Chapter 61: Sugar Kane

A few days passed and it was just as if she had never left Louisiana at all. Every time Eric had stepped into the club his accountant was already there, counting money. With Fangtasia now being the number one exotic club in the county, the money stacks were getting higher and higher. Accounting became more complex, more challenging, and harder to clean. In the books, the strippers got to keep 70 to 80% of their floor earnings and the house kept the rest. But in reality, they were keeping 100% of what they made, and the difference they got to keep was their freshly clean drug money. More dancers meant they got to launder bigger volumes, enough so that they reached their nightly deposit limit of 9,999 dollars. A single dollar above that and the bank has to report it to the Federal government, making the IRS take a keen interest in you. That kept them at a limit of laundering just under 70k a week through Fangtasia, but the remainder of their portfolio took care of the rest and then some.

Never mind that Tara got knocked up, or that apparently all the dancers hated each other's guts and fought constantly backstage. They could have their own hunger games for all Eric cared. Hell, he would sell tickets for it. Even Anthony Gray was happier now that he had to launder less for him and clean more for himself.

It pained him to see this beautiful perfect machine that Olivia built work so flawlessly because Eric knew he would have to take a baseball bat to it, burn it all down then bury its ashes so there wasn't a single trace of it left. It hurt him even more so that without needing to clean money for the Queen, there was no real reason for Olivia to be in Louisiana at all. Would he be reason enough for her to stay?

Eric didn't want to find out just yet, which was why he had a plan. He made one while holding her asleep body in his arms. It was an absurdly risky and completely insane plan, but there was no way in hell he would just let her walk.

Despite the crowded club full of horny and sleazy strangers, everyone stepped out of his way when he crossed the main floor. Everyone in this town knew who he was, and knew better than to fuck with him. He shot a glance at Pamela, one she knew intimately the meaning. She stepped out from behind the bar and quietly followed him upstairs to the office, both in understanding they were about to discuss something serious.

Olivia almost jumped out of her small office chair, startled at their stealthy entrance. He realized then that being a telepath, she could hear human minds coming before she saw them. It explained why she had a small heart attack every time he snuck up on her. That little quirk was so cute it almost brought a smile to his face.

"Well, well, well, the bitch is back," Pam eyed the accountant down, domineering as she always was.

"I was gone for one night, where the hell have you been?" She retorted.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Pamela grinned dirty while sprawling on the office leather couch, legs set wide and high due to her 5-inch heels.

Where Pamela had been was precisely what they were here to talk about, despite Olivia's mysterious vacation. Eric closed the office door behind him and they both shushed immediately, understanding this was an official meeting. Like the people downstairs, they also knew better.

"This Casino needs to open sooner rather than later," Eric said firmly, looking up to Pamela who was still as a statue. "Olivia, I need you to help Pamela secure a strategic building site. We need to break ground by the end of the month."

She made a face, trying to hide her stunned reaction. "Is the Queen-"

"This doesn't have anything to do with the Queen," he lied boldly.

Her eyes tried to study him, but he gave her nothing. "Well, then… That's not really my expertise."

"It is when you can read a human's mind," Pamela said in her most charming southern twang. "We need the majority of the city council to approve a decent location, and you gotta do it fast."

"You want me to do what?" She blurted out. "Haven't you pissed off enough Government officials?"

He found it amusing that once upon a time Olivia was so eager to infiltrate the Louisiana political scene she snuck into Burrell's fundraiser. Now, she wanted nothing to do with it, not even a handful of small-town city councillors.

"Clearly we already have, which is the problem I need both of you to fix," Eric explained.

Selling V or not, controlling this Casino was the only leverage they had against the Queen, and the only way to keep all the vampires in Area 5 under his oath. This way, Sophie-Anne would have to think twice about killing him or selling him out to the Authority once he tells her the Magister has been on their tail. Even though he was technically not attached to the Casino on paper, or had any blood dominion over Pamela if he were killed his progeny wouldn't give Sophie-Anne a single red cent, that he was sure of. Hopefully, the Queen would be intelligent enough to think long-term for once in her fucking existence.

"Well, can't you glamour them into it?" Olivia asked, her eyes on nothing but him.

"What do you think this is? Amateur hour?" His progeny loudly complained.

