a/n Hey everybody! Happy late Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy this latest installment of Dead and Blonde. I think that we will be wrapping things up in the next chapter or so and I hope to get it to you in a decent amount of time.

a/n Thanks to my awesome beta, Northwoman, who never complains that I wait so long between chapters she has to read the whole story again! Any remaining mistakes are totally mine.

Chapter 14

Sookie's POV

When we arrived back at the Residence, Eric and I followed Sophie-Anne back to the conference room where I had read Jodee. She began talking before she had even sat down, her voice full of urgency. "Sookie, it is of great importance to me that I find whoever is responsible for this. You will read Fabrizio tonight."

I nodded. I didn't think words were necessary. I was also very glad she had allowed Eric to stay with me tonight. We were quiet for only a moment when Andre appeared, a middle-aged man trailing behind him. He looked to be in much better shape than Jodee had been, at least physically. His mind was a jumble of things, bouncing around like Lotto balls.

He sat down without a fight and Andre took up position behind him. Fabrizio's eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, but I held my hand out over the table to him when they met mine. "Hi, Fabrizio," I said quietly, the name feeling strange on my tongue. "My name is Sookie. I just need to ask you a few questions, is that all right?"

He looked down at my hand on the table and stared for a few moments. "Is that your name? Fabrizio?" I asked. This may be harder than I anticipated.

He nodded, thinking of his childhood in New York. "Did you used to work for Gustavo?" Another nod, accompanied by a picture of who I could only assume was the vampire in question. His memories played out a little – he had liked his job with Gustavo because he had always been treated well and kept busy. There was a flash of seeing Gustavo's coffin with a stake sticking out the lid.

"Did Gustavo die, Fabrizio?"

His eyes locked on mine. "Yes," he said with a sudden clarity. "He was murdered!"

"Can you tell me anything about the day it happened, Fabrizio? Any little thing could be really important." I could feel it, I was getting close.

"I . . . I . . ." he stuttered, his memories starting to flit around again randomly. He got to the same place, every time. There was a small figure in black pulling their hand back from the stake, and beginning to turn around in surprise. Fabrizio must have surprised them. But then, after that, it was like a scratched DVD – he jumped to a different image, a different memory altogether, one that seemed to be totally unrelated. First it was a fight he got into sometime in elementary, then the morning of his wedding or the day his son was born. I felt my brow furrow in frustration the fifth or sixth time he tried without success to access it and sat back in my chair with a huff.

"What is it?" Sophie-Anne asked, her normally cool voice trembling with emotion. "Did he see who did it?"

I nodded. "Yes." That much I could say with confidence.

Her voice returned to its icy norm. "Who was it? What did they look like?"

"I don't know," I said with a sigh. "I can't tell much."

"What do you mean, Lover?" Eric asked, gently patting my leg. "What did you see?"

I just knew my face was screwed up in confusion. "He keeps trying to think of the day it happened, but it's like he can't access it. He'll get to a certain point, but then it goes all screwy." I thought for a moment. "Like a black hole. It's gone."

Eric and Sophie-Anne exchanged a meaningful look. "He has been glamoured," Eric said.

There was an ever-so-slight nod of Sophie-Anne's head. "A vampire is involved," she said, her face closing in on itself in what I've come to see as a vampire's mask – the absolutely expressionless face they make when they feel the need to control their emotions.

"Then it couldn't be that church group," I said. "A vampire wouldn't likely work with them – even if they were your biggest enemy." Fudge. That would have made my job easier. I thought back to the list I had made – yesterday morning? It felt like 1,000 years ago. "Did the two houses have anything in common? Or the vampires?"

"They had both been my lovers," Sophie-Anne said without a shred of shame. "There tends to be some camaraderie in my closest circle."

"Who else is in that circle?"

"Andre and Hadley. There was another woman, a few years ago, who did not want to be turned and she eventually moved on – Alice."

"Has anyone been able to find Bree? Jodee's ex-girlfriend?"

"She has been located, Your Majesty," Andre answered, looking to Sophie-Anne, "And is being transported here, as we speak."

"Thank you, Andre," she answered, looking to me. "Could you read her tonight?"

I nodded. "Who is bringing her? Is it someone you trust? If a vampire is involved, she could be glamoured before she gets here."

Sophie-Anne dismissed my concern. "Our people of interest are always transported by Weres, to prevent that."

Then who could have glamoured Fabrizio? "Who has access to them while they're here? Could someone have gotten to them while they were being held?" I felt like the answer was just around the corner.

