A/N: Hi gang. Another installment of hurry-up-and-get-this-part-over-with-so-we-can-get-to-some-E/S-lemons! I am creeping along, as excited as you to get to some sweet lovin'. I think the next chapter should have some. They need it after the stress they've been through. I laughed my ass off at everyone threatening me for my "someone I care for" cliffy! Honestly, it never dawned on me to have it be a woman/love interest. I wouldn't do that because I hate angst, for the most part. I like them having each other's full attention. I will try to get the next chapter out by no later than Sunday night. I have a feeling the next chapter will flow easier because of the sexy times it should have. So, as always, I own nothing. Much love for the adds, comments, etc. you guys complete me 3 You know what's really annoying? When you get The Chicken Dance song stuck in your head. See?

Ch. 10

The silence between us was thick. I broke it. "Oh. Shit."

"Yes. Shit is right. So, that is why I have met with him." He slid off the couch and resumed pacing. "The first time we met, he only asked me to take his side. That the Sky Fae were plotting against him. With my help, he could win in a coup against them and have access to the riches and position that was rightfully his. Which he would then gladly use to pay me. As well as giving me any number of the 'spoils of war' I wanted, implying fairies on tap." My stomach turned in disgust that one of our own kin, greedy and demented or not, would use another of his kind that way. "I laughed at him and sent him on his way. I knew he was crazy and I wanted nothing to do with any infighting for anyone other than my species. The second time, he offered me a hybrid as a gift. A tantalizing treat, he said, in good faith as a preview of things to come. I laughed and sent him away again. I knew, even if I were to accept his gift" eww, I shuddered "with his state of insanity, it could have a some magic around it, or it's blood laced or poisoned, to force me to his bidding. This time I refused him, he was very angry. I thought it was going to come to drawing swords. But he left, swearing he would find a way to make me fight for him." He seemed to get angrier the further along in the story he got. "The last time, he had a package delivered. It was a hand with a ring on it. I knew the ring. It belonged to my brother, Alberik." The pain in his expression was heartbreaking. "When he met me that night, it was only to tell me he had him and that he would keep him and torture him, until the coup was done and I helped him win. The second he said that, I attacked him, but he disappeared, the coward." He spat. "That was five days ago. I can only hope they aren't punishing Alberik for my attack on Breandan."

I kept my mouth shut on that topic. Fairies loved torture, so they probably were. "Eric, I'm so sorry."

"Me too. I have no clue how he found out about him, but he knew, aside from Pam, he was the only other one I truly cared about." He ran his hands through his hair and sat back down, next to me. "That is why, when I tasted your tears, I thought he had sent you. Whether it was to tempt me or to spy, it didn't matter. I thought you were the hybrid he promised me. I associated you with Breandan and I would have killed you, Sookie." He looked a little worried.

I gulped, then tried a sheepish grin. "I was hoping I could tell you truth before you tried. I could have popped out of here, but I really wanted to get a chance to tell you everything."

"The only thing that kept me from killing you immediately was instinct. I knew you were that person you showed me over the last 24 hours, not Breandan's kind."

I patted his hand, and he absentmindedly took it and held it.

"So, now what Eric. What do we do next?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "We?"

"Well, there's got to be a way to find out where your brother is. Maybe my great-grandfather will know of a possible hiding place. Or we can work some kind of magic." Celighn was a seer, maybe she could help. My mind was going to town thinking of all possible options.

"Sookie, I appreciate your offer, but this is best handled by me. I haven't even told Pam yet. I'm going to have to take her somewhere she can break as few things as possible, or at least not expensive things."

"You think Pam will be that upset?"

"I know she will. Not only is she still young, compared to me, which makes her more sensitive to reacting with anger in this type of situation; but she has her own, personal tie to Alberik."

"Oh. They were together?"

"Once. They were together for many years. They went their own ways, but will visit together and reunite, for a time."

"Oh." Getting back to the plan, "No offense, Eric, but you seriously think you can find out where he's being kept better than I can? I'm part fairy for pete's sake. I have magic and other fairies at my disposal." It suddenly dawned on me. "Uh, hello? Not to mention, Niall and the rest of my clan will want to help, as it will get you out from Breandan's thumb and indebt you to them. Sorry to put it like that, but you know that's how they'll look at it."

