A/N: Here's to a great 2015 for y'all !
Thanks for all the reviews & support. Guest reviewers made some great points about Quinn, Amelia, Rory and even Oskar - thank you. The chicken noodle soup energy is finally working, so you get this chapter on schedule.
The Plan
On Monday I went back to Bon Temps with a brand new plan. One Amelia, Quinn and I had brainstormed long and hard the previous evening.
I spent the drive home making doubly, triply sure of my decision, without Quinn's pretty eyes tugging on my heart strings or Amelia's loud thoughts swaying mine. My mood lurched between nervous excitement and dread, but by the time I got home I was certain.
I wanted this all on my own.
…
Quinn had clammed up when we sat down to eat dinner, tucking into his steak and leaving me to fill Amelia in on our predicament. I got more and more enraged as I spoke, stabbing angrily at my salad.
"I won't have it, Ames. Eric has no right to interfere." My fork clattered noisily against the plate.
Amelia scowled. "What a petty jerk! I'm not surprised, though." Not after Teresa.
"Teresa?"
Amelia resisted briefly, but gave in and dished the dirt. "Victor's replacement. The coven did some work for her. Routine stuff, mostly property wards." A few special jobs, that spell for~She paused to sip her lemonade.
I gestured impatiently for her to continue.
"Teresa was fair, paid well. She was a stickler for punctuality, but as long as you respected her rules she was friendly. For a vamp. I liked her." Cleared up that mess with~
"And?"
"Nobody's seen her since the takeover. I guess Eric didn't offer her the same deal Victor offered him." She grimaced. "Eric's more of a take-no-prisoners guy, huh?"
But he wasn't. I distinctly recalled him offering Victor's buddy Akiro the chance to surrender. "Maybe Teresa fought back?"
Amelia wrinkled her nose. "I doubt it. She seemed more manager than fighter."
"Oh." Apparently King Eric was more ruthless than Sheriff Eric. I frowned, reminded again that I didn't know Eric as well as I thought.
"It's a pity Teresa's gone." Amelia sighed. "The new sheriff won't hire us. He was really rude when we went to see him. Said he didn't trust us."
"Why? Because you worked for Teresa? That doesn't make sense. You worked for Sophie Ann and this Teresa didn't mind that," I pointed out. From what I'd seen vampires treated witches as hired help, they didn't cosy up to them. There was no reason a coven would be loyal to the previous regime, and Amelia's coven was powerful, useful.
"Yes, and I know for sure a couple of vamps who survived the takeover put in a good word for us. But as soon as he heard my name …" She pulled a face. "I think Eric blacklisted me for severing the blood bond."
"Oh hell no, that's not fair. You did that for me." I called Eric a few choice names in my head for bearing a grudge.
Amelia shrugged. "Interfering with their blood magic is a big no-no. We knew there might be repercussions. Not that I expected Eric to have much influence down here, but vamps talk. Don't worry about it."
"Eric sure isn't shy about throwing his weight around, is he?" I said sourly. Shit, he was bound to make a royal nuisance of himself over me and Quinn. Speaking of which … I turned to my new honey, irritated by his lengthy silence. "So, Quinn, what's this idea of yours to get Eric off our backs?"
He swallowed his mouthful. Staring intensely at me he said, "You won't be free while you're under his thumb, babe. He won't allow it. If you're serious about us, come to Memphis with me."
You could've heard a pin drop.
Amelia cracked first, clearing her throat and muttering about dessert, thinking: Jesus, Quinn you couldn't work up to that gently?
My thoughts frozen, I handed Amelia my plate. She clattered about in the kitchen while I stared at Quinn in shock. He stared back, a challenge in his eyes.
If I was serious, he said. How serious was I? What would I give up for another chance with him?
"Maybe there's a less drastic solution," Amelia suggested when she came back. She didn't really believe that, but I looked like a deer in headlights and she wanted to help.
We tossed some ideas around over dessert, but none seemed workable. Not against a king. Amelia even suggested going to Niall, but I had no idea what he thought of Quinn and after his willingness to kill Sam at the drop of a hat I didn't want him involved. He was too unpredictable, too inhuman.
Clutching at straws, I said, "I could just visit you in Memphis."
Quinn picked his words carefully. "Babe, you know how much I travel. It's not just Eric, if you stay in Bon Temps…"
I had to agree. Between Quinn's job and me studying and working, we'd hardly see each other. I'd already decided that we wouldn't last if that happened. With a heavy heart, I began to consider leaving Bon Temps.
The furthest I'd moved for a man was spending a few nights a week across the cemetery at Bill's place. That was nowhere near as daunting as moving two states away. I'd be leaving my home, my family, my friends.