The unfortunate truth was - Pam had already tried. His progeny accosted the Shreveport Mayor earlier this week while he was walking his idiotic toy poodle. And not only it didn't work, one of the neighbours called the cops and she had to flee the scene, and now he was surrounded by armed security every evening. Eric had seen Pamela do all sorts of sordid things, but she had never looked so humiliated when she flew back home. He had promised to himself never to speak of it again.

"We've encountered a bit of a… Problem with that as of late," Eric spoke tonelessly. "It seems that certain… Public servants have attained anti-glamour contact lenses."

"Ain't 21st-century technology a bitch?" Pam whined sarcastically. Her ego was still bruised.

But Olivia frowned as there was nothing funny about that. She understood without another word how bad this was for them.

The Authority was well aware of this neat little human development and it would just be a matter of time before anyone who was involved in researching and developing this prototype would disappear and die in a series of freak accidents. If this kind of technology was left unchecked, even the simplest of vampires wouldn't be able to glamour their way for food anymore. Their future would snowball down a bloody and violent hill that eventually would grow to be a PR nightmare so big not even Nan Flanagan could fix. As for political capital, what Eric had done with Willa and Truman Burrell would look like a pleasant meeting over cocktails. But he couldn't just sit and wait, they had to act now. The Magister had sniffed blood in the waters. Ilegal, sacred, vampirical blood and he would not stop hunting until he found its source.

"Okay, what exactly do you want me to do?" Olivia asked with a glimmer in her eye.

That's my girl.

"Get them to play fuckin' ball," Pam told her. "Or get something that will force them to."

If Olivia approaches any of them during the day, not only they wouldn't feel threatened by a human woman, but she would have an easier time getting a sit-down meeting and scrambling through their thoughts.

"Blackmail?" She asked. Olivia wasn't one for metaphors. She always said precisely what she meant.

"A black book, the name of their master, where they keep the bodies, the skeletons in the closet, anythin' we can use."

"You guys know this is not how mind reading works, right?" Olivia spoke in a low voice, looking slightly pale. Talking about what she could do clearly wasn't in her top 10 favourite activities. "People don't think about their secrets out of the blue."

"Can't you plant seeds in the conversation?"

"I'm telepathic, not omnipotent," Olivia gave Pamela the side-eye. "But sure, I'll see what I can do."

Despite her concerns, they were all in agreement. Eric had full faith Olivia would find something, she had yet to bring disappointing results. "Good, meeting adjourned," Eric said as he stood.

There was a small flash of confusion on Pamela's face. "So we're not gonna talk about it?"

Her question could mean one of a million things. He hadn't told Olivia about the Magister and having to shut down operations. He also hadn't told her how the wolves were inching towards a full-scale war that could break at any moment or forced the issue of her escapade. He had to pick his battles carefully right now. In any case, he wished he could command Pam to shut her mouth.

"What other thing?" Olivia frowned, concerned.

"There's nothing else to talk about," Eric insisted, eyes firmly on Pamela who had gotten a taste of what power was like and now she picked up the dislikeable trait of being defiant. Olivia watched their tension grow, but said nothing. "When you two find what you need, text me."

Suddenly all eyes were on him. He liked that.

"Text you? Are you leaving?" His progeny asked.

"For a few nights, yes."

Considering the last two times Eric had officially left area 5 were to meet his Queen or because his Maker had gone missing, he wasn't surprised this news was a bit alarming to both of them. Even Olivia, who now knew he actually unofficially left his territory often, seemed concerned.

"Where the hell are you going?"

Silence lulled into the room, neither woman blinking. Looking at the two of them across the desk made him feel the massive weight of his deranged plan. But it was their only shot of getting out of this alive, all three of them.

"Jackson, Mississippi."

Olivia strutted across the old hardwood floors of the City Office, looking for one office in particular: the Mayors. There was no need for running around in circles, hunting down city councillors. She would go straight ahead to their boss and cut this thing off right at the head of the snake.

Although she was treading in dark murky waters. She still thought their overall approach was absolutely nuts and she was kicking herself for allowing Eric to rush the opening of their Casino. But, unknown to her, she was sure he had his reasons. And, shame on her for believing that one political stint in Baton Rouge at the Burrell Gala had been a unique occasion. Now if she could manage a shitshow half the size of Willa Burrell and maybe not make it on the nightly news this time, this would be a success.

