Debbie Pelt was easily ruled by her emotions, especially when it came to one particular were. What she wasn't though was blind; in fact, she was very tuned into her emotions to the extent that she so easily recognized them in others. What she recognized in Russell was need. Russell wanted and needed Jason Stackhouse for reasons she didn't know nor did she care. It had been obvious the minute Russell arrived At Lou Pine's sitting in the corner watching Jason with an intent Debbie had never seen in him. She also didn't miss the dejected look Russell wore when Thalia showed up to get her misbehaving husband.
Now Russell sat in the front seat of her truck, trying his damnedest not to turn and look at the man who was drunkenly sweet-talking his vampire wife into forgiving him. Debbie found the entire scene hilarious, but she was simply going to drop them off and turn back around and head home.
They arrived at Russell's in no time. Thalia was out the door and had Jason by the scruff of his neck. To her utter delight, Russell was quick to exit her vehicle and join the pair. Debbie turned around and hit the gas pedal like never before.
"Do you have a guest house?" Thalia asked. "He is unable to mask his scent, and I would rather not expose him to more vampires. I have no desire to kill in your home, and I will if anyone so much as looks at him in a manner I deem threatening." She warned.
"Yes, indeed, but I'm afraid the pool house is not a place for guests, and most importantly, it's not light tight."
"It is not an issue," Thalia said with a nonchalance that had Russell almost wobbling in his shoes. Thalia was well aware of the condition of the pool house and also knew that though it wasn't light-tight, she could spend the day there safely if Russell wasn't looking to get rid of her.
"Sure, this way." Russell was all of a sudden filled with more southern charm than the proverbial southern gentleman. "I will have it made a little more comfortable if you give me a few minutes." Thalia nodded and moved her and Jason over to the edge of the pool house.
"He's out of hearing range," Thalia whispered despite her words.
"He's even more desperate than I thought," Jason muttered with a chuckle. It took more than a few beers to get him drunk. "It bodes well for us." Thalia agreed with Jason's assessment, but desperate people also made unexpected moves. She was sure as hell wasn't spending the day in the pool house. They had a place picked out just outside of Russell's property. There, they had also hidden Jason's gun, a change of clothes for Thalia was an exact copy of what she was wearing now. Jason's glamoured were, Michael patrolled that part of the property, therefore there was little chance of being spotted. Even if they were, Jason could glamour whatever they saw out of their minds.
Thalia would admit her views on guns had changed somewhat. She had watched as Jason practiced the shot. He had spent two weeks perfecting that shot. He had one chance to make it before all hell broke loose.
Much to their surprise, two men were hauling a light travel coffin to the pool house, quickly followed by a bed. Russell had clearly come up with a plan, one that seemed to involve getting Thalia into some place or thing light-tight. "I hope this will suffice. I feel like such a horrible host. I ask you to stay here without thinking it out." Russell drawled as he walked closer. Jason, at this point, was lying on the ground staring at the sky, drawing out the shapes the stars made.
"Thank you, Russell, we will keep out of your way. " Thalia hauled Jason over her shoulder and stormed to the pool house as he started singing. "Do us both a favor and shut up." Thalia groused.
"Sure," Jason muttered as drool ran out of his mouth. Russell chuckled at the unlikely pair, but it was also an unlikely bond that was making his planned acquisition more difficult. Thalia was not be underestimated.
"Them again." Talbot barked.
Russell sighed and turned his attention to him. "Yes, them again."
"What is going on?"
"He is a fairy..." Russell continued quickly before Talbot could make some crack about the word fairy. "...and one whose blood allows vampires to walk in the sun." Talbot's irate look turned to one of abject interest. "If I can get rid of her, he will be ours. Imagine watching the sunset every morning. Not having to rush to get out of the sun's glare."
"The sun becoming inconsequential again." Talbot finished. As much as he wanted that dream, he also strangely would prefer if Russell had gone after the sister instead. Then again, she was the Gaul's bonded, and a vampire would have to be a fool to take him on. Russell could best Thalia, but the Gaul was an entirely different story.
