Pam called Sookie tonight to tell her that Victor Madden is dead. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Stan Davis, the king of Texas, is now officially also the king of Louisiana. None of the sheriff's positions have changed hands. Clancy is still firmly in place in area five. I went online to check these facts, and they seem to be true. I was relieved, naturally, because I believe that Pam is safe as long as Clancy is her sheriff. And I know Stan Davis to be fair-minded. Stan also has his own telepath (Barry the bellboy), and so I am also relieved that Sookie's freedom will most likely remain intact. When Sookie hung up, she called Bill to get confirmation. Then later Quinn called her with the same news. She hung up and looked at me and said, "Ding, dong. The witch is dead." I thought that she had lost her mind until she explained the reference. And then I wholeheartedly agreed with her.

We spent most of the night discussing our options. I could resurface as a legal vampire again. I would sign documents leaving my assets in Pam's and Sookie's possession. I had no desire to own Fangtasia again, and Sookie never really felt comfortable in my Shreveport house anyway. Pam was living in it now, and she was welcome to stay there as far as I was concerned. As far as Sookie's property and money, we could just leave it all in her name, but she said she wanted to change her will so that Hunter would inherit some, but that the bulk of the estate would revert back to my name in the case of her death. That wasn't really an issue that concerned me. I could always make more money. And of course, Pam would share what I'd left her if I asked.

We considered what returning to Louisiana would mean for us. Sookie loved her family home and had many friends there as well as her brother. I had many contacts from years of doing business in Shreveport, and could pursue other business opportunities there comfortably. Of course Pam was there.

We could get married legally.

I could come out of the literary closet and announce that I was the author of my books.

We could travel together and see some of the world that Sookie has not seen in her very young life.

We lay in the hammock discussing all of our new future possibilities for hours, fingers intertwined, looking out to the ocean. Finally, I said, "Do you know what you want to do, lover?"

"Yes." I waited. "I want to walk on the beach."

"Me too."

It was cloudy and windy and we were far from the house when it started to rain. We gave each other the knowing horny grin that we often shared, and as the rain drops started to wet our hair and clothes, I began to kiss her mouth and lower her body into the shallow surf. I unbuttoned her blouse and peeled away her bra, tossing them both up onto the beach (so that I wouldn't have to retrieve them from the ocean later). I kissed and caressed her perfect breasts, my tongue gently licking the many tiny fangmarks that were now faded from sight from anyone's except a vampire's eyes but that held cherished memories for me. I lifted her skirt and pulled her panties off, tossing them up onto the beach as well. I found her wet and ready for me. I watched with still-new fascination as Sookie's hand freed me from my pants and the moonlight reflected off the diamonds on the hand that stroked me with familiar perfection. We locked eyes as I entered her, and then I bent in to kiss her beautiful lips as she whispered my name in ecstasy. The waves massaged our feet and legs, the rain gave us the curtain of privacy that we needed. I bit and tasted her left breast while I listened to her soft rhythmic moans. We made love in the filtered moonlight, repeating all the comfortable lovers' words that we each knew the other craved. We climaxed together after countless times and years of knowing just what the other needs, and I thought this is what I have lived a thousand years for. This is all I need.

We put Sookie's sandy clothes back on her, and walked back towards the house in the gentle rain hand in hand, both wearing a contented smile.

"Do you know what you want, lover?"

"Yes, I do. A hot shower and a warm bed."

"Oh look, lover, a piece of driftwood. Do you like that one?"

"I love it."

"Oh good. I just want you to be happy."

"I know. And I am."

XXX

A/N: Please enjoy the next story in my series, Pam's Take on Things. See my profile for the sequence after that. Enjoy!