The night held an awful humid putrid smell in the air as Eric found himself lurking nearby the local trash dump Hotshot. The place alone made him feel the need to bleach his entire body by just standing in the woods nearby. If they weren't such a high contributor to the purchase of V, he'd wipe them all out and save everyone in his town and Bon Temps the headache. Werepanthers...the bottom of the fucking barrel in his opinion.
His time was more precious at the moment then playing babysitter to Lafayette, but knowing that the V was being sold was a task he needed to do to keep him and his family out of the hair of fucking Sophie-Anne. His sources had come back with rumors about sightings of a vampire matching Compton's description being seen in Mississippi. They weren't conclusive, but a Jackson accent from a jacked up werewolf and a vampire matching a description which could only belong to Bill were two clues too many for Eric to simply ignore.
The assholes in Hotshot weren't buying what Lafayette was selling and Eric was too impatient to withstand idiocy for too long.
"Take the deal." Eric said, his hand wrapped tightly around the diseased Calvin Norris, inbred leader of the werepanthers in Hotshot.
"You'll have to kill me first." choked Calvin.
"No...I'll think I'll kill all your brother-cousins first. How does that sound Lafayette?" he asked, glancing to a shaken Lafayette.
"Uh...that...that sounds good." he stuttered.
"Excellent." Eric smiled, fangs on full display.
"Alright, we'll see." gasped Calvin. "Just let me fucking go."
Eric dropped the inbred trash to the ground, wiping his hands to get rid of the dirt and filth left behind. He slowly walked past Lafayette, back towards the vette, his eyes slowly glancing over the remaining residents of Hotshot.
"Now that's what you call closing the deal."
Eric climbed into the corvette and waited for Lafayette to get in the driver's seat. Lafayette wouldn't admit it to anyone, would rather die in his grave then submit, but he for once realized that Eric might not be too bad of an asshole. Though again, he'd take that shit to his grave. Seeing those inbred swine residents of Hotshot pissing their pants was something he'd revel in for life.
It wasn't long they were driving when Eric got into his lecture about his selling skills.
"I'm a bit disappointed, Lafayette. I pegged you a professional, but clearly you lack the necessary artistry."
"Bossman, have you seen this face?" gushed Lafayette. "Ain't nothing but art."
"You walk into every situation all flash and fire. You expect them to adapt to you. That's not salesmanship, it's ego. Aurea's mentioned it a time or two and its best you learn to curb that if you want to be able to sell to more than your usual clientel." he said, his ringtone breaking the lecture.
"Sounds like Rea needs to start keeping her fucking mouth shut." mumbled Lafayette.
"I heard that." mumbled Eric, answering his phone. "What?"
"We're being raided."
"So? Ring den Amerikanska vampyr ligan. De kommer att fa sina advokater pa den. Jag ar upptagen." he replied in Swedish. (So? Call the American Vampire League. They'll get their lawyers on it. I'm busy.)
"Det ar inte polisen...det ar Magister." replied Pam. (It's not the police...it's the Magister.)
"Jag kommer dit nu." (I'm coming there now.)
"Inte vara dum. Lamna medan du fortfarande kan. Drottningen stalla dig upp." (Don't be stupid. Leave while you still can. The Queen set you up.)
The line went dead as Pam hung up the phone. Fear raced through his veins from Pam in what he could only conclude as The Magister intruding his sick and twisted practices onto his prodigy. At that moment, there was nothing he could do. He was out of time to form a plan, a plan that would save him and Pam, a plan that would let him find Aurea and unfortunately Bill, a plan that would end Sophie-Anne and her ties she had over him.
He had no choice but to leave as soon as he could, flying out of the vette and back to Fangtasia. It was the fastest way for him to travel but it still was not enough. The fear, pain, and possible torture radiating from Pam pushed him to his ultimate limit. Losing Aurea was a pain he never wanted to feel again...losing a child was one he never wanted to feel.
Screams entered his ears as he raced into the basement of Fangtasia, his prodigy tied up like a flayed man chipping the ice formed around his heart. Pain ran through him as he yelled to The Magister to stop.
