Sophie-Ann Leclerq enjoyed her vampire existence. The vampire Queen of Louisiana was one of the few vampires who'd knowingly accepted the transformation; in fact, she'd all but begged her maker to turn her for three long years before exigent circumstances demanded he do just that. It was a life she'd fought long and hard to obtain and it was one she didn't feel like relinquishing any time soon.
In bringing over a human to join the vampire ranks, things occasionally went wrong and there were times the transformation did not occur, but the prospective child died during the process. In Sophie-Ann's case, the exact opposite had occurred – Alain, her maker and companion of three years, was dead when she rose vampire. For most newborns, this would have been the kiss of death; a fledgling vampire would have had little chance left on their own.
Sophie-Ann was as intelligent as she was beautiful, however. The three years she spent with Alain had been spent studying and learning; inspecting his every move for clues how to proceed when she got her wish. The young girl endured the unending abuse doled out by the hands of Alain and the ignorant cretins he sold her body to, but she grew stronger and more determined with each day that passed. When her prayers were finally answered and she rose not just vampire, but makerless, as well, Sophie-Ann knew she would do whatever it took to survive and thrive in her new life.
It hadn't taken her long to start her family and with her devoted children at her side, Sophie-Ann travelled the vampire courts in Europe for several centuries before realizing it was a wasted effort. The ancient vampires ruling Europe had little interest in an upstart youngster; the younger vampire quickly set her sights elsewhere. The New World offered opportunities for ambitious, intelligent vampires and Sophie-Ann astutely maneuvered her way through the fledgling political system until she was sitting at the top; the vampire Queen of the great State of Louisiana.
Louisiana had flourished under the rule of Queen Sophie-Ann, boasting the largest vampire population in all of the Americas. To her unending delight, she'd realized her greatest vampire gift; the ability to hold her progeny near assured Andre, Sigebert and Wybert remained by her side as she steadfastly worked to make Louisiana great. The ability to communicate telepathically with her children had proven immensely useful throughout the years and she enjoyed a reign free of challenges and serious threat.
Sophie-Ann had been good for Louisiana, but Louisiana had repaid it's debt in full, with interest. As the state's coffers grew, so did the Queen's tastes and expensive habits. With the state running as a well-oiled machine, the vampire Queen turned her attention to frivolous pleasures of court life. The constant remodeling of the royal mansion, as well as the outlandishly large household and donor staff, played a role in diminishing those coffers, but it was Sophie-Ann's taste for extravagant jewels and the expensive clothes she rarely wore more than once that truly drained the once impressive war chest Louisiana had boasted.
Louisiana was broke. Sophie-Ann had enough reserves to see her through two or maybe three years, barring any unforeseen disasters. Too much money was tied up in the mansion, a property she couldn't sell. The few other real estate holdings she held were already mortgaged heavily, little equity was available in any of them. It was a secret she'd yet to divulge to her Sheriffs; all were accomplished, successful business owners, well respected by their Area vampires and the community at large. Admitting such a personal failing was something Sophie-Ann wanted to avoid at all costs.
The Queen had some plans in motion to recoup some of her dwindling fortune, but the best hopes she had wouldn't pay dividends for a couple of years. The Great Revelation had provided more opportunity for business, but Sophie-Ann had been late jumping into the fray, arrogantly ignoring the proposals she received in the early days. Being the last at the table had put her at a disadvantage; while many of her vampires were beginning to reap the benefits of their new partnerships, Sophie-Ann was left scrambling to find investors to back her.
Her best move to date had been to green light the database project Bill Compton had pitched to her some time back. The project had required little in the way of financial backing – Mr. Compton had been good enough to do a lot of the grunt work for free before he brought the idea to her – and the profits were projected to be pure gold. While smart enough to understand the risks, Sophie-Ann was also pragmatic enough to understand the appeal of a vampire database. There wouldn't be a vampire out there who wouldn't purchase one, and the updates that would follow.
