Bill opened the door to Eric and Sookie and got straight to the point.
"Someone sent me a DVD that I think the two of you should look at. It concerns Tara and Candyman." Bill said.
Eric felt his patience thinning!
"Bill, I have just thought of a way to keep Tara here in this realm and keep some control over her. Is this DVD relevant to that?" Eric asked. But Sookie could see something in Bill's eyes that caused her worry.
"What are we going to see?" Sookie asked her ex.
"You're going to see Candyman and Tara in hell. You're going to see all sorts of people that we know, in Candyman's Kiss, fucking people, then you are going to see a forced wedding between Candyman and Tara. And then you are going to see Heyward Sullivan sodomized with a hot poker full of bees by Candyman. Tara is there but Franklin Mott drags her off to do what he wants with her. The point is, SOMEONE sent this to me, anonymously, in an envelope. I think it is someone that is in hell and wants us to know what is going to happen."
Sookie looked horrified and confused at the same time. But Eric remained calm.
"So what you are telling me is that you were sent footage of a future event? Tara is not in hell now and neither is Daniel Robitaille."
Bill nodded.
"Yes. And to be blunt, I think we should be concerned that someone has the power to send us recorded footage of how things will go in the afterlife, for anyone. I can't imagine Daniel knows anything about this." Bill said.
"Let's put that aside for now." Eric said brusquely. "I have come up with an idea that I think may work. It concerns Tara and her crush on Lucas Hood. Is he on that DVD?"
Bill nodded.
"Yes, but I don't see what he has to do with anything?"
Sookie answered him.
"Bill, we want to bargain with Candyman to somehow bring him back to this world. He can romance Tara or do whatever he has to do, to keep her here."
Bill said nothing. He didn't especially like what he was hearing.
"You want Hood to pretend to care for Tara, in order to keep her from wishing people to their deaths?" Bill asked.
"I know how it sounds." Eric said. "But she didn't have the ability to do anything more than what a vampire or fae could do, until she found out about Sheriff Hood and Sookie. He is connected to her newfound power, I can feel it!"
"Can you feel water in your lungs or a lack of air in space, when Tara finds out that Hood doesn't care anything for her and that you put him up to it, Eric? Can you?" Bill asked sarcastically.
"Nothing so crude will need to be done."
Bill stared at Eric. Eric had not said those words.
Eric looked at Bill and Sookie. Neither of them had said those words.
Sookie looked back by the door before slumping down into a dead faint! Eric began to kneel to see to her, when he saw what had caused her fainting spell.
"Godric." Eric whispered, now standing up to full height. Bill walked over to Sookie and helped her up. She had recovered quite quickly and was now staring at Godric with disbelief.
"I saw you meet the true death." Eric said calmly.
"I did. And now I am where I belong." Godric answered.
"You're in hell, aren't you?" Bill asked, while still holding on to Sookie.
"I am." Godric said quietly. "And my great, granddaughter needs to be dealt with. And not in the ways that you are contemplating, Eric."
Bill could see that those words wounded Eric. Nothing his maker, Lorena Krasiki, had ever said to him, ever hurt Bill. He had hated her guts for turning him, for trying to murder Sookie and for just being a loathsome, pain in the ass. There was nothing she could have said or done that could have made him cry.
Bill then looked at Sookie. Bitch Lorena had tried to kill Sookie. That might have made him cry but other than that, he could think of nothing else. Godric walked up to Eric and reached up to wipe away the bloody tears off of his child's face.
"Do not be upset, Eric. You did all you knew how to do. But now it is imperative that I step in. Tara is with child. Twins, and they are wanted in the underworld."
Sookie gasped!
"How? Why?"
"The children of a half fae, half vampire are very unique in this world. There are people that either want Tara killed after the birth so they can adopt the twins as their own, or they just want to buy them or…or they just want their souls. I do not like it and Tara will not either. I have been named the twins guardian until Tara joins us. I plan to go to the other realm she is in, and bring her back here to prepare to give up the twins, willingly. There can be no romantic games preyed upon her, Eric. Are we clear?"