"I am who you want." cried Eric. "But I have been framed."
"Oh, you've got the wrong man." mocked The Magister. "My dog ate my homework...I saw Goody Osborne with the devil. Excuses are one thing I can assure you do not get better with age."
Eric felt pure anger rise within his veins as The Magister turned to his henchman in the back, holding a cooler of V vials.
"Do you deny the blood was being sold in your area?"
"Not on my orders." stated Eric, honesty in every word for once.
"Then on whose?" questioned the Magister. "Your queen?"
Eric for once didn't know how to respond. On one hand he could give Sophie-Anne to the Magister which would get her out of his hair and out of his area. She'd get her fangs ripped out and put in a silver coffin till she starved to death...if she was lucky. But he too would be taken down due to Sophie-Anne refusing to be held accountable for anything alone. The options were not favorable, and his mind worked on overload trying to find anything as he watched The Magister torture the only other person in this life who he gave a damn about.
"What'll it be, Sheriff?"
The scream from Pam was enough to almost make him deliver Sophie-Anne on a silver platter, but Pam's quick thinking of Bill Compton being the culprit made an entirely different door open up to so many possibilities.
"It's true. He's gone missing from my area." he rushed to the bandwagon. "You've seen yourself how easily he betrays our kind for personal gain. I believe he is behind this, and I am gathering evidence to bring him to you. Now let me finish my work."
The Magister looked at Eric with understanding, and the potential opportunity for another trial, something he had been aching for. He slowly turned back to Pam:
"They say the loss of a child...is the deepest of despair." stated The Magister. "Two days, Mr. Northman, or she dies...a true death."
Eric's cold dead heart dropped to his stomach as he regarded Pam one last time strung up like a pig waiting to be butchered. It seemed that time was against him, and it was time to start his search for Bill Compton. He wasn't prepared, no resources set up, and no clue how this could potentially pan out, but it was a step he was forced to take and it was a step that hopefully got him the person he's been trying to find.
"Mr. Northman..."
Eric paused halfway up the basement stairs and turned back to The Magister.
"I didn't have the luxury of saying hello to your beautiful wife." he stated, looking at Eric over his shoulder. "She wouldn't be hiding anything or anywhere would she?"
Eric felt his shoulders tense up as he quickly glanced to Pam, her slight nod giving him all the ideas he needed.
"Not at all, Magister." replied Eric, his gaze falling to the ground. "I've been reluctant to say anything because I'll admit, I'm a bit embarrassed by it."
"She leave you?" goaded The Magister.
"She was taken." stated Eric, his eyes hardening as he met The Magister's. "By Bill Compton. Leverage I'm assuming."
"And why didn't you bring this to our attention sooner?" asked The Magister.
"To be frank, Magister, having your wife kidnapped by a subordinate wasn't something I was too keen on my area knowing. Doesn't bode well for re-election. I'm sure you can understand that." said Eric, his voice monotone with anger laced on every word.
"I can understand that. I'm still giving you two days to get me what I need." replied The Magister. "And I hope for your sake, you get it done. Losing a wife, and a child would be a terrible burden to bear for the rest of your lonely life."
Eric felt his jaw harden and his teeth grind at the not so well veiled threat. He nodded his head in understanding before running the rest of the way out of the basement and Fangtasia all together. He wasn't happy with the way this search was set up, he wasn't in charge, he had no backup, no resources. He had to think this one out on his feet. Not good.
Mississippi was a lot closer than he thought, or he had just pushed himself to fly faster than normal. Either way, he found himself landing on the outskirts of Russell's estate. The large stately mansion lit up in the dark night like a beacon calling home. Eric steeled himself with a roll of his neck and shoulders before walking towards the home.
He was quickly flanked by 3-4 gorilla sized vampires, Russell's private security. Eric looked them over one by one, slight humor etched on his face. He could take all of them out within seconds, but he was here to play nice…for now.
