I awoke vampire.

Pam was beside me. I recognised her smell before I opened my eyes. Perfume, shampoo, moisturiser, makeup and the detergent she washed her clothes in all mixed up into one flowery 'Pam' scent. It was almost overwhelming. I could also smell dirt, leaves, blood and myself. I didn't smell nearly so flowery as Pam.

I needed a shower.

I felt her blood within me and it was almost like having Eric's blood in me. There was a bond between us. It was similar to that which I'd shared with Eric, except… it felt like it had always been a part of me. I prodded at it and felt a strange surge of emotions, a deep connection in place of the respect and awkward friendship I'd held for Pam when I was breathing.

I opened my eyes and looked at my maker. She was beautiful. Perfect. I wanted to please her. I loved her with the deep absolute love of a child. I hadn't felt that sort of unconditional love for anyone since I'd beena child. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her in joy. 'Pam!'

I could feel her bemusement at my reaction though our bond. Her emotions were plain to me.

'Sookie. Vampires don't hug.' I could tell she wasn't really upset. She was relieved I'd risen. She was still new to being a maker and not entirely confident.

'She seems alright. Her faerie blood didn't fuck anything up…'

I realised that I was reading her thoughts. My eyes widened in surprise and I backed off and found myself standing in front of Tara within a second. She was holding a bag of blood. All thoughts of telepathy and Pam vanished. It smelled amazing. I hadn't smelt anything so mouth-watering since my gran died and took her cooking to heaven with her.

She raised an eyebrow. 'You're lucky I ain't making you drink that Trueblood shit like you did me Sookie.' Wordless she passed me the clear plastic bag. My fangs were already out. I'd drained it before I even realised what was happening. I looked down at my bloody hands in surprise. She passed me another. It was gone pretty much instantly as well. After I'd drunk four bags of blood Pam led us towards a different car. It was identical to the first save the colour. This one was black instead of silver. I wondered how many Mercedes Pam owned.

I had no idea where we were. It certainly wasn't New Orleans. We drove for maybe ten minutes before we came to a big house on acreage. Inside it was very Pam, namely expensive and chic. There was lots of white and glass. It didn't seem like a vampire's house at all. I looked around curiously. It was amazing how different everything seemed. Everything was… more. Louder, brighter, stronger. That first night I was so distracted by my new body and my new senses that I forgot about my sadness. Pam seemed likewise preoccupied and neither of us mentioned Eric.

She was conflicted over the fact that my gift seemed to extend to vampire minds now, on the one hand she was thrilled since having a telepathic child would be immensely useful, on the other she was pissed that I could snoop on her thoughts. Personally I didn't care much either way. Tara's thoughts weren't all that different to how they'd been when she was human, and Pam's were just as I expected. Maybe it was because I was a vampire myself, but their minds didn't seem as creepy as the previous flashes of vamp minds I'd gotten had been. They were still cold and snakey, but it didn't freak me out in the same way anymore. Probably cause I was cold and snakey too.

My hunger was a constant nagging irritation, but it wasn't as bad as I had been expecting. Pam told me as long as I didn't starve myself I didn't really need to worry about attacking people, but that if I tried to feed without someone there to hold me back, I'd probably be unable to stop. Vampires had to practice to not drain people dry. I wasn't really interesting in biting anyone anyhow. I had no long term goals. I figured I'd stay with Pam and Tara until the thing that was wearing Bill's face eventually found me, and then I'd spit in his face and probably die for real pretty soon afterwards. At least if I died vampire Eric and I would end up in the same place.

Tara seemed to have forgiven me, or at least put her anger on hold. We raced and arm wrestled and tried to see who was faster and stronger. Tara seemed to be way ahead in both departments. She'd already been strong as a human - what with her fondness for kick boxing and all – and it seemed that skill had only gotten more pronounced as a vampire. I was so much weaker than her it was laughable. Well, she laughed anyway. Our easy friendship reminded me of slumber parties we used to have as kids. We ran around the woods near the house laughing and playing, carefree like children. Pam found us amusing but did not join in.

I was actually pretty happy when I lay in my coffin in the cellar to die for the day.

I came to awareness instantly and ravenously. Tara seemed to be in a similar condition. We were both pretty wild until we'd gotten had our breakfast so to speak. Tara bemoaned the lack of live donors. I sure didn't.

