Eric had found her. She was in her apartment, and she wasn't letting him in. Eric growled as he stood at the front door.
"Damn it, Autumn!" he said.
Autumn walked to the front window. Aside from Eric being on her front porch Sam, Sookie, and Alcide were now in her tiny driveway. She rolled her eyes and made sure her doors were lock. Not like it mattered anyway, Sam had a key.
"Autumn, open up," said Sam.
"No," she said.
"Honey," started Sookie.
"What are you doing here?" asked Autumn. "You don't even like me."
"I'm trying to help," said Sookie. "But you've got to let us in."
"Are you a glutton for punishment?" Autumn asked. "After everything you've been through you still associate with supes."
"I work for one. I am one. I really don't have a choice," said Sookie.
"Yes you do. I did and I took it," replied Autumn.
"Yeah, and it landed you in a vamps company," said Alcide.
"Eric has been nothing but good to me," she retorted.
"What?" said Sam and Alcide.
"I've never seen you before," said Sookie.
"I don't stay at Fangtasia all the time," said Autumn. "I've had jobs and I've got a life. Especially during the day."
Eric glared at her when she said that. Autumn just smiled back at him.
"Just let us in so we can talk," said Sam.
"Why? As soon as Eric gets in this house he's going to take me back to Shreveport," she said.
"Open the door," said Eric.
"No. Speak your peace and leave," she said.
Eric growled again. He stepped closer to the door and leaned closer to her. He spoke barely above a whisper. She heard him, which was clear by the expression on her face. Eric leaned away and stepped back. Autumn unlocked the door. Sam, Sookie, and Alcide all walked in. Autumn turned and looked at Eric.
"Please come in," she said quietly.
"What did you say to her?" asked Alcide.
"Nothing that concerns you," said Eric. "Now, get the important things and we will be on our way."
"You can't just take her," said Sam.
"I can," replied Eric watching Autumn.
"No, Eric, you can't," said Bill from the porch. "She's a fugitive."
Sam looked at Autumn surprised. Sookie immediately started searching through Autumn's thoughts, but she was keeping quiet.
"Is that her?" asked Bill.
"Yes, it is. Thank you for your help," said a man.
"Eric, stand down," said Bill.
"No," replied Eric.
Autumn was frozen to her spot in the hallway.
"Eric, as your king, I demand you stand down," said Bill.
"No," said Eric. "I will not."
"You are a hard one to find," said the man. "Never staying in one place too long. Long enough to get some money, but not make any friends."
"Shut up," said Autumn.
"And if you did get too close, you left," he said. "Is that what you were going to do here? Disappear in the middle of the night and not tell anyone?"
"Shut up," she said again.
"Make them like you, or ever love you, and then break their hearts," he continued.
Eric grabbed the man's throat and squeezed.
"Release him Eric," said Bill. "Under penalty of the true death."
Eric's grip didn't loosen. Autumn watched as the man's face started to turn purple. She looked back at Eric before she stepped forward. She laid her hand on his forearm and added a little pressure.
"Eric," she whispered. "Let him go."
Eric squeezed tighter and the let go. The man gasped for air as he dropped to the floor.
"At least you look after your own kind," he said.
"I didn't do it to save you," she said. "I did it to save his."
Everyone was shocked at what she said. Well, everyone but Eric.
"You're a fangbanger?" said the man.
"No. I've never slept with him," she said. "Or any of them."
"But you'll degrade yourself to sleep with a shifter?" said the man.
"He's a person, too," said Autumn.
"I think it's time we left," said Eric turning to face Autumn.
"Do any of you know her first name?" asked the man.
"Isn't it Autumn?" asked Sookie.
"No. It's Katherine," she said. "It's Katherine Autumn Mist Parker."
"Katherine?" asked Sam.
"Yeah. I prefer Autumn, thought," she said.
"Wait. Parker?" said Eric looking at her.
"Yes…" she hesitated. "He's my brother.
That had everyone looking at her with shock.