Eric sat in the corner of the tavern staring at the medallions Fintan had given him. He still struggled to believe it would work as described, he wasn't willing to bet his existence on testing it out. He finally put them away as staring at them did nothing to alleviate his concerns. He finally listened to the humans in the tavern hoping to hear news of a ship sailing soon.
As luck would have it, there was one leaving port the following night for Rabat. He walked out of the tavern having gotten the information he needed when he saw them. He didn't need his vampire abilities to know she was an abused childe. He was an abused childe, the first few years of his existence he looked just like she did. Her shoulders were hunched which was very odd for a vampire. She walked as though she was hurt, which in all likelihood she was. She hadn't fed in a long while. Therefore he could make out her near translucent skin from a great distance. That was stupid, as her maker risked drawing attention to them.
Eric watched as he dragged her to what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Without delay, he took off into the night sky and landed softly on the roof of the warehouse. Looking through the broken planks, he knew what was going to happen and he just couldn't watch. He landed softly but made enough noise to get their attention. The childe looked relieved, but her maker looked annoyed. Upon taking a good look at Eric, he rearranged his features to appear cordial. "Hello." The maker greeted. "I am Alain." He was the same age as Eric, but clearly hadn't fought a day in his life. Eric responded with a simple nod and said nothing else. He found himself a corner and settled down.
Two hours later not a single word had been uttered until Alain instructed his childe to get him food. The only thing Alain had taught his childe was how to glamour in order to send her out for his meals. Eric waited ten minutes before he flew out of the warehouse. He soon found the young girl. She had done an expert job in glamouring a human. "Feed." He ordered coming up behind her.
"He will know." Her voice shook with fear.
Eric saw an opportunity, and he took it. "No, he will not." He took out one of the medallions. "Not with this, he wouldn't. "Press your thumb on here until it turns blue. Desperate to get out of her current situation she did as ordered and pressed her thumb on the center. She felt a pinprick and yelped not out of pain, but surprise. Her blood filled the small orb until it was full then turned blue. All of a sudden Eric found himself believing the medallion might just work. Their blood, after all, was a thing of magic.
He watched as she fed, but soon realized she wasn't going to stop. He pulled her off and healed the wound. "What is your name?"
"Judith."
"Judith, you do not kill unless it is absolutely necessary. That necessity is only when your very existence is at stake." She nodded. "Your maker can no longer feel you… I believe you can already sense that." Again she nodded.
"You could run, but he will find you in a night or two or…"
"Will you kill him?" His French wasn't the best, but he was sure she asked him to kill her maker.
"Makers of his caliber were always sure to command their progenies to never attempt to kill them or get anyone else to do so. Clearly, Alain never thought it possible.
"Kill him." He confirmed.
"Yes." For the first time, he heard confidence in her voice.
"Wait here." She did as told and stood against the wall. She didn't know how long she stood there for, but soon Alain's silhouette covered the entrance to the alleyway. He vamped over to her seeing her unarmed he got angry. "What is the meaning of this?" He never got his answer as his head came off his torso with a swing of Eric's broadsword.
Eric waited for Judith to react to the death of her maker, but he soon realized the magic of the medallion was still working despite Alain's death. "I am headed for Africa, you are welcome to join me." Any other time he would have considered her a burden, but not today. She had done him a great favor without realizing it and he also knew she would not last long left on her own. She had no survival skill, Alain had made sure of that. She quickly agreed to go with him knowing she would not survive long without a protector.
She had spent almost fifty years with Eric in Egypt before she made her own way back to Europe. The next time they saw each other, she was Sophie-Anne and was the queen of Louisiana. She had asked him to be a Sheriff, a role he accepted.
Sookie was racked with nerves as they drove to court. The last time Sookie had been there was Sophie-Anne was still queen, and there was nothing to be afraid or nervous about. Sookie's appearance had been that of a pale redhead who resembled Sophie-Anne. They had quite a bit of fun with that at Andre's expense.
"I know it's difficult been here again, but remember the reason we are here. We lost two of our family because of them. They desperately want you, and I have worked things to the extent you will be treated with a great deal of respect." Eric encouraged.
"I know, but the last time I was here…" she didn't finish her sentence. Eric had frequented the palace since Sophie-Anne's true death.
"I hadn't taken that into consideration." He murmured.
"I will be okay, I just have to think of the end result." She took a deep breath and settled her nerves.
Sookie noted a lot of changes to the palace. Sophie-Anne's over the top décor was gone for a more minimalist style. Eric informed her that it was more Victor's residence than Felipe's. Felipe's taste was apparently more in line with Sophie-Anne with his need to for outlandishness. "Sheriff Northman for the king."
"Yes Sheriff, he's expecting you." They walked down the hall to the more private area of the palace."
"Eric, as always a pleasure to see you." Sookie had to shut her eyes to avoid rolling it. " Miss Stackhouse, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I made a mistake in sending Compton…"
"You didn't." She replied immediately. "You had no idea he was going to betray you. That night on the way from Fangtasia I questioned him about what had happened. I got the sense he was hiding something, I had no knowledge it was that bad."
"None of us did," Victor growled. Boy, did the growling half get on Sookie's nerves.
"It's been dealt with, or at least Compton has. We still need to see if anyone else in my retinue is involved."
"Yes, I understand," Sookie said with a smile.
"Excellent, how does this work?" Felipe asked eager to see her in action.