Pam drank a single bag of blood. To my half a dozen. Apparently I was a bit of a glutton. Tara only drank four. I felt a little bit embarrassed. I'd never been a big eater when I'd been alive, but apparently I was greedy in my unlife. Pam teased me and her tone of voice suddenly and vividly reminded me of Eric when he was in one of his playful moods. My sadness at his death hit me like a freight train. One moment I'd been laughing with Tara, the next I was crying. And crying as a vampire was pretty gross.

Pam sighed. 'I told you I didn't want to be shackled to a weepy faerie Sookie. Stop this at once.' Her voice betrayed nothing but mild irritation, but I could tell that she was worried my crying would set her off. She was just as cut up over Eric as I was. He'd been her family. A combination of a father, a brother and lover to her. She'd been with him for a century.

I tried to calm myself but I couldn't. She pouted. 'As your maker I command you to stop your crying.'

Just like that I wasn't crying anymore. It was bizarre. I didn't feel like I'd been compelled or manipulated, but I'd definitely stopped crying.

'Sorry Pam. It's just you reminded me of Eric.' I explained.

Pam tensed up as I said his name but made no comment. I took a chance. 'Will you tell me about him?'

She gave me a disapproving look. 'You don't have to tell me anything personal. Just… normal stuff.'

She arched an eyebrow. 'Normal stuff?'

I titled my head. 'You know, like…' I thought back to some of the random things I'd idly wondered about Eric but never thought to ask him. 'What was he called when he was alive? And where exactly was he born?'

I could tell Pam didn't really want to talk about him, the pain of his death too fresh in her mind, but chances were I wouldn't get much time with her and Tara before Bill found us. So I pushed.

She sighed dramatically. 'Fine. I will tell you about Eric. But if you start crying I will make you drink nothing but Trueblood for a week.'

Tara shot me a look from the opposite couch where she as flipping through one of Pam's magazines. Seeing Tara Thornton reading Voguewas pretty weird in of itself. 'Ouch. You better watch it sook. That shit is terrible.'

Pam was silent for a few moments before she spoke in her usual bored drawl. 'Eric was born in Sweden. A place called Uppland. It's just north of where Stockholm is today. He thinks… thought… he was born in 945. His father was a Jarl. He was called Erik Ulfriksson when he was young, and later Erik Segersäll, or in Old Norse, which was what they spoke in Sweden at the time, Eiríkr inn Sigrsæli.' Pam's words twisted oddly on the Swedish and Norse names, her whole voice changing.

I repeated the name back. 'Eriker in sig-ra-sayli?'

Pam winced. 'Your pronunciation is fucking terrible Sookie.'

I ignored her. 'What's it mean? I mean, I guess Ulfriksson means that was his daddy's name but what's… siger-sally?'

Pam's face twisted up in distaste. 'Ugh. If you stop trying to say it I'll tell you.'

Tara snorted.

I smirked. 'Deal.'

'Eiríkr inn sigrsæli translates more or less to 'Eric the Victorious.''

'Huh. Well that explains why the man was so damn arrogant. A thousand years of being called 'Sookie the Victorious' would do the same to me.' I remarked.

'Eric was arrogant because he had cause to be. And to the best of my knowledge, whilst there were rumours about Eric, with Godric dead no one save myself was aware of Eric's human name. He certainly never went by it as a vampire.' I could tell Pam was holding something back, waiting for me to ask her something.

'So why'd they call him 'the victorious'? He win a bunch of battles?' That was easy enough to imagine. Eric as a viking warrior.

'That is precisely the reason.'

Tara belatedly gave our conversation her full attention. 'Ooo was he famous?' She frowned. 'Are there famous Vikings?'

Pam shot Tara a quelling look.

'Most vamps are real proud of themselves and their names. The only reason he wouldn't use his real name would be cause he was too old to have one, or he didn't want to be recognised. Or at least that's always why I figured he called himself 'Northman'.' I said.

Pam nodded then casually dropped her bombshell. 'He was a King.'

My eyes just about bugged outta my head.

Tara gasped. 'He was a king? For reals? No wonder he was so up-...' she cut of abruptly at the warning hiss from Pam. '…pitty?'

I wasn't sure what to think about Pam's little revelation. I was actually really surprised. I didn't think Eric would have been able to keep the fact that he was king to himself. He'd liked to blow his own horn. A lot.