The building was historical, something Shreveport didn't happen to have a whole lot of. The outside was made out of stone, with pretty sculpted moulding and pillars on the facade. However, the inside did not match its exterior elegance. The place was dull, with faded paint, dusty light fixtures and dated furniture. Her high heels echoed loudly on the creaky wood floors, which was surprising considering this building was borderline empty despite being 10 am on a Monday. Guess not a lot of officing is happening in this city. Well, it showed.

Following the hallway signs, she approached the receptionist on the top floor, where the furniture was considerably nicer.

Ah, finally his 10 o'clock showed. Goddamn, she coulda at least called sayin' she was late. Noone's on time nowadays, who raised these people? Thought the secretary loudly when she caught Olivia entering the waiting area.

Now, never mind the old lady's feelings, Olivia didn't actually have an appointment. But she would get into that room, right now, she had no option. The woman sat up straighter and eyed her strangely. She noticed Olivia dressed differently than his usual appointments, then prayed he wasn't cheating on his wife again.

Well, well, well. Isn't that something?

"Good morning! My deepest apologies for being late, I had car troubles. Is he in?" Olivia said immediately, rushing her way directly towards the ornate closed double doors.

"Yes ma'am, let me just-" she started to reach for the phone, but Olivia was faster.

She just pushed the door open and walked right in, closing it behind her with haste. The Mayor was sitting at his desk and looked equally surprised at the sight of her. His office was bigger and brighter than she thought it would be. It had a deep green carpet, dated but more tasteful furniture, six different filing cabinets and about another dozen filing boxes stacked on the floor against the wall. The windows were large and let a lot of light in. It even had a nice view of the park across the street, which was by far the only well landscaped and embellished part of this whole city.

"You aren't Debbie from finance," Mayor Joshua Peterson stated, standing up.

It just hit her then, the reality of what she was doing. But she pushed it down, she packed it up and closed the box tightly.

"No, I am not," she took a few confident steps forward and extended her right hand to the Mayor. "Olivia Carson, Northman Enterprise representative."

Joshua was in his 50s, wore pressed trousers and a perfectly starched button-up, no tie and he was freshly shaved. Not a single hair out of place. The Mayor was much more professional than she had imagined he would be, for whatever reason. He also did not shake her hand. Awkwardly, she retracted.

"I see you ain't a vampire," he said blandly.

"You are very observant, sir," Olivia snarked back without thinking. Some of Pam may be rubbing off on her.

"Well, I'm waiting for someone to discuss a very important report, I'm afraid you'll have to make an appointment just like everyone else. Ma'am," the man said while taking back his seat, eyes back on his computer.

She noticed the glare of his monitor reflecting on the glass case of an art print hanging behind his desk. Olivia couldn't tell the numbers, but she could recognize an Excel spreadsheet from a mile away. If she could keep the Mayor from touching his mouse and keyboard for 10 minutes, the screen would - theoretically- lock, which would require him to re-enter his password. If she was still in the room when he did so, she would pick out his password right out of his head. If he were a smart man, he would not keep evidence of his shady doings on a work computer, but alas, most people are surprisingly not smart.

"I'm afraid this can't wait, and that Deb from finance cancelled," she bluffed, as she also took a seat on the soft leather chair across his desk, and put down her briefcase next to her, getting comfortable in the man's office.

She had no idea who the hell Deb from finance was, or if she was about to walk into this office at the very next minute. This level of improvisation was unfamiliar to her, and she didn't like playing risky games like this but she was out of options and out of time. She wasn't going to do this song and dance with every damn council member of this town, not when only one mattered. The gaming commissioner was on their side, but all they did was authorize casino licenses - finding a property was up to the developer.

If Eric wanted a solution before he came back from Jackson, she trusted there must have been a cause. He wouldn't spend time away from her for no reason. She wondered if he felt it too, the distance. All she knew for certain was that something bad was simmering under the surface, and if making the Casino happen would fix it, she would do it. She would do whatever it took.

Despite her heart pounding against her chest, Olivia smiled and carried herself poised and composed, as if she had all the control of this situation.