In exchange I'd get a boyfriend. A damn good boyfriend, and a chance at happiness.
If I could stay out of trouble without my guards.
Maybe that wasn't such a big if. The fairies were at peace. I'd be leaving the Weres from the pack war behind and perhaps the Fellowship, or rather the Chosen too. They weren't so active further north. On the other hand, vampires from all across Amun had attended the Rhodes summit.
Quinn was watching me patiently, giving me time to think. I was thankful for that, but I wasn't about to go into this blind. I needed to ask some difficult questions. Diplomatically not mentioning the protection Eric provided I asked him, "Will I be safe in Memphis?"
"I'll protect you," he said, a little too quickly.
"I know you will," I said, squeezing his hand. That was real important to Quinn, but one guy, even a weretiger, wasn't always enough. "What about when you're away?"
"She has guards in Bon Temps," Amelia put in, tactlessly.
He frowned. "The local packs will help. I've got some favours owed."
"Uh-huh." Twoey muscle was a good start. I could even afford to pay for it. But Tennessee's head vamp, a king I thought, wasn't one of the seven who'd given me protection. "What about the vamps?"
"They don't bother me. I can handle Tennessee. He stays out of twoey affairs, doesn't meddle." Only that once. Put in a good word for me, got me that job in~
His eyes flicked away. He was hiding something. Now, Quinn hadn't exactly been up front when we first met, but I understood that his mom's story was too painful to relate to someone he didn't know real well. That I could forgive, but he'd better come clean now or I'd call a halt to this.
There were vampires who had him by the tail, I remembered that. I said slowly, "Special Events has vamp owners. Some group in Vegas, right?"
Quinn smiled grimly. "De Castro's stooges. They're gone. There was some infighting in Nevada a while back. The ones that survived pulled out, sold their share to some European deaders. Silent backers."
He said share. "Who owns the rest?"
He shrugged dismissively. "Two Tennessee sheriffs got fingers in the pie. They're no trouble. We make 'em too much money. That's why we're based in Memphis." Safe there. No interference. "And," he added proudly, "once word gets around that you're my woman, my reputation will protect you."
He was confident about that. Amelia seemed to agree.
"Okay, what about…" Lord, this was delicate, but last I heard Felipe was still interested in 'securing' me so I had to ask. "The place your mom's at, in Nevada?"
He shook his head. "She's with Frannie, remember. In New Mexico. Nevada can't touch them."
Oh. And I had New Mexico's protection, so that was real handy. Good to know: Felipe had no hold over Quinn and my in-laws wouldn't be breathing down my neck. I filed that nugget away.
Well, it seemed I would be reasonably safe in Memphis. As safe as anywhere, I guessed. It was just a matter of switching Pam's guards for Quinn's twoey friends, and keeping a low profile with the vamps.
Could I up sticks, leave it all behind? I had friends, good friends in Bon Temps. Family. Jason and Michele, Jay-Jay, a niece to pass Gran's recipes on to, Hunter. My home, full of memories…
That was a lot to give up.
I sure wouldn't miss the gossip, though. Or some of the folks in town. Or Bill's latest shenanigans. Apart from family and friends, I had precious little else holding me in Bon Temps. No job to quit. I could rent out the house. Missing out on college gave me pause though.
Amelia sensed my reluctance. "What's up Sook?"
I sighed. "College. I was really looking forward to it."
"Oh, wait a minute. I think–" She was already halfway out the door.
I turned to Quinn. "I'll need a job. Somewhere to live."
"You can live with me."
I bristled. "I don't think so, Quinn." He began to protest, but I raised a hand. "Look, this is all very sudden, and that's a step too far."
I was prepared to give this a shot, but putting all my eggs in one basket wasn't real sensible, however good our prospects seemed. I wasn't in one of my romance books. Real life was full of hard work and disappointments. Relationships didn't always work out.
Quinn didn't see it that way. "Babe, why not? I'm serious about this. Aren't you?"
"Of course I am!" Wasn't I the one contemplating turning my whole life upside down? Before I could run my mouth, Amelia bustled back in with an open laptop, oblivious to the tension.
"Let's see if you can transfer from LSU," she said, frowning at the screen. Giving Quinn a glare, I moved to sit next to her.
The community college would accept the tests I'd already taken and they ran similar courses to LSU, so that was promising. Amelia pulled up a real estate site and we found some cheap places to rent. Real modern places with nice kitchens, that had Amelia and me gushing enthusiastically. We browsed a recruitment site too. Memphis offered a lot more opportunities for employment than Bon Temps. On the minus side, there'd be more competition for vacancies. Amelia was sure painting a rosy picture though.