'Wait… Eric told me his father was like, a chieftain and that Russell Edgington's werewolves killed his family?' I was confused.

'Ulfrik was a Jarl.And they did. Russel's dogs were working their way through Sweden at the time. Eric united the other Jarls in his attempts to get vengeance. That's how he ended up king. He even briefly ruled Denmark. Eventually he followed them to Britain. He was injured in battle, a mortal wound, but he'd impressed Godric so much that he turned him.'

Tara seemed almost interested. 'Huh. So Eric was a king. Was Godric a prince or something?'

Pam snorted. 'God no. Godric was a Gaulish slave boy in Rome. Appius took a shine to him and turned him. Of course that came back to bite him on the ass. Literally.'

'What do you mean?' I asked.

'Godric killed his maker. It was a major scandal at the time. Godric was in hiding from our kind for centuriesbecause of it. No one knows how he managed it exactly. Appius was at least 1000 years old when he turned Godric, and probably much older. He never released Godric but Godric still managed to outwit him. Even Eric wasn't sure how exactly he did it.' Pam seemed much more relaxed talking about Godric then Eric. I decided to stick to him as a topic for a while.

'You know, when Godric met the sun, it was different to all the other times I've seen vamps burn.' I remarked.

'He was so old, he wouldn't have burnt like any of the vampires you've seen Sookie.' Pam responded.

'What about Russell Edgington? He was even older than Godric wasn't he?'

Pam tilted her head. 'That's true I suppose. But Russell had drunk a lot of your precious faerie blood if you recall Sookie.'

I shook my head. 'Oh I recall all right. But it was really different. Godric burnt blue. He didn't char or turn black.' I thought back on the morning scene I'd witnessed over a year previously. 'It was clean.Like he burned into light. There was nothing left behind, no ash no nothing.' I felt emotional remembering that morning. Godric had been unlike any vampire I'd ever know. Such an odd mix of strength and kindness. I wished I'd know him better.

Tara sorta ruined the spiritual moment I was having by asking: 'What the fuck is a Gaul?'

'France Tara. Gaul is now called France.' Pam was looking at Tara like she was had just asked something real stupid.

Tara held up her hands defensively. 'How the fuck was I supposed to know that?' Her eyes widened at Pam's expression and she hastily added 'Ma'am!'

We were silent for a while. I was lost in my memories. I think I was in downtime. When Pam spoke again I sensed I'd been sitting completely motionlessly for quite a while.

'All this talk of Eric and Godric has gotten me thinking.' Tara and I obligingly gave our maker our full attention. Pam continued. 'Fuck Louisiana. Fuck Bill Compton. Eric inherited Godric's estate last year, so it's mine now. Whilst I have absolutely zero fucking desire to visit Eric's holdings in Öland…'

'The windy shit hole?' Tara inquired.

'That's the one. But Godric had property in France. Eric sold most of it off, but he kept Godric's home in Bordeaux.' Pam finished.

'You wanna run?' I could sense Pam didn't like my use of the word 'run'. I hastened to placate her. 'No no! I'm not saying it's a bad idea, lord knows we're no match for Bill all jumped up on Lilith.' I trailed off. Pam still looked pissed. 'Um, I trust your judgement Pam. Whatever you think is best…' She was still glaring. I glanced at Tara who helpfully mouthed a word at me. It was worth a shot. 'Ma'am?'

Pam nodded, her glare fading.

'Well France, or should I say Gaul sounds like a fucking great idea to me.' Tara did sound pretty enthusiastic. Then her face suddenly fell. 'Oh hell no. We're gonna have to fly in coffins aren't we?'

Pam spent the rest of the evening on one of her disposable prepaid phones and her laptop. With my vamp hearing I could tell she was organising travel and Eric's estate with a lawyer. She also called someone and spoke a lot of French.

Tara and I watched TV. The house had a nice big flat screen. Jason would have loved it. Of course we weren't watching football. We were watching CNN. Bill had incited mass hysteria in Louisiana. The national guard was trying to lock down New Orleans. They did a special report on the fancy vampire-specific weapons they'd equipped them with. Special silver bullets, stuff using UV. It was real high tech and judging from the footage of exploding vamps, real effective.