The Queen had been delighted to approve the project, in truth. Bill Compton had been in her employ for a number of years; the Civil War era vampire had proved to be an effective procurer and she'd paid him well to perform that service. The vampire Queen approved his request to be relieved of his duties to concentrate on the database project, but with one caveat: She had one final job for him, one which would ironically take him back to his ancestral home.
It was ironic that she'd never really heard of the small town of Bon Temps, now that it seemed at least three of its people would be playing such a large role in her life. Bill Compton may be able to save her finances, but it was the women of Bon Temps who truly interested her the most. Hadley Delahoussaye might have been nothing more than a junkie streetwalker when she'd been brought to the mansion, but it wasn't long before she'd caught the Queen's attention. Heavy glamour had looked after the drug addiction, but no glamour was necessary to lure the petite blonde beauty into Sophie-Ann's bed. Hadley had been attracted to the vampire's power at first, but was soon enamored by the red-headed beauty and the attention she showered on her.
It was Hadley who'd brought the third resident of Bon Temps to her attention, securing her own fate as she did. Hadley's revelation of a telepathic cousin had been music to the Queen's ears; visions of dollar signs danced in her head as she considered all the profitable ways she could make use of such an invaluable skill. Sophie-Ann decided in that moment to turn Hadley, keeping her as delightful leverage over the telepath forever.
Securing the telepath would be Bill's final mission as a procurer; it was a task he could accomplish while still focusing on the database. Bill was less than impressed with his assignment – he'd envisioned a cushier retreat to work in - but Sophie-Ann assured him he could leave Bon Temps behind him once more when he completed his assignment. Once the telepath was secured, Bill could work in Timbuktu, if it would help hurry the project along. In the meantime, the Queen planned to use the telepath's skills however she could to further her dismal prospects.
Her plotting led her to this moment, a final meeting with Bill to go over the details. He was planning on departing the next evening and Sophie-Ann was truly hopeful he'd be as efficient as always and secure her prize quickly.
"I assume all the standard agreements are in place?" Bill drawled out in his exaggerated Southern accent as he regarded his Queen with a touch of petulance skirting around the firmed contours of his lips.
"Do what is necessary. I don't care what it takes," the Queen responded coldly. "Sample her all you like, just get her here, do you understand me?"
Bill was an excellent procurer, rarely failing in a task. His proficiency allowed one to overlook his proclivity for sampling the goods, or 'inspecting the merchandise', as he called it. Sophie-Ann had always turned a blind eye to his activities, so long as the merchandise was delivered in one piece.
"I'm not expecting to stay long in Bon Temps," he informed her seriously. "If the girl is as much of a simple country bumpkin as you say, this shouldn't take long at all."
"That's fine by me, as long as she agrees. If at all possible, I want the girl to be here willingly. It will make life with Hadley so much more bearable," the Queen remarked. "If she proves difficult to convince, we'll rethink things then."
"Very well," he agreed. "I'll do my best. I've no desire to rot away in that decrepit backwoods. She should be easy to seduce into your service."
"Yes, Hadley tells me the girl has rarely been outside of her little town and everyone there thinks she's simply crazy. You should be able to sweep her off her feet," Sophie-Ann nodded her head, appearing every inch the teenager she was when she was turned. The capricious, covetous look on her face was familiar to parents of teenaged girls everywhere; as was the mulish set to her jaw.
"I plan on making contact at the bar she works at," Bill told her. "It would be better than approaching her at home, alone after dark. I should arrive early enough tomorrow night to look for her immediately. If she's not working, I'll glamour someone to give me her schedule. I'm sure once we meet she will be putty in my hands," he stated arrogantly.
The red light over the door pulsed brightly for a moment and Sophie-Ann looked at the security monitor to her right before pressing the button to allow Andre admittance.
"What is it?" the Queen asked imperiously. She detested being interrupted, but knew Andre would never have bothered her unless it was important.