The idea grew on me, calling to that restlessness, that hunger for a brighter, bigger life that I'd had ever since I came back from England. I'd loved my trip overseas, and Memphis offered the excitement of a new place to explore.
I stared into space, biting my lip.
A fresh start might be just what I needed. Look what happened in Minden, with Jody and her uncle. My telepathy meant I saw more meanness than most and maybe that made me jaded, but it seemed to me that small towns had more than their fair share of small-minded folk.
Memphis might not be any better though. And I had other reservations: the traffic, the faster pace of city life. I would be well and truly out of my comfort zone. What if I hated it?
With a burst of anxiety I remembered Eric's blood was about gone. All those minds. My control was still holding, better than ever in fact, but if it slipped... Perhaps it wouldn't. Perhaps the dramatic improvement in my shields was down to something else. Niall had given me that tonic. I'd been drinking Wynn's tea. And I'd accepted my telepathy, stopped fighting it. Had that–
Quinn interrupted my reverie, saying softly, "What's up, babe?"
His violet eyes, searching and uncertain, met mine. I struggled to find the words to explain.
Amelia answered for me. "It's a big change from Bon Temps. But you loved the quarter, Sookie. You'll thrive in Memphis, I just know it." Too much potential to be stuck in that backwater waiting tables. And I've got that charm I made for~
There it was again. That hitch. I pounced on it, a welcome distraction from my dilemma. Time to solve that little mystery.
"Amelia," I said slowly, "your thoughts keep… hitching. Jumping. It's unnatural."
She flushed and song lyrics began repeating in her head, real loud. A surefire sign I was onto something. I sensed a swell of discomfort from Quinn.
Frowning, I turned to him. "Yours do too."
He couldn't stop himself from glancing guiltily at Amelia.
"Busted," I said softly.
Amelia's looping song stuttered to a halt. She cringed. "I thought you wouldn't be able to tell."
"A spell?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Yes," she admitted sheepishly. "Nathaniel helped me construct it two years back. When he found out what you could do."
The Fellowship had found a way to block me in Rhodes. Pam knew a witch who could hide my guards from me. I shouldn't have been surprised that Amelia could do something similar, but I was surprised that she had. If I was honest, I was more than a little hurt that neither of them trusted me.
They'd been in touch with each other too. I hadn't known that. It hadn't occurred to me earlier, but Quinn hadn't asked about my connection to Niall. He knew I had a dab of fairy blood, but I couldn't recall telling him Niall was my great-grandfather.
I'd told Amelia though. Miss Motormouth. Yet she was the one who didn't trust me.
"Why, Ames?" I asked.
She saw the hurt in my eyes and stumbled over her words. "It's not … I didn't mean … There are things I have to keep secret. Coven business." She rambled nervously on. "The spell stops me thinking about them around you, that's all. It interrupts the thought, makes the brain switch tracks. It's quite tricky to do that safely. Mind altering spells are delicate. It took us months to refine it."
"Amelia did this on you too?" I asked Quinn.
"It's not about you, babe. My clients demand confidentiality, and Texas has a telepath. I don't trust him. Amelia offered to help."
"Oh." That made me feel better. "It works for all telepaths?"
"Not quite. I couldn't get it to work like that," Amelia said sadly. "It triggers when the subject is aware a telepath is around, and only for secrets they have to keep. Otherwise switching thoughts all the time would kinda scramble your brains."
Pam's necklaces blocked all telepaths as far as I knew, but I reckoned Amelia would be annoyed to hear another witch had beaten her to the punch. I said grudgingly, "I guess y'all have to keep your work secret. But I wish you'd told me about it."
Amelia was relieved. "Sorry. I should have. Thanks for understanding, Sook. It wasn't personal."
She got up to clear the dishes and I excused myself to use the bathroom. I needed a few minutes to think over my decision without the weight of Quinn's expectant stare.
Eric had a whole lot more power than I did. Power he wouldn't hesitate to use, as Amelia found out. Leaving would put a stop to his interference, but it still felt like a defeat. That stuck in my craw. Stubbornly, I wanted to stand my ground.
But, as Gran used to say, there was such a thing as too stubborn.
This wasn't about Eric. It was about Quinn. If Eric wasn't in the picture, if Quinn had asked me to move just to be with him, would I be hesitating?
No.
After all my soul searching in England I knew I still wanted a marriage, a partnership. Quinn was a chance at that. Whatever was missing with Sam, that spark, I knew I had that with Quinn. I wanted him, and not because I was lonely and he was the only candidate in line.
And the biggest mistake I'd made with Sam was putting barely half my heart into it. Holding back had sabotaged any hope of something more growing from our friendship.
I wouldn't repeat that. I wouldn't hold back. If I wanted Quinn, I was going all in.
Memphis it was.