"Fine. I take it this about your damn Casino?" He didn't even blink as he studied her from across the table. "We already offered a rather sizable plot of land in Sligo-"

"For 40% more than what it's worth," she noted. Olivia always came prepared. "Plus, Sligo has a population of 4 thousand versus the almost 300 thousand of Shreveport proper, which is key considering most of the business in Casinos come from walking traffic."

They didn't need to just open, they needed to stay open too.

But Joshua shrugged. "Make it a destination place. There's a golf course right next door, work it out with them."

He clearly had done his homework too.

"The clientele we hope to attract doesn't particularly… Golf," they are vampires, duh- "Plus think of the property taxes your city gets to keep."

"And think of all the policing it's going to cost me."

"Maybe stop raiding us unnecessarily and you'll be surprised by how much you can save."

The tension spiked in the room, the two of them locked in a staring contest. His mind was full of unpleasant thoughts, many of which contained vivid images of him killing vampires. Beheadings, stakings, silver, dowsing them in gasoline and lighting a match. One of the vampires that haunted his mind was Pamela. The violence against her was disturbingly vile, of the sexual kind. It made her stomach sick.

The fact that his face didn't show a single sign of the rage that hid behind his eyes, gave her chills. It wasn't the violence that lived in people's minds that scared her, it was the ease and normality of it, the lack of guilt or remorse that should come with it - but doesn't. She wasn't the only one who kept a lid tightly shut.

"There must be something you want," she shook the terrors of his mind off. "You are a politician after all. Perhaps a nice and fat city donation? Campaign contribution?"

"I've heard what happens to politicians who take vampire money," he said coldly.

His stubbornness was starting to piss her off. With the way this was going, it would be unlikely that she'd be able to entertain this conversation long enough for his computer to lock. Olivia tried something new - reaching deep into his mind, like she had done to the Fellowship of the Sun, and Jamie. She concentrated hard, not exactly knowing how she did it the last two times. But all she got were surface thoughts. Going any further was like grasping air. Oh, come on! What was the point of reading minds and unlocking new powers when she can't fucking use them when she needs them most?

She had to take a deep breath not to show her frustration. Instead, she just focused on his regular surface-level thoughts, but what she discovered didn't surprise her: the Mayor hated vampires, but you didn't have to be a telepath to know that. Anger was making her heart race. Olivia could not fail. She couldn't disappoint-

"I ain't about to hand over another single acre of land to your vampire boss," he said coldly. "Northman already owns too much of this town, and if I could seize it all I would. I don't like him, I don't like his kind, and I surely don't like you, ma'am."

His words came across crystal clear, but something inside her clicked. Eric did own a lot of this town, and it started off way before he had to house hundreds of vampires who had joined Area 5.

Olivia stood up boldly, looking down at the Mayor. "You're right. He does."

Joshua Peterson glared at her enraged and confused, his mind still violent and bloody. He wanted to be the Mayor who saved this city from vampires. Not only did he hate them, but he wanted to use said hatred. Peterson wanted to use the anti-vampire gospel the Lakewood Church, the largest in Shreveport, had been spreading for political gain in the next election. But the congregation was forced to shut down due to their large collection of illegal firearms in the basement, exposed by Eric Northman in that press conference months ago. Now, no Church dared go against vampires publicly, and their loathing for the dead was forced to be a quieter type. One you can't put on TV, radio, make flyers or protests with it.

"A word of caution, Miss Carson," the Mayor's voice called out to her. "Don't play games with me. You won't like how it ends."

"With all due respect, Mr. Peterson," Olivia couldn't help but smile at his pathetic attempt at a threat, and his sadly inflated sense of ego. She had crushed men with far more clout than him. He didn't fucking scare her. "You are such an insignificant pawn in this game, you didn't even make it to the board."

Portia kept fiddling and awkwardly pacing around the small opening of Eric's office. She agreed it was unnerving to be here when it was this quiet. Being Monday, the club was closed and Pamela was downstairs taking messages from the vampire town hall they held weekly, as Eric was in Mississippi, doing God knows what. Olivia didn't have to read her mind to know Portia was incredibly uncomfortable being here, judging by the way she hugged her paper folder tightly against her chest.

"You can have a seat, you know?" Liv nodded to the black leather couch. There was no reason for the money bins to be laid out tonight, so it unusually sat empty.