Eric nodded but truth be told, he was still smarting from his maker's rebuke and yet he could not pinpoint as to why. Then again, Godric's disapproval, when he had voiced it, had always stung a bit. He found his voice though.
"You are able to travel through realms? I should go with you, Godric. Tara will not know who you are."
"I will make her understand." Godric said gently. He looked over at Sookie.
"I know you do not want your friend hurt. She will need you during this pregnancy."
Bill spoke.
"I don't understand, Godric, WHY Tara has to turn her babies over to you so they can live in hell?"
"I sent you the DVD, Bill Compton." Godric told him.
"Yes…" Bill trailed off, still not understanding, "but all I saw was Tara and Daniel Robitaille. Tara is down there because she dies. So someone here should raise her children. They should not have to go to hell because she is there."
"The events on that DVD are what COULD happen if Tara does not cooperate. They do not have to happen at all." Godric said simply.
Eric stared at his maker for a moment before responding.
"So…that DVD was a threat? A warning to who? You sent it to Bill? Why? Why did you not send it to me?"
"Eric." Godric replied, his eyes full of pity, "you have been unable to handle your family. OUR family. Bill is the King of Louisiana. I thought it was only right that he take charge of what is going on now."
Eric looked from Godric to Bill. Bill looked from Eric to Godric.
Now Sookie spoke.
"Godric, I always liked you. So tell us the truth about Tara's babies. You want them in hell before she herself ends up there. Why?" Sookie asked.
"The babies that Tara are carrying are part of a prophecy. Thulsa Doom can only sire a child as powerful as Tara, every couple of hundred years. The twins she will have, are said to be the ones that will free over 2023 beings from Hell and allow them to live as they once were, whether they were human or demon. Even if Tara returned here, had the babies and attempted to live here, there are people, and beings, that want those children. And they would be willing to pay a high price to anyone that could steal them and bring them down to hell. If they are surrendered to me, I can look after them and make sure nothing happens."
Eric just gaped at his maker! Sookie put a hand over her mouth but Bill was a bit more practical.
"I understand what you are saying, Godric. But you know what Tara can do. Anyone that threatens the child or her, or pisses her off in general, will be sent away. You could be sent away when you try and talk to her."
"I plan on working with Tara on her anger issues." Godric told him.
"HOW?!" Eric suddenly snapped. "We've all been trying for years!"
Godric gave Eric a sympathetic glance.
"No. You have not." he said. "But I will show you that it can be done."
And that was when Pam and Chayton appeared in the room! Sookie backed back behind Eric, and Bill lifted a brow. Pam smiled sweetly.
"Hello, Eric and Sookie. Congratulations on your engagement. Bill, you look very handsome today." Pam said in a nice tone.
Chayton smiled at Eric and Sookie as well.
"Sookie, I apologize for my lust and my bruteness. Eric, I am sure you and Sookie will be very happy together. Bill, I apologize for being a bad grandsire. Is Jessica around? I would like to say I am sorry to her as well." Chayton said politely.
Bill burst out laughing! No one said anything as he laughed and laughed until he couldn't anymore! Bill soon realized he had been the only one laughing.
"Oh come on, Godric! Do you expect me to believe this?! Pam, come on! Are you high or something? Chayton, you wanted to kill anyone that looked at you wrong and Pam here has had an attitude since day one!" Bill snapped.
Eric joined in, looking at Pam…
"Pam, you are going to tell me that being in hell made you more…amicable?"
"Hell looks like Earth. Only there are no taxes." Pam told him.
"And no government." Chayton said. "Tara will thrive down there."
"I am taking Pam and Chayton with me to the other realm to bring Tara back here." Godric said. "You need to be prepared to help her accept her fate."
And with those words, Godric, Pam and Chayton disappeared!
"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Sookie cried out. But Eric was calm, something Bill noticed.
"Do you really think that Godric can get Tara under control?" Bill asked him. Eric gave him a look!