Thalia exited the pool house and off the property before anyone spotted her just before the sun came up. Russell so believed in Jason's blood enabling her to walk in the sun, and yet wanted her to spend the day locked away. Locking her away would make it so much easier to kill her. The only light-tight room she trusted was her own; she rarely visited a place where she didn't have her own property to die in. If forced someplace else she would rather bury herself in the ground. Russell's light-tight room more than likely was designed to incapacitate a vampire if need be. She could smell Jason coming through the trees, as she got ready. She kept guard as he got a few hours of sleep, and after she was safely buried, he would get to work.
"He did a good job," Jason said as he spotted the deep hole Michael had dug. The glamoured were was proving to be very useful.
"Yes, the depth should hide my scent if anyone came past." Thalia settled down, and Jason quickly filled the hole. He patted the soil down and rolled a couple of logs over it. They might be going overboard, but rather that than get caught because of complacency or worse, hubris. He washed his hands and boots and popped back to the pool house. Jason took off his jacket, shirt, and boots, he rubbed his eyes raw and wandered back to the main house. Russell and several weres seemed to be in a conference of sorts. It was common knowledge that most monarchs used weres as security during the day. Russell was no different; he, in fact, relied on them more than most. Fifteen would be patrolling the compound while the sun was up.
"Ah, Mr. Stackhouse, you can finally stand on your own two feet." Jason looked around a little sheepishly.
"Yeah, any chance of breakfast?" He ran his fingers through his hair.
"Yes, I have the chef make you something." Talbot offered as he eyed up every inch of Jason.
"Thanks, I will come with you." Jason wasn't about to eat anything he hadn't seen prepared.
"You know a little drop of my blood will have you right as rain." Talbot offered.
"I know, but I'm already in enough trouble with Thalia, can't go adding to it." He mumbled as he stood by the kitchen island.
"Suit yourself," Talbot muttered with a dismissive wave. "What would you like? I don't think there is a dish our chef here cannot make."
"Pancakes and eggs if it's too much trouble."
"It's not," Talbot answered.
"Are you going to prepare it?" Jason bit back.
"Of course not," Talbot responded as though it was the most absurd idea he'd ever heard.
"Then you don't know if it's too much trouble or not... do you." Jason bit back.
"I suppose I don't," Talbot muttered.
Russell joined them as Talbot was clearly throwing an internal hissy fit due to Jason putting him in his place. "Thank you two very much for your hospitality, we will be out of your ear before you wake up." A bolt of panic shot through the two.
"No need to rush. We were hoping to spend a little time with you two tonight before you left." Russell calculated the risk of trying to take Jason now but dismissed it as Thalia was right then an unknown factor. Was she in the coffin or was she still up and about?
"I'm afraid we had plans that I have already made difficult. You might have a few minutes with us before we leave." He said with an apologetic shrug.
"We understand." Russell smiled as they left Jason to his breakfast.
Jason spent the rest of the day walking around the property chatting to weres, or that is what anyone monitoring or checking the CCTV footage would see. With a couple of hours, he had them all glamoured. He would then likely have to spend hours looking through a scope waiting for Talbot to show, couldn't risk anyone finding them.
Russell, at his age, would naturally be up before Thalia, although he still couldn't go out. Jason, though would have to keep him busy until Thalia dug herself out, cleaned up, and joined me. Jason would have to show off quite a bit, he had no problem with that. He stayed in the pool house until just before the sun went down and then entered the main house. "Here I thought Thalia woke up early, but this is early." Jason yawned, moving to the kitchen. The chef Mike was the best thing about the place as far as Jason was concerned.
"With age come certain advantages," Russell answered as he followed. Jason found it funny that Russell followed him like a dog would his owner waiting for food.
"I can see that. I will admit I can't wait to see the world in a few centuries." Jason mumbled.
"You are immortal?"
"Fairies age slowly, but a fairy with human DNA would age a little faster than a full fairy, but bonded to a vampire eliminates the aging process altogether."
"So continued use of Thalia's blood will make you immortal. Fascinating." Russell whispered.
"Yeah, check this out. Mine gives her the ability to walk in the sun. The more she drinks from me, the more immunity she builds. Of course, it takes time to get to that point, but we have it." They weren't sure if it was truly possible, but Russell didn't know that.