"Sheriff Northman requests an audience," Andre told her bluntly. Sophie-Ann's first, and most trusted, child had never approved of Eric's appointment as Sheriff, not buying the idea Sheriff was the highest office the Viking sought. He viewed the older vampire with suspicion and distrust, always waiting for the Northman to make his move.
"He's here?" the Queen responded with surprise. The Sheriff of Area Five rarely made surprise visits, generally preferring to stay in Area Five as much as possible.
"Yes, he is, along with Pamela Ravenscroft and a human," Andre faithfully reported.
"Fortuitous," Bill remarked. "At least I can get the formalities out of the way with him this evening. Save me a trip to that horrendous bar of his."
"What's he doing with a human?" she wondered out loud, ignoring Bill completely. It was unusual for the Viking to bring a human to court. Other than a rare donor here and there, Sophie-Ann had never seen Eric with a human companion. The human must belong to his progeny, she thought.
"I don't know," Andre admitted. "But she's very attractive and smells divine."
"Tell him I will be right with him," she decided.
"Very well," Andre inclined his head deeply before turning sharply on his heel and rapidly exiting the Queen's private meeting room.
"What are your plans?" she asked Bill idly, her thoughts on the waiting Sheriff. "Are you staying around for the evening or do you have work to do?"
"I'm going to wait to talk with Northman and I need to feed well before I head to Bon Temps tomorrow," he replied. "All of my computers are packed and ready to travel. A rare free evening. I plan on enjoying myself tonight," he finished with a wolfish grin.
"Come, then, let us go see what the Sheriff wants," she instructed as she slipped on her discarded heels and raised her still diminutive form upright. She absently smoothed her perfectly coiffed hair and her immaculate white silk blouse before heading to the door, Bill three steps behind her.
Eric turned to face his Queen as she entered the room, his eyebrows rising in surprise as he registered the second vampire through the door. Bill Compton was an unexpected addition to the mix; unanticipated, but welcomed.
"Your Majesty," he bowed his head briefly, with Pam following suit. "Mr. Compton. It's been a while."
A blonde head peeked out from behind Eric's wide back as Sookie strained to see past his bulging bicep. She knew it had to be Bill Compton he was speaking to. Two sets of piercing vampire eyes met hers before she ducked back behind her vampire once more.
"It has," Bill responded. "But we may see more of each other soon. I'm relocating to your Area tomorrow. I was hoping we could get the formalities resolved while you're here. Save us all some time, you know?"
"Impossible," Pam drawled out in response, the expression on her pretty face showing her disdain for the vampire. "There's paperwork to fill out, as you well know."
"Pam is right, Bill. I'll give you a week to settle in, though, before we'll need to see you at Fangtasia," Eric interjected in a dismissive tone. Turning his attention to his regent, he once more inclined his head in a gesture of respect. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Highness," he dispensed with the formalities. "Our trip was planned rather spur of the moment."
"I trust nothing is wrong?" Sophie-Ann asked as she crossed the room to sit in her elevated gold throne, her small frame almost dwarfed by the large seat. She looked like a child perched on the scarlet velvet seat.
"On the contrary, everything is excellent. Revenues are up this quarter, as you will see from the statements Pam has brought with her. Area Five is thriving," Eris assured her with a smooth smile.
"What brings you to New Orleans?" she asked, getting straight to the point. She respected Eric Northman's ability to run his Area without question, but she didn't really care for the vampire otherwise. On a personal level, Sophie-Ann had always found the Viking to be a bit of a buzzkill, never indulging in the pleasures of court when he visited. Eric was all business, all the time.
"There's someone I would like you to meet," he responded with a small smile. Sookie stepped out from behind the vampire, coming forward to stand proudly at his side, her chin held high. "This is Sookie Stackhouse, your Majesty."
Sookie bobbed her head and sank to a slightly bended knee before speaking. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your Majesty."