"This is completely unnecessary." replied Eric, the goons escorting him into the foyer of the home. "I told you I come in peace."
Eric came face to face with a Grecian looking man who received more beauty treatments and expensive clothing than Miss America.
"Hello." the man said, eyeing Eric greedily. "Have we met?"
"Eric Northman, sheriff, Louisiana Area 5. I've come to see the king." replied Eric.
"Talbot, royal consort." he smiled, before calling off the goons still holding onto Eric.
He ushered Eric into the dining room as he called for Russell who no doubt would be cleaning himself up after his earlier dinner extravaganza with Aurea and Mr. Compton. He gestured to an empty sit and sat opposite Eric, waiting patiently.
"Would you like a beverage, Mr. Northman?"
"I would be delighted."
The dining room grew quiet as Talbot ordered the butler to make a round of drinks. Eric let his eyes wander the room as he took in everything. Just as grand inside as it was outside. What made this trip even grander right to begin with was the all too familiar scent of his beloved. It was the scent that was etched into his memory, it was a part of him, it was something he would never be able to forget.
She was here.
"Mr. Northman, I presume."
Eric pulled his mind back to earth as Russell walked into the dining room. He wore a dressing gown with a towel around his neck and a freshly washed smell trailing behind him.
"Your majesty." replied Eric, gently bowing his head in respect.
"Talbot."
Russell gently took Talbot's hand with a smile before gently pressing a kiss to his knuckles. Russell took his seat at the head and turned his attention to Eric.
"What do I owe the pleasure of your visit, sheriff?" asked Russell.
"I humbly request permission to hunt your territory for the vampire missing from my area."
"I appreciate your courtesy, Eric. It's very old-world." replied Russell.
"Nobody has manners anymore. It was all so beautiful once." stated Talbot, in appreciation.
"Your fugitive, what's his name again?" asked Russell.
"Bill Compton." answered Eric, keeping with the ruse Pam started. "I'm responsible for him, and, uh, I'm ashamed to admit it, but he's wanted for selling vampire blood."
"Oh, no. That's heinous. Are you sure?" asked Russell, getting an unfortunate nod from Eric. "Let's ask him."
Eric knew there would have been a slight off chance Bill would be within the estate, but he had hoped he wasn't just to help give himself some extra time to work on an exit strategy. He turned to see Bill step into the dining room, a smug smile on his face. Looking at him Eric felt the annoyance he held for Compton resurface.
"You tried to pin that on me?" smiled Bill.
"We all know it's your queen behind this Northman." replied Russell, causing a sense of relief and surprise to rush through Eric.
"And that you did the selling for her." finished Bill.
"You see, Mr. Compton has accepted a position in my court and therefore keeps nothing from me." answered Russell, looking at Bill with anticipation.
Bill met Russell's eyes and gently nodded in agreement. Bill remembered what Aurea had mentioned to him earlier, when she overheard Russell speaking with the vampire Franklin about the dossier they found of his. Russell was now aware Bill was keeping things from him and Bill didn't know how long he'd be able to keep up the ruse.
"So, Bill, you're hear of your own accord." said Eric, a little on the smug side. "Which means…."
"Sookie is no longer mine." replied Bill, his face portraying indifference, but also incredulity at him bringing this up when his wife was upstairs, unaware of his presence in the very house she was trapped in.
Eric gave him a slight smirk before turning back to Russell.
"Your majesty, I admit, I sold the blood at my queen's command and accused Bill to protect her." admitted Eric. "I am at a loss your majesty. Unless I give The Magister Compton, he'll murder my progeny."
Talbot gasped at the sadness of Eric's situation as Russell growled in irritation. The Magister was one person Russell never like and refused to submit to.
"The Magister...is a nasty little...anachronistic toad. A ridiculous remnant of the Middle Ages. The only power he has over us is the power we give him." stated Russell, a plan forming in his mind that could merge in with his already laid out future plans. "There may be a way to solve all our problems."
Russell smiled a little deviously as he offered Eric to take a room at his home until they could figure out what needed to be done.