When I announced my decision, Quinn finally gave me the enthusiastic response I'd expected earlier. He kissed me stupid right there in front of Amelia and I let him. What can I say? The man had skills.
Over coffee, my blush fading and my heart rate settling back to normal, Quinn raised the next hurdle. Technically, I was an asset of Louisiana. Eric's asset.
I said a few unladylike words about that. Quinn couldn't care less, but if he was seen to be poaching, spiriting me out of the state, it gave Eric ammunition to appeal to Tennessee for my return. It would be harder for Eric to do that if leaving looked like my idea.
I was fine with that. It was my idea. Quinn wasn't forcing me.
I worried Tennessee might decide I should be his asset instead. Quinn assured me that was unlikely, and he'd never let it happen. I'd be his woman, and he was confident Tennessee wouldn't challenge that, him being so well-known in the twoey community and all. The only problem Quinn saw was Eric.
Amelia too – who was imagining Eric going on a bloody rampage after I left.
I couldn't see that happening. Sure, sticking it to Eric by leaving Louisiana would piss him off, but he was pragmatic. And hadn't he been the one to send me that message about making my life my own? Once I was out of his reach he would see reason, and leave me be. My only real fear was that he might make it difficult for me to visit Bon Temps.
Both Quinn and Amelia were adamant that Eric would stop me leaving if he got wind of our plans. Quinn's forceful arguments and Amelia's fears for me persuaded me I should keep it secret.
From almost everyone.
Quinn didn't want even Jason to know until I was safely away, but there was no way I could skip town on my brother and Michele without a word. I insisted they could be trusted.
There were two other people in Bon Temps I planned to tell. What Quinn didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
I reckoned it would take me a week to tie up loose ends. Quinn gave me an untraceable cell phone so I could keep in touch, as Pam had access to mine. We brainstormed a foolproof way to give my guards the slip. Once we had a workable plan Quinn left, taking the shortest route out of Eric's territory, up through Slidell and into Mississippi.
Amelia took me up to her 'playroom' before we turned in. Not the sort of playroom I'd imagined at all, it was where Amelia and Bob experimented with magic. There were ominous stains on the bare wooden floor and I was careful not to look too closely at the pale withered things in jars on the shelves. Thankfully the pretty blue and silver dragonfly brooch she fetched out of a cabinet looked perfectly ordinary. She hadn't tested it so she couldn't guarantee it worked, but it was better than nothing and she was good at what she did. Mostly.
I tried not to think of Bob, stuck as a cat for months.
When I left the next morning, Amelia hugged me tight and said, "Good luck, Sookie. And remember, Rosa said the difficult path would bring you joy."
"You know I don't hold with that mumbo-jumbo, Ames. I hope things work out with Bob and the baby."
"I hope so too," she said wistfully, and then brightened. "They will. Rosa said they would. She's never wrong."
That was Amelia, always convinced she was right. I was jealous of her confidence. She waved cheerfully as I drove away and I said a silent prayer of thanks for our rekindled friendship.
…
It was a strange week, back in Bon Temps.
I made sure to see Kennedy, Penny and Holly. Coffee, a couple of lunch dates in town. It was hard to act normal. Kennedy picked up something was wrong, but she put it down to frustration over losing the job in Minden. Not guilt over my big secret.
Bill turned up one night. The weather had taken a turn for the worse and the woods were too muddy for a stroll in the dark. He was polite, we chatted for a few minutes, and he left without pressing for more.
I even spoke to Melissa, who phoned out of the blue to check how I was doing. I was touched, but I certainly couldn't let her in on my plans.
Under the guise of normal errands, I returned my library books and visited the bank. Years ago, when I opened my first account Gran told me to pick a national bank, hoping I would get the chance to travel one day. That had finally paid off. Transferring my accounts to Memphis was easy as pie.
Serving Margaret and Jack lemonade on the porch, I casually mentioned I was having a clear out. That night, with the drapes closed, I began packing, hiding suitcases and boxes out of sight in closets and under beds. To complete the illusion I labelled few boxes of junk 'goodwill' and put them out on the porch the next morning.
I put off telling Jason as long as I could, until Thursday. Daytime. My twoey guards had supe hearing, but I could 'hear' them too, check they weren't listening.
Telling him and Michele was hard. I made it sound temporary, a trial move for a few months. Michele stayed quiet, watching Jason. He was dismayed. He remembered Quinn and he remembered him not being around much.
"You've only just got back. He should be the one moving here."
"His job is in Memphis. He travels all over. It wouldn't be fair, Jason."
He pulled out all the stops. "You got family here. What about Marie Adele and Jay-Jay? They need you Sook."