The lawyer took a critical glance at it, and her mind instantly jumped at very sexually vivid imagines of sex, and blood orgies, involving Eric, Pam, and humans happening on said couch. "No thanks."

Olivia stared at it for a second, imagining the same. Yeah, maybe Portia was onto something. Luckily Portia didn't have to wait around for much longer, as Pamela's heels echoed down the hall, their sound growing ominously.

"Alright, bitches, tell me what you got," the tall blonde vampire ordered the second she entered the small office.

She was dressed in a black pencil skirt, and a white button-up with ruffles on the collar and cuffs, and a bright red lipstick that matched the soles of her heels. Pamela looked like a high-end secretary from a cheesy porno; as usual, taking the dress code of every situation a little too literal.

"We don't need the city to approve land from us at all," Olivia said. The Mayor's mind had been less than helpful in terms of blackmail, but she was pleased with what she came up with. It had been Mayor Peterson's idea, really.

"We… Don't?" The vampire repeated.

"No, because you already own such property," Portia handed her the paper folder and Pamela snatched it out of her hand eagerly. "348 Main Avenue, purchased 5 months ago. It's the renovated textile factory turned luxury condo right downtown. The city re-zoned that whole street for EC-2/D - commercial and mixed-use- to bring more business to the city core years ago. That's the coding zone you need to open a Casino."

It was the building Olivia lived in when she first moved to Shreveport. Her unit was a lease arranged by the Queen when she was relocated here, and Eric purchased the whole building in order to have… Full access to Olivia. She hadn't been to the place since she interviewed for a distributor of their new online business when she met Lafayette.

She eyed Pamela flip the pages with her usual unreadable face. It included property taxes, lot specs, blueprints and insurance details.

"It's only four stories high. Can we build up?" Pamela asked shutting the folder closed.

Olivia shook her head. "It would take at least six months to a year to assess the infrastructure, redraw the blueprints to spec and create the architectural plans before we even start demolishing the existing apartments."

"Bulldoze it?"

"The city would have to grant a series of permits for demolition, and I'll make a guess they'll make it as hard as possible, just like they have with everything else," Portia sighed.

Pamela slapped the paper folder down against Eric's desk, now standing on the other side of it, where Eric usually did. "Does this fucking city want progress or not?!"

"Here," Olivia reopened the folder and spread out the existing blueprints. She had a plan. "First two floors, get rid of all internal walls, other than the supporting columns. That will be the Casino. That's ten thousand square feet per floor. The top two floors will be the hotel. Elevators, plumbing, wiring and emergency exits are already in. You just need to rearrange the layout to turn eight apartments into maybe twenty-some rooms."

It was smaller than her original vision, but it may be the only vision they can turn into reality in such a short term. And who knows what other hurdles were waiting around the corner? Olivia knew something was up, that there was a really good reason why Eric was demanding this to be done so soon, and why he suddenly went out of town with no explanations or goodbyes. She was just waiting for him to fess up. But then again, it's not like Olivia tells him everything either.

"And my vampire bar?"

"Basement level, where the storage lockers are. That whole section is about the same size as the Fangtasia, and you won't lose any underground parking space."

Pamela looked at the pages splayed out in front of her across Eric's messy desk, eyes with laser focus. She stood incredibly still, not breathing or blinking. Just a tall blonde gargoyle, looking from above frozen in time. Beside her, Portia was the very opposite - she was almost vibrating with anticipation. Her mind was listing the long and arduous next steps she would be living in breathing for the next couple of months, should Pamela say yes to this mad plan. Evict tenants, file for a hotel licence, file for a liquor license, change the property status, contact city water, city electrical, legal contracts with the architectural teams, engineering teams, accounting teams-

"We'll do it," Pamela snapped out of her trance.

Portia and Olivia let out the deepest breath. They had spent every second of the entire day working on this since she had stepped out of Joshua Peterson's office. They hadn't even eaten, but the adrenaline rush coursing through their veins right now was fuel enough to run a marathon.

"Portia, I want a status report in three days, we'll need to restructure the entire budget. I don't want to lose a dime of investor money."

"Sure thing, Miss Beaufort," Portia nodded, gathering the papers back into her neat little folder. "Olivia, we'll talk tomorrow," she nodded her goodbye and quickly scurried out of the office as if this place would swallow her whole if she spent another second in there.

