Bill Compton stood on the edge of the woods waiting for Sookie to show. The night before his plan with the Rattrays had worked, but the stubborn Miss Stackhouse had refused to take the blood he offered, in fact, she had been offended by it. It was a perfect plan after he found out that she could not read his mind. In fact, she was so shocked by the fact that he had a quiet mind, something she also seemed to find alluring it made his plans all the more easier.

Tonight she would be left with no choice as far as Bill was concerned. At a few minutes to eleven, she walked out with the shifter, and for second Bill thought he might wait with her. To his relief, the shifter walked away, and he watched as she looked around for him. Denise Rattray appeared behind her and swung only to have Sookie dodge the blow as though she had eyes at the back of her head and deliver one to Denise's jaw. Mack stepped in only to earn an elbow to the ribs. Bill watched astonished as Sookie Stackhouse beat the Rattrays to a pulp. Sookie had clearly had enough of them and determined this was going to be her last encounter with them.

Bill finally stepped in stopping her. "Sookie, they are not worth it. Please, you do not want to go to prison because of these two." He placated.

"No, just knowing they will no longer be on this earth will get me through even a life sentence." She snarled ready to deliver another kick only to have Bill pick her up and carry her to her car.

"Enough, I will take care of this." She sighed calming down. After a beat, she turned thanking Bill before getting into her car.

Bill stared after her in disbelief. What will it take to get my blood into her?

He was beginning to think this job would not be as straightforward as he had expected.

Eric stared at Bill. "You can't get a slip of a girl to take your blood?" He asked sitting back in his chair with a chuckle.

"You were a soldier… shoot her from a distance then heal her." Pam snarked.

"Pam," Eric warned. "We are not trying to harm the girl.

"Well, then what do you call getting a couple of drainers to beat her up or at least try?" She retorted as Eric picked up the handset to call the king.

"Sheriff," Felipe responded with something akin to a cheer.

"Your majesty, I have Compton here… he appears to be struggling to get his blood into the girl."

"I take it she can't be glamoured either?" Felipe asked.

"No, your majesty it was the first thing I tried," Bill admitted.

"Eric, do you have any suggestions," Felipe asked with a sigh.

"Get her to Fangtasia… it would be helpful if it were her idea."

"What would that achieve," Bill asked, hating the idea of Sookie meeting the Viking.

"I believe the threat of taking her from you because she is not in any way marked might just do the trick. Of course, it will help if she believes I am rather evil and will be less than kind to her should frighten her enough to accept your blood as a mark."

"You heard him, Compton, get the girl to his club." Compton internally was snarling at all three but kept his features in check as he bowed his head as though Filipe was in the room before leaving the club. "This is the first chance he's had to prove his usefulness in years and he seems to be failing. To think his project relies on the successful completion of this task." Felipe growled in annoyance.

"Indeed," Eric said contemplatively.

"Keep me informed." Felipe was off the line before Eric could respond not that he was going to. He knew Felipe liked to get the last word, most vampires did.

Sophie-Anne was a good queen as far as Eric was concerned, she was somewhat greedy, but then so were most monarchs. The more you earned, the more they wanted, tribute percentages went up yearly more than it did with the IRS. In fact, if things where good he found tax percentages stayed the same, not with vampires. The takeover had come as a surprise, especially with it coming from Nevada. He had spies in the surrounding states, as he always believed the threat would come from one of them. Arkansas had been on his radar more than most and yet it had been as far afield as Nevada.

He had surrendered to Victor when given a chance, it would have been a hopeless fight. The lives of those loyal to him was too valuable to throw away on a lost cause, so when given a chance to swear fealty he had taken it. Felipe was just as greedy as Sophie-Anne if more so, but just as Sophie-Anne, Felipe had left him alone to run his area as he saw fit. Of course in the first month, he had Victor on his case like a leech and had sent a reduced tribute to the king. The message was rather simple, 'if I'm kowtowing to your regent, then I'm not getting enough work done to make you money, and it had worked.' Victor had been ordered to leave him alone and since then he had found he barely noticed the difference in the change of monarchy. But things weren't always as it appears and Eric knew how to take advantage of such situations.


"Guess who is here and is apparently mainstreaming?" Pam asked, but her usually bored tone was nowhere to be seen. He followed Pam's eyes and found Compton. Of course, the subject of conversation was strictly planned just in case someone was listening, after all, they had been expecting him and the telepath. Eric summoned him as planned, he watched as Compton gripped the girl's hand leading her up to the dais. "Bill Compton it has been a while." He had expected Compton to take longer in getting the girl there.

"Yes, well… I've been…"

"Mainstreaming," Eric said the word with some derision. "I heard." Yes, he really was enjoying himself. He turned his attention to the telepath and had to admit she was enchanting and smelled rather sweet. "I see that it's going well for you."

"Yes, of course, Eric, this is my friend…"

"Sookie Stackhouse." Eric finished.