I'd been steeling myself for that guilt trip, but I still had to blink hard. "I'll visit, I promise." Eric better not make a liar out of me, or I'd stake him myself. "And I'll phone and write."
He crossed his arms. "Quinn got family? Bet he keeps them close."
I shook my head. "Only his mom and sister. They're in New Mexico." I didn't count Tijgerin and mentioning their son would only give Jason more ammunition.
He glowered and raised his chin belligerently. "He's got a reputation. From the pits. He's no good for you. You can't–"
Hands on my hips, I snapped back, "I'm a grown woman, Jason Stackhouse. You can't tell me what to do."
"Oh can't I? I'm the head of this family. I gotta do what Gran would do. And that–"
"Is ask if Quinn makes you happy," Michele interrupted forcefully, her hand tightening on Jason's arm.
I took a deep breath and blew it out so I could speak evenly. "Yes, Michele. He does."
She nodded. "Good. You can't live your life for our kids. You gotta chase your own happiness." Her firm tone took the wind out of Jason's sails. I dropped my hands from my hips and Jason shut his mouth. She added, "You sure about moving all that way for him?"
"Uh-huh. Things will be difficult if I stay here." They looked at each other, confused. I explained, "Now Eric is in charge of Louisiana."
Jason frowned. "You don't have anything to do with deaders no more."
"No." Except for Pam. "But Eric won't see it like that."
"He won't show his face round here. He'll be down in New Orleans."
I spelt it out. "Jason, he can make it impossible for Quinn to visit Bon Temps."
Michele looked to Jason for an explanation. Jason blinked at me for a moment. For once, he was the one who said something shrewd.
"That don't make no sense. Kings got more important things to do than stalk exes. And that Pam protected you the whole time you been with Sam. Don't seem like Northman cares who you're with to me. Unless he just don't like Quinn."
Oh. There was a thought. When I left Eric in the dust to go on my first date with Quinn, I sensed there was more to their rivalry than me. And that would explain why Quinn was so sure he'd be banned, why Eric would give a crap when he had a kingdom to run and plenty of other women to chase.
But Jason's insight changed nothing. Moving would take me out of it. I had zero desire to be a pawn in their stupid feud. I was nobody's trophy.
"Jason, regardless of what Eric does, I'm going," I said firmly. "And that's that."
Jason grumbled some more, but he could see my mind was made. Michele kept him from saying anything unforgivable and eventually he settled down enough to listen to my plan.
"Of course I'll help," he said indignantly. "You're my sister."
…
That night I called my lawyer. I hadn't discussed that with Quinn, but I wanted to sound Mr Cataliades out all same. Carefully.
He'd worked for Sophie-Ann, then de Castro, and now, I assumed, for Eric. Contacting him was risky. I was his god-daughter of sorts, but I wasn't sure Mr C could be loyal to me over Eric, who was probably paying him a significant sum to look after his interests.
Fortunately, Mr C couldn't read my mind over the phone.
I pretended I'd called for the investment advice he'd offered me during the divorce. We had a long dull discussion about money and then, as we were winding down, I casually asked my real question.
"Oh, before I forget, I'm thinking of taking a trip out of state. A girlfriend of mine has family up in St Louis and she invited me along. She hates to fly alone. Will that be a problem with the vamps up there?"
He paused long enough for me to wonder if he'd already seen through me. I'd picked a fake destination, one in Amun and about as far as Memphis, but Mr C was shrewd and Diantha had seen me with Quinn.
"Hmm," he said finally. "You have three kings and a queen in your corner in Amun. Technically their protection only holds in their kingdoms, but it should give you a modicum of safety in Missouri."
"I don't really know how that all works," I said, fishing for more.
"Generally speaking, most monarchs would be ill-advised to go against four peers in the same clan. Missouri would not wish to upset Iowa, for instance. You should be safe as long as you are not in his state over long."
"How long is too long?" Damn. I'd hinted at my true plans.
"Any longer than a few months and Missouri may expect you to work for him, become his asset. Unfortunately, after Rhodes–"
"Everybody knows my name."
"Many are aware of you, yes. Some monarchs do not care whose toes they tread on. You must be cautious." The tone of his voice told me he suspected something, but he wasn't asking, and I wasn't telling. So far, so good. Eric couldn't be mad at him if he didn't know my plans for sure.
"Oh, it's only for a week," I said, hoping to make him think I was just paying Quinn a clandestine visit. "That'll be okay, right?"
"Yes, probably," he said, sounding mollified.
Good. I pumped him for more. "I never understood the asset thing. What exactly does that entail?"
"Anything from an ad hoc informal arrangement to a full contract. Basically, the asset provides talent in exchange for protection, sometimes payment. How favourable the arrangement is depends on the asset's bargaining power."