"That is silly, Sookie," she said, with something close to a chuckle. "The only vampire with access to them in our Residence besides me is Andre."

I looked over Fabrizio's head into Andre's ice-blue eyes, and had the most frightening experience of my life. The moment I looked into his eyes, I knew. I saw, and heard, everything; each dark thought twisted with the others like snakes in a pit; the whispered deals with Bree, who had been scorned by Sophie-Anne, the desire to be the only child, the most important child, the jealousy over the special attentions Hadley received. My eyes widened. "Your Majesty," I began, trying to break the mental hold I had on the soulless murderer across from me.

She didn't even get the chance to respond before Andre was flying across the table, fangs out and hands around my neck. "You're just like your whore of a cousin, bitch!" he yelled as my vision started to fade and I could feel my breath getting short.

Somewhere in the distance, I could hear Sophie-Anne yelling but I couldn't make out the words. Suddenly, I could breathe again and the room began to come back into focus. The scene before me came all at once. Eric had scooted my chair back into the wall and was crouched before me protectively, his hands formed into claws and his muscles tensed for action. Andre was frozen against the opposite wall, his eyes wide and staring at Sophie-Anne, whose eyes were rimmed with red. Fabrizio seemed totally unaware of the entire debacle. Sophie-Anne whispered a foreign word, laced with authority and Andre began to speak in the same, musical language. French?

As the words poured from Andre, Eric relaxed his defensive posture and scooted me back to the table, thankfully pulling my shaking hands into his own. Bloody tears were still running down Sophie-Anne's face when Andre finished and she sat back down at the table.

"I am sure you have many questions, Sookie, but let me tell you this. You have found the murderer; I was foolish to not suspect one of my own house, but it is not a mistake I will make again. His accomplice, the girl Bree, will be turned over to the proper authorities. On that you have my word."

I nodded, still unsure how I was processing anything. Is this what people meant by having an out-of-body experience?

She continued, seemingly without feeling, "Since Andre has made an attempt on your life, despite your protection by Sherriff Northman and I, Eric will be granted the rest of the evening with him, to do as he sees fit. Tomorrow night, he will be tried and executed in our own way. You will stay, and you will see justice done for his crimes."

She and Eric had one of those split-second, vampiric conversations – too fast and low for my hearing; all I could make out was my name and Pam's. Then, she met my gaze, calm as ever. "You are dismissed."

Pardon my French, but – Holy. Shit.

I felt myself get up and Eric's supportive arm around my waist as I somehow walked toward the door. Pam magically appeared as we exited and glued herself to Eric's other side, which naturally resulted in more vampire secrecy. When we entered the room Eric and I were sharing, Pam closed the door behind us and Eric folded me into his arms. When my face hit his chest, I realized I had been crying, and suddenly I couldn't stop.

He picked me up and carried me gently to the sofa, where he sat to cradle me in his arms. He held me close, kissing my hair and whispering softly into my ear. "Sookie, you are well. I am here. Nothing can harm you."

After a while, God only knows how long, I was able to quiet myself. He kissed me gently. "I must go, for just a while. Pam will stay with you and help you get ready for bed. Okay?"

I nodded, scooting off his lap into the seat beside him. "Please come back soon," I whispered. I knew he had to do Sophie-Anne's bidding.

Pam held out her hand to me, so I took it. She helped me up and led me to the bathroom, where she began to draw me a bath. I was certain I would look back one day and be impressed she didn't leer at me, not even once, as I undressed and got in, but tonight I was just tired. My brain couldn't even keep up with everything it needed to process just now.

I had been soaking for quite a while, leaning back with my eyes closed and enjoying the weightless feeling of the hot water, when Pam finally broke the silence. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, touching my arm gently.

Tears began to run down my face again. "He nearly killed me, Pam," I said, my voice trembling.

She ran a hand through my hair. "I know it must feel that way, but I swear my master would let nothing harm you."

"Eric stopped him, then?"

"He was pulling Andre off you when Sophie-Anne took control."

"What do you mean?"

She paused for a moment, then answered, "A vampire must obey their maker. She told him to stop and he had no choice."

"Is that why he wasn't moving at all?"

"Yes."

I couldn't help my curiosity. "Is that why you are with Eric?"

"No. I choose to stay with Eric because he is a good master; he is fair and easy to work for. He has not compelled me to stay with him for many years now."

"Did you hear what Andre said? Could you understand him?"