"How do you know my name?"

"I never forget a pretty face," Pam interjected. "You're in my vault.

"Great, that's just great," Sookie responded somewhat sarcastically. "It's nice to meet you." She added turning her attention back on Eric.

"Miss Stackhouse I understand you've been asking questions about some of my customers." For the first time that Eric sounded like the sheriff.

"Yes, I have." She answered without hesitation.

"If you have anything to ask you should ask it of me."

"Alrighty." She eagerly got the pictures out of her bag. "You recognize either one of these women?" she asked giving him the pictures.

He stared at the pictures for a beat with a smirk before answering. "This one offered herself to me…. but I found her too pathetic for my attentions." He said looking back at her. "Now, this one, however…" he licked his lips. "I have tasted."

"Well, thank you, that is all your time I need to take," Sookie said snatching the pictures out of his hand.

"I'm not finished with you yet." He barked. "Please, sit." He added with an insincere smile.

Sookie stared at him for a beat then looked at Bill who nodded. Sookie took a seat next to Eric. "Soo… Bill, are you quite attached to your friend?" Eric stared all the while his attention on Sookie.

"She's mine," Bill growled.

"Is she?" He questioned with a smirk. "Tell me Miss Stackhouse are you his." Before she could answer Bill injected.

"You know the rules…"

"Yes I do, and I don't detect any evidence of your claim," Eric said his eyes still on Sookie. "I have a nose for these things." He added salaciously.

"What is he talking about?" Sookie cut in.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with.

"But you should, Miss Stackhouse," Eric said with a genuine smile that unnerved her more than it should. "In our world, a claim means nothing without evidence... and here I detect none."

"Eric, this is none of your concern, Miss Stackhouse and I just met, and in due time…"

"Yes, and in that time someone else can come in and snatch her up." Eric teased. "Tie her…"

"Eric, this does not concern you." He growled much to Eric's amusement. "Sookie let's go."

The minute they were out of sight Eric vamped into his office followed by Pam. "What the hell was he doing?" Pam growled.

"It would appear everything but the very thing he's supposed to do." Eric was having difficulty understanding what just happened. Whichever way he thought about it Bill Compton had subverted every attempt to scare Sookie into taking his blood.

"He could have wanted to be the one to tell her… she appears to be kind of breather that will ask him questions about what just happened." Pam surmised even though she genuinely doubted it.

"I'm headed to New Orleans, call Victor, and tell him I'm on my way. It's imperative I talk to him and Filipe." If Compton was a traitor, things needed to be headed off immediately.

Eric vamped into Filipe's office to find him and Victor waiting. "We spoke to your childe…"

"Compton is working for either is own gain or someone else. He subverted every attempt to talk about tying himself to the girl." Before Filipe could question him, he gave an account of the conversation verbatim.

"Son of a bitch," Victor growled.

"You understand my concern," Eric asked finally taking a seat.

"I want Compton arrested now before he does any more damage." The king ordered.

Eric had his phone out issuing instructions. "Thalia and Pam are on their way."

"How do we salvage this… I mean with the telepath." Victor asked.

"I believe the truth would do, or some aspects of the truth. I will have my man in Compton's home right after the arrest to search for evidence of his treason. I believe whatever evidence he had he took when he left court."

"Give me two nights to come up with something for the telepath. If Compton is really a traitor, her services will be imperative now more than ever."

"Yes." Felipe agreed.

"I will also suggest you not stay at court. My penthouse is free, and I will tell the staff to expect you. Be discreet about your stay there. I have two trusted employees deal with your stay."

"Is that necessary?" Felipe asked.

"The minute Compton is arrested someone will know... if he is indeed working for someone. We cannot risk a rash move been made. You are not in Vegas, here you are not as protected or as secure."

"I agree," Victor said surprising Eric.

"Make the arrangements," Felipe said with a sigh.

By the time Eric made it back to Fangtasia, he had an hour before dawn. "What is the meaning of this?" Bill barked the minute Eric entered the basement.

"This." He said with a smile as he showed Bill the evidence of his communication with Threadgill.

"It is not what you think."

"Then tell me... Bill, what do I think?" Eric asked with a smug smile. He had been looking for an opportunity to end Compton for years, and the civil war veteran had finally given him one.

"He was trying to recruit me… I was simply playing along until I had everything to present to the king." Bill responded confidently.

"Is that right."

"Yes Sheriff, that is the absolute truth."

"And I don't believe you." Eric did not wait for him to respond. "Victor will be here tonight… I suggest you think of a better excuse for your treason." He left Bill still protesting his innocence.

"Do you believe him?" Pam asked as he exited the basement.

"No, his story does not explain some of the correspondence," Eric replied in a bored tone.

"What about the telepath?"

"I will think of something. I'm hoping if she doesn't hear or see from Compton in a couple of nights she will grace us with her delightful presence."

"Oh, I hope so." Pam purred.