Pamela and Olivia were alone once again, and this time Eric was miles away. Things had not gone well the last time they were left alone unsupervised. Pam eyed Olivia in the way only she could. The kind of way that deeply reminded her she wasn't all straight.

"We good?" The vampire asked, cocking her perfectly arched brow.

She didn't have to like Pamela to work with her. Even though she had completely fucked Olivia over by selling her out to Bill Compton the second she found out what she was, Pam had only done so to protect Eric, whom without a doubt, she loved very deeply. Trusting Pamela wasn't currently in the realm of possibility yet, but at least she understood where her priorities lay.

"I wasn't expecting an apology," Olivia said simply.

"Good, cause I wasn't gonna give you one," she smiled. "Let bygones be bygones and bi-girls bi-girls, am I right?"

"Sure," Olivia nodded, feeling blood rush to her face. It was best to change topics. She could respect Pamela and work together just fine, but they didn't have to be friends. "I met with the Mayor this morning."

Shock flashed briefly on her face before reverting to its blank stare. If Pam didn't expect her to go straight to the top, then she didn't know her at all. "Ain't he a darlin'?"

Olivia wondered if it had been Joshua Peterson whom she had tried to glamour. It would explain his sick and twisted hatred for her. Liv imagined this femme fatale of a vampire fixing her gaze on him and only seeing Joshua's hateful thoughts reflect vividly into his eyes. Pamela didn't strike her as a person who handled failure very well. They were alike in that way.

"He's definitely going to be a problem. Did you get my text?"

Pamela gave her a toothy grin. "Oh, yes."

The second she stepped out of this morning's meeting, Olivia texted Pamela what she had found. The sure way to find Joshua's Peterson dirt wasn't in his head, or in his computer - it was through his secretary Janelle. Their newfound plan minimized the city's involvement greatly, but they still needed construction permits that could be denied or sandbagged, and if Eric were to get his wish this could not happen.

"I barely had to glamour her, she was so fuckin' scared she spilled the beans and then some," Pamela took a seat, through her feet onto the table as Eric does.

"So?"

"It seems he had an expensive prostitute habit before becoming Mayor. Being in the public eye is the only way he can will himself to keep his dick in his pants. That, and he can't afford to divorce his very bitter and resentful wife. Oh, I got their entire schedules too. They have couple's therapy this Friday, shall I hit their therapist next? See what other borin' ass problems they got?"

Olivia shook her head. "No need, I can handle this, I just need his schedule."

Pamela took a printout out of her purse and slipped the copy of both Mr. and Mrs. Peterson's schedule across the table. His wife was a lawyer, and she travelled to Dallas sometimes for work. Her eyes scanned the page, but she didn't have to look too far to find the opening she was looking for.

"So what's the plan, genius?"

"I'll need some of your girls," Olivia double-checked the dates. "Tomorrow."

The vampire started to connect the dots and the most devilish smile curled on her lips. "Oh, I'm in."

"You're not needed," Olivia said, putting the piece of paper in her briefcase. She could respect Pamela all night long, but she wouldn't spend a minute with this snake if it wasn't needed. "I work best alone. Plus Fangtasia will be open tomorrow and who knows when Eric will be back. Someone needs to stay."

"Fine." Pamela went cold. "You do know what will happen if you fail, right?"

"What is this? Amateur hour?" She repeated her own words back at her.

Olivia knew exactly what would happen if she failed. She's been in this game long enough. The same would happen to anyone who outlived their usefulness or became a roadblock in their pursuit of power. Joshua Peterson would die. Drained dry, sunken into the river, torn apart, buried alive-

But hey, he wanted to play the game. Right?

AN

Holy re-writes batman. This whole arc took a long time to finess but it is FINALLY READY!

I re-read the whole story for inspiration and I noticed my writing style changed a lot. It's a lot more intricate, descriptive and formal. Is it better? I don't know. But it sure takes much longer to write.

Also, mad props to all of you who told me you binge-read this in a few days, not even *I* can read it that fast and I wrote the damn thing. Anyway, the next few chapters are ready and should come soon. I just need to make some final decisions on the plot direction.

xoxo

Spicehoney