"Uh-huh." I read him loud and clear: hold all the cards when you negotiate with vamps. "And if, hypothetically, I became a vampire's asset?"
"You would be tied to them and their state. Such an arrangement is best entered into your eyes open," he warned.
I said with some sarcasm, "You don't say."
Eric claiming me as an asset behind my back irked me no end, but I knew trampling all over my right to date and travel freely was only the thin end of the wedge. I had no wish to experience worse at the hands of vampires whose idea of 'claiming an asset' included kidnap and slavery. Thankfully, Tennessee didn't seem to be that type.
Echoing my thoughts Mr C added gravely, "Some vampires would have no qualms about your willingness to enter such an arrangement. A word of advice, my dear. Vampires are slippery. It would be prudent to involve me if this hypothetical situation becomes real."
"I'll bear that in mind if it comes up." Not likely, I had no intention of becoming anyone's asset, and I planned to stay off the undead radar in Memphis.
…
Friday was wet. I popped into Tara's Togs during a convenient downpour. Margaret and Jack couldn't hear a thing parked outside, but as it turned out Tara took my news quietly.
"Quinn, the big bald guy?" Tara wasn't really listening. She was exhausted; the twins had kept her up two nights in a row and she was worried about Sarah, who had a stomach bug and was home with JB.
"Uh-huh. We're dating again. I have a real good feeling about it." I had been in two minds about telling her, but I wanted take her into my confidence one last time in honour of our long friendship, as moving away probably spelt the end of it.
"Oh, that's nice."
That was underwhelming. "Don't tell anybody. I don't want to jinx it."
She shrugged. "Okay, Sook." Who am I going to tell? All I do is work and go home. JB and the twins ain't interested.
At that point I remembered the deep-seated envy she felt whenever my life seemed more exciting than hers. Her secret fear that I would up and leave was about to come true and I didn't want our parting conversation to be full of anger. Chickening out, I didn't tell her the rest.
"So, you have anything for a hot date?" I asked, flicking through a rack of dresses.
"Oh, sure." She fetched some pretty summer dresses and we chatted for a while like we usually did. I bought more than I intended out of guilt, but I didn't say anything else. Michele would fill Tara and the others in once I was safely away.
Tara was the only one I'd told about Quinn. That would have to show enough loyalty for her.
That lunchtime, acting on more guilt, I cajoled Jack and Margaret in out of the rain to eat lunch with me in the kitchen. It was the least I could do; I was putting them out of work.
Jack was a sweet boy underneath his macho attempts to act the grown man, attempts hampered by the decidedly chauvinistic role-models Hotshot provided. I was going to miss them both, and the way Margaret 'mothered' him with a slap upside the head every time he said something dumb about women. But a girl had think of her own happiness.
That afternoon, in weather fit to drown frogs, I paid a visit to Merlotte's. I owed Sam a goodbye, and a part of me hoped he'd offer to deal with Eric if he turned up in Bon Temps and threw a fit after I'd gone.
I dashed across the lot with my raincoat over my head. Shaking it out by the door, I noticed the place was real quiet. Stephanie was sitting behind the bar, reading a magazine and sipping a drink. Smiling brightly, I gave her a cheerful hello.
"You here for a late lunch?" she asked.
"Um, no. I need a word with Sam."
"Of course. No-one comes here to eat," she muttered.
"Excuse me?"
She gestured at a customer. "He's been nursing that beer for an hour."
"Oh." I pulled a face. "Slow day, huh?"
"Very."
"Things are picking up though?"
She shrugged. "Some. It'll take a while." She gave me a sly look. "Longer if Bernie frightens the customers off again."
I hedged. "Oh. Um. She's…" Was it disloyal to criticise Bernie now we weren't officially related?
Stephanie's carefully plucked eyebrows lifted. "A piece of work, that one. You must be tougher than you look to survive three years of her."
"I am."
Her mouth raised in a half-smile. "Any tips?"
I couldn't tell if she meant to be hostile or friendly. I met her look steadily and said drily, "You'll be fine. You've got the right pedigree."
She grinned wryly. "Maybe not for Sam."
I didn't reply. They'd been arguing last time I came to Merlotte's and I didn't want to know what was going on between them. Stephanie had other ideas.
"Bernie sure did a number on him. First time I've been accused of kissing a man because his mother put me up to it."
"Oh." An image of her and Sam in a passionate embrace popped into my head, supplied by my own imagination for once. It made me extremely uncomfortable. The amused glint in her hazel eyes told me Stephanie didn't mind my discomfort one bit.
Looking me over, she said, "Maybe that was the attraction, knowing Bernie would never approve. He was rebelling."
I shrugged. "You better hope he's over that phase, or you're plum out of luck."
