.
"Yes, it is quite the show." She drawled.
"Not as showy as your arrival." Russell groused.
"Blame my new advisor." She waved her hand in Godric's direction. Russell lazily rolled his eyes over to the advisor only for his mouth to suddenly go dry.
"Godric, now this is a surprise. I had no idea you changed careers." Russell said nonchalantly, but deep down this was a development that incensed him greatly. Louisiana was off the table with Godric now part of Sophie-Anne's court.
"Yes, well you do what it takes to secure your world especially when it contains such wonderful creatures." He said staring at Sookie. "Russell this is my bonded, Sookie Stackhouse and her brother Jason, Thalia's bonded. Sookie, Jason, this is Russell Edgington, King of Mississippi.
"You bonded to humans." He said knowing full well they weren't entirely human. His usual sneer when he said the word humans was no were to be heard tipping Godric off to the fact that he knew what the siblings were.
"Come come, Russell, you know that is not entirely true." Godric boldly said surprising Eric and Pam. There was no point in playing games when the cat was already out of the bag. Russell knew, and Godric wasn't going to pretend otherwise.
Sookie dropped her mask for a nano-second, earning growls from Talbot and Pam. "Darling, this is not the place for such games." Godric admonished with a smile.
"I couldn't help myself." She purred earning a chuckle from Jason. He had thought about doing the same thing, but the pinch he felt from Thalia was warning enough.
"Well, enjoy your evening," Russell said with a smile that belied his true feelings.
"What was that about? And that smell, that could not possibly be her." Talbot whispered.
"It was. Excuse me for a minute." Russell vamped to his office before Talbot could object. "Get the boys ready and lined up at the edge of the property in two hours and await further instruction." He took a deep unneeded breath and before making his way back out. He stood back watching vampires with their human pets mill about in his ballroom. But nothing grabbed his attention as much as Sophie-Anne's party. He watched them with unbridled lust aimed at Jason Stackhouse. He caught Godric's eye and quickly looked away, his eyes finding Talbot, who was shamelessly flirting with the Viking. It was clear Eric's attention was elsewhere, and Russell quickly surmised where that attention was. In fact, the more he watched the Viking, the more a few things became clear. He chuckled to himself as he made his way towards Talbot and the Viking. He had an ally that much he was sure off. The Viking, he was sure hated his maker, after all, he wouldn't be the first vampire to feel that way about their maker.
For the better part of two thousand years, Russell had searched for one thing. Fairies, and in one night two walk into his den. Yes, they were bonded to two powerful vampires, but that was not going to stop him. He would have Jason Stackhouse in his grasps if it were the last thing he did.