"I feel calmer since he's been here. Yes, I do. But we are forgetting something: Tara is pregnant. Godric assumed that we knew that. I did not."
"Nor did I." Bill admitted. Sookie shook her head as well.
"I could be the father of those children. Or my father could be. And if that is so, then they are NOT going to live in hell as pawns for the underworld!" Eric suddenly snapped.
"Or they could be Candyman's. Or even August Robitaille's…"
"Tara would not sleep with Candyman's father. And even if something happened, I am sure that the Robitaille family line is not involved here." Eric said firmly. "I need to protect MY family line."
"Eric," Sookie said gently, "you can't go against Godric. And he is your 'father'. I am sure he will protect the twins. He will be their father."
"He won't need to be because I will be here. Tara will be here. There has to be another way." Eric said.
"You saw the DVD." Bill said. "That was Godric's way of warning all of us what would happen to Tara if we got in his way."
"He didn't say that." Eric said. "And Godric always says what he means. He does not play games like that."
Sookie reached for Eric's hand.
"What do you want to do, Eric?" Sookie asked, just as Eric's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, saw it was Ginger and answered,
"Yes, Ginger. What is it?"
"Tara was here. I thought you'd want to know. She left but said she was carrying your Daddy's child." Ginger revealed.
"Thank you, Ginger. I suspected as much. I will be there shortly." Eric said putting away his phone and pulling his hand away from Sookie's. Bill noticed it and watched the two of them closely.
"I have to get back to Fangtasia. Ginger needs help with the inventory." he told Sookie and left. Sookie looked to Bill.
"I don't suppose you could give me a ride home?" Sookie asked quietly.
"I'll give you a ride home and some advice." Bill offered.
"I don't need any."
"I think you do. I also think you know that I could hear that phone call and that Ginger did not tell Eric anything about inventory. Tara was there and admitted to being pregnant with Ulfrik Norseman's child. This will change things." Bill warned her.
Sookie looked away from him and Bill decided he had said enough about it—today. But if this was going where he thought it was, Eric and Sookie were over. And Bill planned to do whatever it took to get Sookie back in his life for good.
Tara stared out of her bedroom window and watched the rain fall. It had been especially ferocious during her lovemaking with August up in the attic, but now it had died down quite a bit.
She knew she was walking a fine line here. She knew she could end up fucking that 'Tree of Lust' like Aude had to, or worse, for her infidelity. But if she had to pinpoint why she was taking such chances, here in this strange world, it was because she didn't feel anymore secure in her relationship with Eric's father, than she had felt with Eric himself. Aude was Sookie. August was not quite Candyman but he was someone else. Someone to be with when she could not have all of Ulfrik.
Tara did not hear the knock on her door, so when she turned away from the rain, she was startled to see Aude in her room!
"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Tara asked.
"I did. You didn't hear me. I thought I would prepare you." Aude said, walking further into the room and looking around.
"Prepare me? For what?" Tara asked sarcastically. Aude turned to face her, her long tendrils, bouncing with each movement.
"I told Ulfrik that I thought there was an intruder in the attic. He is taking some men up there now." Aude smirked.
Tara walked over to her.
"Why would you think that?" Tara asked innocently. She tried to stay calm but she felt anything but calm! This goddamned bitch was about to get August killed worse than Daniel ever was!
"Because I miss having August's cock all to myself." Aude purred. "Did you really think that he loved you? And you alone?" Aude asked, her eyes moving from Tara's face to her stomach.
Tara stared Aude down before watching her disappear! She had sent this bitch to the bottom of the ocean where she was going to stay and drown for good! Tara then ran from the room and heard loud, approaching footsteps! Tara ran to the attic door, flung it open and hurried up the steps, just as August turned and faced her, smiling!
"Tarja, darling…"
"Don't you fucking, 'Tarja' me! Aude just told me you had been fucking her up in this attic as well! And she told Ulfrik!"
"She is lying, Tarja!"
"How does she know about us, then?" Tara asked.