She laughed, breaking the tension. "Well, if he doesn't pull his head out of his ass soon, it'll be his loss. He's in his office."
"Thanks." I'd just passed a test, I reckoned. Not that we'd be bosom buddies any time soon, even if I did meet with her approval, but at least I didn't need to watch my back for another jealous twoey bitch.
I paused outside the office to check no-one was snooping. Margaret and Jack weren't close enough to hear over the rain. Bless the bad weather. I knocked, and went in when Sam yelled.
"Sookie," he said, startled, hastily standing up.
"Hi Sam."
A few minutes later he was saying, "Quinn? For real?"
He was astonished rather than angry, which astonished me in turn. Sam did not have warm feelings towards my weretiger honey, never had. In fact the last time Quinn turned up Sam took offence at him, his scent and him breathing the same air as me.
Not all of that was fairy magic.
"Yes, Quinn," I repeated. "I wanted you to hear it from me."
"He found his way back here pretty damn quick."
"Not really. I bumped into him in New Orleans."
"And you want me to play nice if I see him round town."
"Actually … that's not real likely." There was a bonus I hadn't considered: moving would make this a lot easier on Sam. And I'd avoid any drama with the Bon Temps morality police for dating so soon after our divorce. "I'm moving to Memphis."
Sam leant back in his chair with a puzzled look. "You're leaving Louisiana?"
"Yep."
"I don't think that's a good idea, cher."
I sat up straighter and said warningly, "It's not your decision to make."
His mouth tightened in disapproval and he muttered, "Sure ain't, or you wouldn't be going anywhere with that asshole."
There was the reaction I expected. I kept a lid on my temper as best I could, but my tone was sharp. "Quinn is a good man. I'm not asking for your approval."
He said hotly, "Good, because I'm not giving it. I hope you know what the hell you're getting into. What did Pam say about this?"
What the hell? Since when did Sam think I should run anything by her? I snapped, "I don't need Pam's permission. The damn vampires don't run my life, Sam."
"Better hope the ones in Tennessee got that memo," he said darkly. "Is she sending some guards at least?"
"No! And don't you dare tell Pam about this."
Sam frowned. "Why not?"
Shit. I'd counted on Sam being only too happy to keep my secret from the vamps. Quinn would be mad as hell if I'd ruined things by spilling the beans to my ex-husband. He thought I was only telling Jason.
Clamping down on my panic, I tried to appear calm. "I'll tell Pam. When I'm ready."
Familiar blue eyes searched my face. He knew something was wrong. "What's going on, cher?"
"Nothing," I said, too quickly.
"Sure," he snorted. He ran his hand through his hair. Then, quietly, he said the one thing guaranteed to tug on my heart. "I thought we were still friends, Sook."
We eyed each other for a long minute.
I sighed heavily. "Promise me you won't say a word to Pam."
"I won't. I promise."
He meant it. I felt bad peeking, but I checked all the same. "It won't be long before she finds out anyway. I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" He was stunned.
"Yep." I added, "Thanks for telling me Eric was king, by the way."
He was still processing his shock. Carelessly he asked, "How d'you miss that? Didn't Jason tell you?"
"Nope. We don't talk about that stuff."
"It was big news last spring. Died down before you got back, though." He frowned. "That got something to do with you leaving?"
"Yes. Eric will ban Quinn from Louisiana."
"What's Quinn done now?"
"Nothing! Eric will do it just to keep us apart."
I got one of those clear flashes from Sam: Might not be such a bad idea. All he said aloud was: "You sure 'bout that?"
"Yes," I said crossly. "Quinn said Eric would–"
He interrupted. "You haven't spoken to Eric?"
"No. He doesn't know about Quinn and me. And I want it kept that way, Sam Merlotte."
"Then how d'you know Eric will ban him?" Sam rated Quinn's theories as highly as he rated the tiger himself.
Exasperated, I threw up my hands. "It's not like Eric hasn't done it before. He's king, his word is law. He's ruling with an iron fist, just ask Amelia. And I'm one of his damn assets."
"Really?" Sam frowned pensively. "That sends a message to other kingdoms, though. Keeps you safe."
My jaw fell open. I'd fallen down the damn rabbit hole. In what parallel universe did Sam take Eric's side?
"Are you kidding me? I'm nobody's flipping asset, least of all Eric's."
Sam shrugged. "Could be worse. I know diddly-squat about Tennessee. Better the devil you know."
Well, flabber my gast.
Maybe to Sam, Eric was the better devil. Better than Quinn, because Eric was the past and Quinn was my future, a future that would take me out of Sam's orbit. Boy, Sam's nose was really bent out of joint. Just what I needed: two possessive exes trying to run my life.