"I can demonstrate it for you, but the humans cannot repeat what they see. I think it would be best if no one knows what I can do because I can't read a glamoured human."
"Interesting." Felipe murmured picking up the phone and calling for someone named Sebastian. "Sebastian is to be my childe, but with everything going on. We have to delay his turning I'm afraid." Sookie noted his words made it sound as though it was loss for everyone else that Sebastian turning had to be delayed. She wondered how Eric put up with this nonsense for as long as he had.
Sebastian was incredibly good-looking human, and she could see why Felipe wanted to turn him. "Sebastian, this is Miss Stackhouse."
"Oh, the telepath." He said excitedly. "What am I thinking?" Well, that was easy.
"Numbers... unfortunately you are going too fast for me to keep up." Sookie laughed at his enthusiasm. " Now it's a lot of oh my God." She added.
"Wow," Sebastian whispered.
"Okay Sebastian, I'm sure you will get a chance to talk to Sookie later. "Miss Stackhouse why don't Eric show you around and see what you can hear." As they walked away Felipe called. "Sheriff, one second." Eric left Sookie just outside the door.
I know you are not keen on the idea of tying yourself to a human, but it has to be done and soon." This was exactly what Eric had been hoping for.
"It will be done." He made no effort to hide his lack of enthusiasm, or rather his feigning of it.
It was two in the morning when Sookie run into Sebastian, he was clearly used to the hours. In truth so was Sookie, but after an hour with him, she pretended the night was getting to her.
Back at Eric's hotel, an opportunity landed on their lap, and while they were brainstorming on how to play it, their practically offered himself to them. "Are you sure it's Victor?" Eric asked.
"Yes, it helps that I also saw him while I was getting ice." She added with a smug smile.
"Sookie, I don't know…"
"I spent an hour with him I could have heard anything, and as far as Victor is concerned this is what I heard. What could be better than this? Unless you have a better idea." He didn't.
"Okay." He agreed reluctantly.
"Can he hear us?" Sookie wondered out loud.
"Yes. Vampire hearing." For a second there she had forgotten.
Victor knew he was pushing his luck going to see Eric and Sookie. The girl was clearly uncomfortable around him, but Felipe wanted to make sure Eric had given the girl his blood. Had he been in the sheriff's position he wouldn't need asking.
"So… Sebastian." He heard the girl ask.
"He will be Felipe's first childe. I don't think Felipe has ever thought of been a maker until he came along. He had Victor… what?" He didn't know what had happened, but that single word was laced with concern.
"You said he had Victor…" Her voice trailed off.
"Sookie, why is that a concern?" The silence was deafening. "Sookie, why is that a concern." Without been in the room he knew Eric's voice had scared the telepath.
"I won't say anything. I didn't know you knew." Her voice shook.
"Knew what," Eric growled.
"That Felipe was planning to get rid of Victor." Victor wobbled in his shoes, something vampires didn't do.
"Sookie, what do you mean Felipe is planning to get rid of Victor. Where did you get this?" Eric growl was beyond menacing.
"Sebastian."
"Son of a bitch… has Felipe lost his mind…"
"You didn't know," Sookie said in realization.
"No, oh, I see… you thought I knew because I said had. I meant nothing by it. Victor is the brains behind Felipe's operation. Felipe's success is down to Victor. Felipe is the monarch he is because of Victor. Even when I didn't like him, I respected him. Felipe is a fool… this is not good. Why the hell would he even think that?" Eric ranted.
"Because of you." That stopped both Victor and Eric short.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Felipe now believes you are loyal beyond question. He believes you will do a much better job than Victor. I think after you exposed Bill and brought me in despite what Bill had done..." Sookie's voice trailed off.
"This is bad. He cannot get rid of Victor, that is a disaster in the making. Does he know the number of people that tolerate him as monarch simply because of Victor Madden? Get rid of Victor, and he will follow. I will not meet my true death because Felipe has all of a sudden taken leave of his senses."
"Then tell Victor," Sookie said innocently.
Eric chuckled. "Victor has been with Felipe for decades. Do you think he will believe me? The vampire he has been at odds with until recently?"
"I see," Sookie whispered.
"Just when things are beginning to settle down Felipe plans this foolishness. I'm beginning to think the idea of peace and quiet that doesn't suit Felipe. He has to create conflict just to feel alive…" A knock on the door interrupted his rant.
They both smiled knowing who it was. Sookie had felt his void the entire time they were talking. Eric yanked the door open to find Victor looking furious. "Don't' tell me… he sent you to make sure I have given Sookie my blood." Eric growled.
Ignoring Eric, Victor turned to Sookie." What exactly were Sebastian's thoughts?"
Eric turned his attention to him. "I heard it all," Victor said looking at Eric.
"He would be so much happier when you were gone, and Eric and I would take your place. He loved the idea of us been around Felipe. He believed his turning hadn't happened because Felipe believes you will use that as an opportunity to take over his states."
"I suspected there was more to him waiting to turn Sebastian than the betrayal of Compton. Now I know." Victor whispered.
"What are you going to do?" Eric asked. Their next move depended on what Victor said next.
"The right thing to do is leave, but we both know Felipe will not let me walk away. If I left without his knowledge, he would hunt me down for fear I was planning to overthrow him. My best chance is to stay and fight." Victor waited for Eric to say something, anything."
"I believe you are right," Eric said.
"Do I have your support?" There it was, the question Eric had hoped he would ask. The question that would see to Victor's demise.
AN: This is a short story so the story will move quickly.