He was quiet, pondering what I'd said. "You are right. They sent you here to procure me, but in order to have me, they will have to get Alberik free. I think that is a fair trade. And I would be indebted to your family, if they did free him."

"Are you going to tell Pam? I know it's not my place to intrude on your side of the story, but I really want to stop the charade on my part. And it won't make much sense without you telling her about your brother."

He rubbed his temples. "I suppose not. I need to tell her." He sounded more like he was repeating a mantra.

"Would you like me to try my calming thing on her?"

"Intentionally doing it versus accidentally are two different things. She will not like that." I don't blame her, I wouldn't want someone making me feel an emotion that wasn't mine. "Let's forgo that, unless absolutely necessary. She is my child, so I can calm her. By force if necessary."

"Can I ask a personal question?" He nodded. "When you say brother, or child, how do you mean? As in, from your human life, or...?"

"Pam is my child, I am her maker. I made her vampire a few centuries ago as a companion. Alderik and I are brothers meaning, we share the same maker. Though he is only about 400 years old." Is that all? "He has always been a little naive. I never grew to know him very well, as he was always in Europe with our maker, but I still care for him as a brother and try to watch out for him."

"Where was your maker during all of this?"

Another pained look. "He met his final death a few years ago."

"Jeez, Eric. Again, I'm very sorry." Who knew vampires had all this drama, and had family, just like we did.

"Thank you. And thank you, for lack of a better expression, for being you. You could have just popped in here, staked me, then popped out if you wanted. But you didn't." Actually, that never occurred to me, not that I would have done it. I might be able to kill when necessary but I couldn't do it without a good reason. "While I don't appreciate being lied to initially, I understand you had little choice, between Niall and The Council's instructions and their underhanded way of doing things. And I believe you when you say you wanted to tell us the truth."

"I'm so glad you understand. I really was torn about deceiving you, after we got to know each other. I even had a talk with my cousin asking her how I could get around this whole thing. I wanted to come clean. I knew you were a fair man." I got a little shy after getting so lovey-dovey on him, but my head popped up when I remembered, "My cousins are here!" At his look of confusion, "I mean in this realm. My cousins Claude and Claudine stay in the human plane sometimes. Right now is one of those times and my apartment is near theirs. You have to promise me you won't drain them if you ever come across them!"

"I cannot make that promise, Sookie. It is in my nature. Surely they explained to you-"

"But I know you could restrain yourself. I'll get pictures and that way you'll know them."

"The easiest solution to that problem is if they stay far enough away that I can't smell them. Or use a masking spell, like you."

"That's a thought. Well, for now, let's just not get you guys too close to each other."

"That makes me wonder. What if you undid the spell you have, Sookie, so I could smell you? I think it would be safe enough to try, now that you know me enough to trust me and I know not to eat you." Eyebrow waggle, Gulp-that did things to me. "Unless you want me to. But, seriously, how long does the magic last? What if it one day just stops? I'd rather be prepared then bombarded with it all at once. And I think, if I handled your blood yesterday, I may be able to handle your scent."

"Yeah, but it's not like I could just be floating my fairy perfume out there for any vamp to get a whiff of. I'd still have to conceal myself to everyone but you. Maybe Pam, if she can control herself, too."

"Have you ever thought of trying to learn how to do it yourself, by your own volition? It would be a good training experience. You didn't know you could control other's emotions before now, did you?"

We were interrupted by a text alert on Eric's phone, which he ignored. After a minute went by, another came in. He rose, "I better answer. I'm sure it's Pam, wanting to know what the hell we're up to." Before he could make it to his phone, a third came in.

"Did you text her before? I thought for sure she was going to come in here and you two were going to tie me up in the basement-" Before I could stop the words from passing my lips, they were out. Dammit.

"Oh really?" He asked, his eyes twinkling, his eyebrows up to his hairline. He walked to the door and unlocked it, a split second before Pam zipped through it. I begged him with my eyes to discontinue his talk of my verbal slip-up. "Is this something you would be interested in, Sookie? Because Pam and I would love to indulge you in the basement, if that's the case." He then switched to an innocent look, like he didn't know the shit storm he'd started. Bastard.