"Yes. He was speaking French; that is the native language for him and Sophie-Anne. When she told him 'Dites-moi,' that means, 'tell me.' So he did. He confessed everything."

"How long had you been downstairs?"

"Since you got back from Hadley's apartment."

I couldn't think of anything else to ask right at the moment, so I finished washing and got out of the bathtub. Pam held out a nightgown – one of our midnight shopping spree purchases – and I put it on. "I think I'm going to lie down," I said, walking back to the bedroom. "You'll stay with me?"

"Yes," she replied, following me to the bed. I lay down, pulling the covers up to my chin.

"Thank you, Pam," I said, suddenly overcome with fatigue.

"For what?" she asked.

I felt the corners of my mouth tuck in as my eyes closed almost involuntarily. "For being my friend."

Eric's POV

Un-fucking-believable. The queen was being double-crossed by her formerly favorite child. This is one of the many, many reasons I had determined Pam was enough for me. Mostly it's because she is a total brat, of course.

I was below the Royal Residence, in the basement, walking toward the room where Andre was being held until his trial tomorrow. I walked slowly on purpose, so he could dread my arrival; I flexed my back and shoulders involuntarily – this was going to be an excellent night.

It had only taken me a moment to react to him jumping across the table at Sookie – a moment too long, it seemed, since he had managed to get his hands around her neck. When I pushed her back, his fangs had landed in my arm instead of tearing across her face, which had been his intent; he would regret even thinking it before I was finished with him. Sophie-Anne had ordered him to stand against the wall just in time; a second longer and I would have been holding his head in my hands after it had been relieved of the rest of his body.

I let my rage take me over as I opened Andre's cell door, knowing Pam could comfort and care for Sookie until I was finished. This mother fucker was going to pay for harming my Sookie.

His eyes widened as I pulled on thick, leather gloves and picked up a fine, silver chain. Poor bastard probably would have wet himself if he was able.

"You have made a deadly mistake tonight, Andre," I began, only to be interrupted.

"Spare me your banter, Viking," he said with a sneer. "I know what I have done."

I smirked as I set the chain down and moved to a table laid with cruel instruments. There was a short, silver knife with a wickedly jagged blade; I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. "Was it worth it?" I asked quietly. "Betraying the only person who ever liked you?"

He growled. "It would have worked," he muttered, "except for that pandering telepath slut."

I growled back and let the blade fly; it made a resounding thud in his left femur. "You will be careful to remember that Sookie belongs to me. And I assure you, Andre, she is no slut."

We were nearing the end of the evening when Andre made a surprise confession. "Hadley," he gasped, "is part-fae. That is the only reason my mistress could not resist her!" His eyes were wild and his face was covered in blood.

I did not stop my torturous ministrations – did you know that the arch of the foot is one of the body's most sensitive places? "How do you know?" I asked. We had been silent for most of the night; well, I had been silent. Andre had been making fearsome amounts of noise on occasion.

"I could taste it," he cried, his back arching up in pain without pulling his foot out of my hand. He'd learned that the hard way, unfortunately. "It is my gift," he whimpered, taking deep, unnecessary breaths.

"And does your mistress know this?" I asked, finally looking up at his face.

He shook his head, ever so slightly, before laughing maniacally. "I did not tell her she has a weakness!" Good to know.

I looked down at my handiwork and checked my inner clock. There was only an hour until sunrise. I had to leave him undead, unfortunately, so I decided it would be best if I made my way back upstairs. I was generally happy with my work; there was a lot of blood on the floor and he'd heal slowly without a meal, and some wounds – those made with silver – were unlikely to heal before tomorrow night. Just as well.

"Andre," I said, a smile on my face, "I cannot remember when I've had more fun, but I must go. All of this exertion makes me terribly hungry."

He watched me go, his crazy eyes following me, but I did not care. My mind had turned to the beautiful blonde telepath waiting for me upstairs.

Pam met me at the door and then followed me to the bathroom. I was mostly glad Sookie was asleep – I did not want her to see me like this. "I see you've been having fun without me," Pam almost pouted as I got into the shower.

"Staying with Sookie was not fun?" I asked, teasing.

Her fangs ran out. "I did get to help her bathe," she purred, lust coming to the front of her emotions.

She could bait me all she wanted, but I knew she knew better than to touch what I was definitely not sharing. "I had a donor sent to your room," I said. "One I think you will like."