"Wow, what else are you capable of?" Jason took pleasure in showing off. He showed almost everything he was capable of, except his ability to glamour. He tried talking about Sookie, but Russell had no interest in her much to his delight.
Jason was in the middle of his meal when Thalia finally showed up, followed by Talbot. "Russell, thank you for your hospitality, but we do have to get going. I'm afraid we are already late."
"Such a shame. Please come back soon." Talbot drawled while Russell calculated his chances of success against Thalia. Unfortunately, he knew he could not start a fight with her without Jason getting involved. Russell had just been privy to the boy's numerous abilities; he was sure the boy kept some to himself. Getting Jason Stackhouse would not happen just yet, but it would happen. He just had to be patient. In fact, establishing a friendship might just be the way to go.
Russell and Talbot walked outside to see the pair off. Jason pulled Talbot backside and far away from Russell. "I am sorry about this morning. I was nursing a hangover and behaved appallingly. To show my gratitude and to apologize, I have left you a gift in the pool house. It's behind a stack of poles in the far right corner of the room. Do not open it until you are ready to use it. I'm afraid it's just for one person. It's Thalia's, she has it for emergencies, but as we are heading home, she can afford to part with it. Use it soon as due to my human DNA, the blood will congeal by sun up."
"You left me some of your blood?" Talbot could barely contain his excitement.
"Yes, it will give you a day in the sun. Use it wisely. You have tonight at least to plan your day." Jason laughed as he walked away. Talbot just stood there thinking of the possibilities.
"What did you two talk about?" Russell asked, pulling him out of his daydream.
"He left me some of his blood. It allows me a day in the sun." Russell wasn't sure he heard him correctly.
"He left you some of his blood?" Russell vamped right to him and gripped his shoulders. "Where is it?"
"Why?" Talbot asked, shrugging off Russell's hands. In Russell's excitement, it hadn't even occurred to him that Talbot would not consider sharing. "He left it to me, and unfortunately, there is only enough for me." Talbot glared before walking away.
"What do you want for it?" Russell practically begged. Talbot ignored the question. "There has to be something you want," Russell pleaded.
"Yes, to spend a day in the sun." Talbot drawled. Russell contemplated torturing Talbot for the location of the blood but shook the idea off and berated himself for the thought.
"When I get him and I will. You will not get another drop out of him if you do not give me the blood." Russell threatened.
"I can live with that." Talbot retorted. He stared at Talbot for a beat and with a huff vamped out of the house. Talbot was not idiotic enough to head straight to the pool house. He knew Russell was watching him, but he also knew Russell had several meetings in an hour or so, which gave him plenty of time to get the blood and hide it.
Talbot was not a consort that ventured past the front door much unless with Russell or guards. Even walking the compound wasn't something he did much. Russell was extremely protective of him. Taking the chance of setting up and waiting for him to come out by himself to take a shot without an incentive would have been a fool's errand. This, in a sense, took them entirely off Russell's radar as suspects and, most importantly, ensured Talbot would at some point in the night make his way to the pool house.
Jason and Thalia had expected Talbot to tell Russell about his gift. They knew they had to wait, and wait they were prepared to do. Thanks to a witch Godric knew, they were scentless. They also had the scent of a vampire who had met his true death recently ready to leave in place. Russell would be chasing a ghost.
"There he is," Jason whispered almost two hours later. The blood he had given Talbot was indeed his own and would allow Talbot to walk in the sun for a few hours if that. They had spent two weeks collecting his blood in small doses. If things went according to plan Talbot will not drink it, and neither would Russell, as the magic that kept it corked would dissipate by sun up, and the blood would congeal minutes after that. He watched Talbot through the scope as he walked around the property and headed to another outhouse on the property. Russell had clearly excused himself from the meeting to follow. Talbot clearly knew Russell well as he led him on a wild goose chase. Talbot went into the outhouse and came back out a minute or so later with a smile on his face. Russell also smiled and went back inside the house, thinking he knew where the blood was hidden.
Talbot rounded the corner of the house with a wide grin on his face just as his head exploded. Thalia opened the vile and then took off running to the main road. Jason had popped and was already waiting for her. He took her hand, and they were back at the farmhouse in a blink of an eye.
It's done." Several nervous eyes relaxed minutely. The hardest part was over.