"Did I hear correctly? Did you say we are taking Suzie to the basement? And why did you just call her Sookie? Actually, scratch that. I don't care why. Let's just talk about the three of us in the basement, shall we?" She sat next to me and lay her head on my shoulder. I shot up, "Ugh! You two! Can we get to the matter at hand, here? The plan?"

"My thoughts exactly! All I know is you two were right behind me half an hour ago, when we were opening. Then, you're gone for an eternity, and when I'm finally allowed to catch up, you are talking about having fun in the basement and calling her by a different name. Meanwhile, we haven't been watching our friend, as was 'the plan'. Or so I thought. Anyone want to fill me in?"

I had been slowly walking around the desk, so Eric was between Pam and I. "Sookie, you start."

She gave me an implacable look. "Yes, Sookie, please do." Her eyes narrowed at me, and she sat up straighter on the couch. I took a deep breath and started. I barely took in any air the whole time-just blurted it all out in a few, very long, run-on sentences. I left out Eric's part about why he was meeting with Breandan. I thought a few times, she looked like she might come up off the couch and rip out my eyes with her hands, but I got the whole way through my story without her saying a word or moving a muscle. Afterward, she still didn't speak for a moment. When she did, "So, you can fight? You can handle swords and weapons? Master, this is great! Now I really want to keep her. Can we?"

Hello? Had I fallen asleep and was dreaming? This was bizarre. I wasn't sure which surprised me more, her reaction or Eric's reaction to her reaction. He wasn't looking at her, but staring a hole into me. "What?"

"I'm just wondering what type of sorcery you use to make her not angry in any way. If anyone else had told the Pamela Ravenscroft I know the same thing, she would have ripped their throat out. You-she just wants to keep. Amazing."

"If I may speak for myself, I'd like to answer that." He nodded his approval at her. "First of all, thank you ever so much for your faith in my ability to act calmly and with grace." She snarked at him. "You" she poked her finger into his chest "are not seeing the big picture. You really think The Council, all-knowing and omnipotent, would send a halfling-Fairy, no less," I wanted to object, but knew better "to perform some sneaky act of espionage? One that could have a huge impact on the Fae, creating a domino effect of trouble and thereby the rest of the Supe world? That they would pit her against you, or Breandan? Because they couldn't just summon you and say, 'Eric, what the fuck? What is your business with Breandan?' Which, by the way, you have yet to answer, but I'm getting to that. You don't think there's a bigger reason she was sent to you, other than this load of crap you two fell for?"

Eric looked annoyed at her tone, but thoughtful about the words themselves. "A bigger reason...I cannot imagine what." He looked at me for an answer.

"You've got me. I have no clue what that could be. I need to have a talky-poo with my cousins or pop to see my grandfather for any answers. And I'm not sure now would be wise."

"Yes, I would like to make it through this night and get on with our fact-finding mission regarding the missing money first. Since we've been open for an hour now and we haven't been on the floor to watch him, we need to get out there. But first, Eric, your side, now."

He sat down next to her on the couch and told her the whole thing, the whole time holding her hands. I watched as her fangs slid down in anger and tears of blood trailed down her cheeks. When he finished, she very quietly said, "Is that all?" He nodded. "Will you let me go? I need an outlet. Now"she said through gritted teeth.

It was then I realized he was actually restraining her by holding her hands. "Be careful. You know what not to do." He let go and she was gone.

"Eric! Will she be okay? I thought you said you wanted to tell her somewhere safe."

"She will be fine. I just bought the property behind this place. It has a run-down old warehouse and a few acres of neglected land. She will tear up some things there and come back. For now, it's best to let her blow off steam and stay out of her way."

"Okay, should we wait for her?"

"No, we've been away too long. Let's go out and stick to our original plan for this evening. We can hash out the rest later. Besides, now I need someone on the door. Shall we?" He gave me his arm again.

"First night at Fangtasia, take two?"

"Let's go catch a thief."