"You were careless in some way, I am sure. Just send Ulfrik and his men 'away' when they come up here and everything will be alright. I will bring my men here and we will secure the castle." August said.
Tara stared him down.
"I just sent Aude to the bottom of the ocean. She's dead. Gone. So I can do the same thing to Ulfrik that I just did to her? You'd be fine with that?"
Something in August's eyes flickered for a moment. Longer than a moment. And Tara realized that it was the same look Candyman had in his eyes whenever he spoke of Caroline and their 'lost love'.
"Aude is gone?" August asked.
"I didn't realize you two were on a first name basis. She's gone. DEAD actually."
"And if I tell Ulfrik that when he gets here?"
"When he gets here and finds your behind up in his attic and I tell him you had been fucking the former queen, I don't think he's going to want to hear what you have to say." Tara almost purred as the loud footsteps grew closer. They were almost at the attic door now….
Suddenly, August Robitaille grabbed Tara by the throat!
"If you send me away you will come with me, BITCH!"
"ULFRIK!" Tara screamed as the attic door was torn down and the sound of footsteps hurrying up the stairs were heard and then…
Some teenaged boy grabbed August off of Tara, and threw him through the glass of the window and down below to his death! Tara ran to the window and saw August's crumpled body and silver colored dreads, mingling in with the rain. Tara turned to stare at the teenager and the two people behind him…
"Pam? Chayton? What the hell?"
"Yes, Tara." Godric said calmly. "That is a good way to put it. Do you know who I am?"
Tara tore her eyes off of Pam and Chayton, who's facial expressions looked oddly serene, before she looked at the boy.
"Kind of. Maybe."
"That is a shame that Eric did not school you properly on your family history, Tara. Let me introduce myself: I am Godric, your Great Grandsire."
"Oh." Tara said, looking him over. "You're kind of young."
"I was turned at sixteen."
"Oh. That's terrible."
"It is what it is. Or was." Godric told her. "I glamoured Ulfrik and his men and told them nothing was going on up here. Now where is Aude?"
Tara looked away guiltily and Godric nodded.
"I see. Young Eric is looking for his mother." he noted.
Pam spoke.
"I'll glamour him and tell him she left or something." Pam said. "Nice to see you, Tara. You look nice."
Tara's mouth dropped open as she watched Pam turn and walk down the attic stairs! Tara looked from her to Godric.
"Is she high?"
"No. She has just been given an attitude adjustment." Godric replied. Tara looked from him to Chayton.
"Hey, Chayton. I suppose you've had an 'attitude adjustment' as well?" she asked sarcastically. But Chayton moved towards her.
"You will as well, Tara. I am here to prepare you for what is going to happen next." he told her.
Suddenly, Tara felt as if she were in danger! She cleared her throat.
"Okay. Well why don't we have dinner with my husband and his…"
"Ulfrik Norseman is not your husband. You do not belong here. We are here to take you back to where you belong so you can prepare to give birth." Godric told her.
Tara decided she had had enough of this shit! She didn't know what was going on, with 'Nice Pam' and 'Calm Ass Chayton' but the fact that they knew she was pregnant, was not good!
Tara sent Godric away but found he did not go away…
"Tara," Godric tsked her, "I am hurt that you would try and destroy me. I am family."
"You…uh…I didn't really try…" Tara coughed but Chayton interrupted.
"We are from hell, Tara. What you can do to others, you cannot do to us. Now please cooperate."
Tara finally turned her full attention on her ex lover!
"Where in the fuck is militant Chayton? The man I knew wouldn't lay down for anyone!" Tara snapped.
But Godric reached for her arm just as Pam returned.
"You are carrying twins, Tara. And they are in danger. We are here to help and protect you. So no more fighting us. And no more wishing us away to our deaths. As your Great Grandsire, I command you to obey my every order."
Tara felt her confusion turn into horror as she found herself obeying Godric's command and allowing him, Pam and Chayton, to return her back to the world she returned from, never to return to this world, ever again.