She was off like a shot, leaving me to shower in peace. Just as I was about to finish, I heard footsteps shuffle into the doorway; I'd felt her wake up a few moments before. "Hello, Lover," I said as I turned off the water and stepped out.

Sookie gave me a sleepy smile. "Hey. Do I even want to know what you've been doing?" I was surprised her emotions did not reflect her tumultuous evening. Instead, she was feeling love and pride, maybe a little lust.

I shook my head. "Definitely not." Luckily Pam had the foresight to take my bloody clothes with her. I did not want Sookie to have to deal with them. I wrapped the towel around my waist and walked over to her, kissing her forehead. "I am sorry Andre got his hands on you. They were not there for long."

"I know. Let's not talk about it, okay?" she said, reaching up to kiss my jaw. "I just want to go to bed."

I waggled my eyebrows. "Then that is where we shall go," I said, picking her up, running to the bed, and dropping her on it.

She giggled and pulled me down to her. "No more talking," she said, running her hands into my hair. "We can talk tomorrow."

I kissed her, hard. The animal inside me was very awake tonight.

I kissed her until she needed to breathe, and then she gasped as I ran my fingers under the edge of her nightgown and in between her legs, her knees falling open for me. I knelt down beside the bed, pulling her hot center to my mouth and sending her over the edge with my tongue and fingers a few times before she pulled me up.

"Eric, I need you," she whimpered, pulling my mouth back to hers and kissing me with voracity. Her hand wrapped around my cock, stroking. I growled.

I couldn't stop it; I'm not sure I even thought to try. Before I knew what I was doing, I had taken my lovely, recently-deflowered telepath and flipped her over on her stomach. As she rose up on her hands and knees to look back at me, a slightly puzzled look on her face, I drove into her and she cried out. The feeling of her tightening around me gave me just enough pause to make sure the cry was from pleasure, and not pain. The look in her eyes back over her shoulder told me it definitely was pleasure.

I took hold of one shoulder and one hip to use as leverage and began to pound into her without mercy, claiming her, feeling her emotions rise and muscles tighten as she approached her peak. Finally, I pulled her back on her knees and bit into the soft curve of her shoulder as she came, hurtling me into my own release as her blood poured into my mouth.

After I had licked the wound closed, I held her tight against me as she caught her breath. "Did I hurt you?" I asked, afraid to open my eyes and look for bruises. I had never treated her so roughly before.

"What?" she replied, turning her head to look at me. "Hurt me? My stars, Eric, whatever would give you that idea?"

I looked down at her then, into her fearless blue eyes. "I was a little rough," I said, winking and motioning with my chin to the rags left of the once quite lovely nightie.

She laughed as she looked down at it, hanging limply from its straps. "Oh well." She wiggled a little so I let her go; she pulled the gown off over her head. "Is that better?"

"Most definitely," I said, capturing her in my arms again and lying down with her.

She snuggled into my chest. "How long before dawn?"

"Maybe ten minutes," I said, beginning to feel its pull. "Why do you ask, Lover?"

"Well, I have a confession of sorts," she said; I felt a little shame and some fear from her.

"Do not be afraid, Sookie. Whatever it is, I will protect you."

She chewed on her bottom lip for a second before she said, very quietly, "I knew it was Andre because I heard him, Eric."

Oh. Fuck. "I thought you could not hear vampires, Sookie?" I asked, puzzled. If she could, she had certainly ignored many, many lascivious thoughts on my part.

"Me too!" she said, a frustrated look on her face. "It's only happened twice." A pause, then a guilty look.

"Was the other time me?" I asked. I had suspected, last night, but I hadn't been sure.

She nodded, her face pressed to my chest. "I didn't get much from you. Just a thought about me trusting you. But from Andre there were images and memories and feelings."

"What about now?" I asked, purposefully pulling an image of her, mid-orgasm, to the front of my thoughts. It was an image that had been getting a lot of play, recently.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Silence, just like before." Too bad. I would have loved to see her blush.

I thought for a moment, feeling the pull of dawn very strongly. "The only thing I can say now is we should just keep it between us. Maybe we can discover the reason."

"You're not mad?" she peeped, barely peeking up at me.

I smiled, kissing her eyelids gently. "No, my love," I said, in my dead language, shaking my head.

"I love you, Eric," she said, with a fake, exasperated sigh, "But I still don't speak that language."

I laughed. "Good night, Sookie," I said.

She snuggled into me once again. "I think you mean good morning," she yawned, closing her eyes. Then I was dead.

So what did you think? Were you surprised?