Quinn was my choice. They could both stick that where the sun don't shine.
"I'm not an idiot Sam. I'll have protection." I asked suspiciously, "Why the heck are you defending Eric?"
That pulled him up short. He rubbed his neck and mumbled, "He's decent enough, for a deader." More decent than I deserved after I treated him like shit.
"Sure, Sam, real convincing. What's he got over you?"
"Nothing. He helped out with the bar, is all." He shifted uneasily, refusing to meet my eyes.
I focused on his thoughts, and an angry scene played out in his mind with a clarity I rarely got from Sam. I was stunned by what I saw, but by the time Sam looked up at me, I'd hidden my shock.
"Sookie, this isn't about Eric. It's you I'm worried about. Promise me you'll be careful." His eyes were pleading.
I sighed. "Sure, Sam. I promise."
"I'll hold you to that."
I stood up to leave and he hugged me real quick.
"If Quinn makes you happy..." He tried to hide his doubts about that. "I hope it works out. Take care, Sook."
"You too, Sam. Don't be too hard on Stephanie. You can't afford to lose another book-keeper, not one who actually likes you."
I left him gaping after me.
Outside, in my car, I replayed what I'd seen in Sam's head, my hands tightening on the steering wheel. The memory had been coloured with Sam's fury and it had my adrenaline pumping.
It was small comfort to discover that Sam hadn't followed me to Fangtasia the night he'd lost it after smelling Eric on me. No, he'd gone there to confront Eric, yelling and threatening him over the 'blood offence' Eric had committed against Sam by saving my life.
Not against me, against Sam. Because I was his property, that 'mine' attitude I hated so much. Sam even threatened to go to de Castro. The vicious, spiteful things he said to Eric … Hell, he'd even told Eric that we'd had sex two days after he left for Oklahoma.
I was mortified. And furious.
But the man I'd just spoken to wasn't the person who'd said those things, and he felt a healthy dose of shame remembering them. It was Sam under the influence of fairy magic. It would do neither of us any good to fight about it now.
Having no outlet for my anger, I breathed deeply until I felt calm.
Like Eric. In Sam's memory, he had been infuriatingly and icily calm in the face of Sam's attempts to provoke him. I wondered, though. I wondered if Sam's hurtful words hadn't eaten away at Eric's pride, leading him to ask all those questions about Sam and me.
I shook myself. No use speculating about either of them. They were the past. Quinn was my future.
…
The next day was hot and humid. Perfect. I'd chosen Saturday to make my move because Margaret and Jack weren't on duty – I didn't want to get my friends in trouble. Early that morning I invited the two hard-bitten wolves from Longtooth onto the front porch for some iced tea, as I'd done a couple of times before when it was a hot day.
Except this time their drinks had an extra kick, thanks to Amelia.
Half an hour later they were passed out in the woods. They would wake up around sunset with no idea where I'd gone. I checked they were in the shade, and then called Jason, who'd already been over once so the wolves wouldn't cotton on to his involvement from his scent.
Looking at my car as I waited for him to show, I sighed wistfully. I couldn't take it or my phone. As Pam had so helpfully told me, I could be tracked with them.
An anonymous rental truck bounced down the drive and Jason jumped out. We wasted no time loading the vehicle with everything I'd packed. I rescinded almost everyone's invitations, locked up the house and handed Jason the keys. He hugged me for a long minute before loping off into the woods.
I got into the rental, making sure I had Amelia's dragonfly brooch pinned to my blouse. Apparently a sample of my hair was enough to locate me magically. Some witches could even use less personal items. The brooch should prevent anyone tracking me that way, so I planned to wear it for a week or two.
I looked at the house for a long moment before I set off.
I stopped once, in Monroe, to express mail a letter. That wasn't in the plan, but it was something I had to do. Quinn would just have to deal.
Then I headed north into Arkansas, feeling tense. Quinn said Red Rita was in cahoots with Eric these days. I breathed easier once I crossed Old Man River into Russell's state. I drove north again, too keyed-up to stop. About an hour from Memphis I turned off the highway into Clarksdale.
Quinn was waiting right where he said he would be, outside a barbecue place. I jumped out of the truck and into his arms. Grinning broadly, he lifted me up and spun me round.
"Babe, I can't believe you're here."
"Me neither." I couldn't stop grinning.
I handed him the keys and we crossed into Tennessee with Quinn at the wheel.
...
Don't throw anything at the wall! I don't want dead electronics on my conscience. But rant away in the reviews - I can take it ;-)
A lot of you wanted Sookie out of Bon Temps... so there's that. Bit of a surprise the way it happened though, and you know it's not going to be plain sailing.
Next chapter we get Eric's reaction.