The Queen sat upright from her languid position in the chair, her small hands tightly gripping the ornately carved arms on her throne. Narrowed green eyes trained on the Viking for a long, silent moment before they flickered right to glance at Bill before sliding left and training directly on the girl in question.
"And why would I want to meet this human?" she asked, her eyes never leaving Sookie's face; for her part, Sookie stood calmly by Eric's side and accepted the scrutiny of the Queen. Sophie-Ann's question didn't faze her, or Eric, in the slightest.
"I am Hadley's cousin," Sookie said evenly. The Queen's eyes narrowed even further before snapping to meet Eric's mildly amused gaze.
"Keep your human in line, Northman, or I will," she snapped spitefully. "Tell me why you are here."
Eric's relaxed posture didn't change as he responded to his Queen. "As Ms. Stackhouse was saying, she is your newest child's cousin," he replied easily, ignoring her childish threat. "When she learned of Hadley's position, she asked me to bring her here."
"Why?" the Queen asked curiously. The telepath appearing with the Viking wasn't in her plans, but she was willing to see where this was going.
"I knew Hadley would eventually tell you about me," Sookie answered, smiling sweetly at the Queen's baleful glare.
"Does she think I am speaking to her?" the Queen asked Eric in an icy voice. The entire tone of this meeting was putting her on edge.
"No, I think you're talking to Eric about me, though, which is just plain rude when I'm standing right here," Sookie stated defiantly, her eyes flashing as she stared down the vampire Queen. "I can speak for myself."
Barely remembering she wanted this girl to stay in her court, Sophie-Ann gritted her teeth as she stared at the blonde who looked so much like her Hadley.
"Why did you want to see me?" she gritted out as she alternated between glaring at Sookie and her vampire protector. Pam, who wisely remained silent throughout the exchange, was spared her attention.
"Like I said, I knew Hadley would tell you about me," Sookie repeated, shrugging her shoulders. "She always did like to talk about me to other people."
"And what is so interesting about you that my Hadley would have told me about?" the Queen asked, relaxing into her throne and trying to appear nonchalant.
"I'm a telepath," Sookie informed her calmly, her blue eyes unblinking as she stared at the Queen. "As I'm sure you know."
Sophie-Ann found herself at a complete loss for words, unsure how to react to the girl's assertion. She desperately wanted – no, she needed – the telepath in her retinue. Her plans, flimsy as they were, hinged on having the telepath at her disposal.
"A telepath?" Sophie-Ann feigned astonishment. Her wide green eyes stared at Sookie for a long moment as she pondered her available moves. She could feel Eric's eyes on her and her guileless gaze turned to him. "Can she hear vampires?"
"No, your majesty. Vampire minds remained closed," he assured her smoothly.
"I can only really read humans. Other supernaturals vary, but I can't get an accurate read on any of them," Sookie interjected calmly, determined to force the Queen to address her directly. "I register the presence of vampires, but nothing else."
Bill shifted slightly as he tried to keep up with what was happening. The telepath was far more appealing than even he'd imagined. He hoped there might still be opportunity to sample her, even though there was no need for him to procure her; the stupid bitch had walked right into the lion's den.
"Very interesting," the Queen murmured. She wondered what the Viking's role in this was. Perhaps he was simply delivering a valuable asset, but she had her doubts. "Telepath's are exceedingly rare, I've been told."
"I wouldn't know," Sookie replied with a slight smile. "I've never met another."
"Neither have I," Sophie-Ann admitted stonily. Her gaze again shifted to Eric. "What is the purpose of this meeting, Sheriff?"
"I was the one who asked for this meeting, your highness," Sookie answered calmly.
Thinly veiled annoyance flashed in the Queen's eyes as she stared down the telepath; willing her to blink, to break, first. She was sadly disappointed as Sookie held her ground firmly.
"Then you have the floor, Miss Stackhouse," the Queen responded haughtily. "Speak."
I know you hate me for leaving it here, but we'll pick up with Sookie again in the next chapter. This one had to end somewhere!
Thanks for reading!