It wasn't just the army guys though, vampires were being killed in their sleep, even honest to goodness main streamers. Anti-Vampire groups were springing up everywhere. It seemed like everyone thought the entire mainstreaming thing had been a big con all of a sudden. Politicians were making statements, and it wasn't just the conservative super Christian types either. Some of the big names in vampire rights were starting to take back their support. The AVL was going into damage control, painting Bill as another Russell Edgington, a lone extremist. A terrorist. They were pledging their full support in 'bringing him to justice'. But there was footage of Steve Newlin, their former golden boy, fooling around with Russell and killing a whole frat house of college boys.

It didn't seem like anyone was buying it. Not with the Trueblood factories having been bombed. The spokespeople were talking about stockpiles and having new factories up and running within weeks, but it seemed like way too little, way too late.

Vampire hotels and bars were being bombed and burnt out, and not only in Louisiana. There was footage of lynch mobs, except the nooses were silver and instead of hanging they were burning folk. Lots of innocent people were getting caught in the cross fire. Pets and fangbangers were being attacked and even killed in cases of mistaken identity or just plain hatred. There was even a sad story about some kids that liked to wear black and hang around a mall in New Orleans getting attacked. One of them was seriously injured when she was stabbed with a wooden stake. Turned out they were just high school juniors with nothing to do with vampires.

Tara and I both wanted to call our friends in Bon Temps, but we knew we couldn't. The last thing we needed to do was draw attention to ourselves orthem. I was worried about Jason, he'd been acting so strange the last time I saw him, and Jessica, but I figured if Bill thought they knew where I was he'd hurt em. I'd just have to trust them to look out for each other. As for Sam and Lafayette, well, I prayed they slipped under Bill's radar. Trying to contact them would just bring his attention down on them.

Before dawn Pam came and spoke to us. We were to sleep in travel coffins. Day people would be fetching us come morning, and we'd be waking up in LA before we headed to Paris. She made me drink a heap of extra blood. She didn't want me waking up and eating anybody. I had to admit I was worried about interacting with living, breathing people. In fact, I worried myself over it intentionally. I found panicking kept my thoughts off that Eric shaped black hole in my heart.

Of course all our plans came to nothing.

I didn't wake up in an Anubis lounge in LA. I woke up in New Orleans and I wasn't greeted by a human I was worried I'd hurt, I was greeted by Bill Compton, (or at least whatever was left of him), who I would have loved to hurt.

Bill's voice was sweet, but his eyes were real cold when he spoke. 'Sookie. I fear I am too late. When I felt your pain I tried to come to you, but Pamela hid you well. I am sorry, I know you did not wish to be vampire.'

Just a few days before he'd called me an abomination. Quoted some Vampire bible nonsense saying humanity was 'a spring to slake thy thirst'. Now he was pretending he cared I'd been turned? I debated whether or not I wanted to play along. I could still feel Pam in our bond, and I sensed Tara was nearby, our shared blood called to each other.

'If you felt my pain Bill, why didn't you come to me before? When I was in agony while you were torturing Eric.' My mouth appeared to be just as big as a vampire. Looked like I wasn't going to be playing along with Bill's games.

He played dumb. 'I assure you Sookie, I did not torture Eric.' Like hell he didn't. 'I am aware that you are… fond… of him. I would not cause you such distress my darling.' Darling?

I wanted to spit in his face. 'Are we just gonna pretend that you didn't try and kill me at the Authority building? That Eric didn't have to hold you back so I could get away?'

'Sookie, I am aware I was… not myself… when I first ascended as Lilith's Voice, and I am relieved I did not hurt you, however whatever happened to Eric I was uninvolved.' He was giving me his most earnest, honourable look. Liar. I couldn't bring myself to respond. I was too disgusted.

'You have seen the news? With the true blood factories gone and Russell loose the humans are turning on vampire. I am unaware of Sheriff Northman's current whereabouts, but I think it likely one of these hate groups have captured him.' Oh my lord, was he really trying to spin this? Did he think I was born yesterday? Well, I was turned the day before yesterday, but that was beside the point.

I crossed my arms. 'Russell is dead and you blew up those factories.'

Bill's head turned on one side like a bird. 'Russell is dead?' He didn't try and deny the true blood part.

'Eric staked him right before he woulda eaten me and a bunch of my faerie cousins.' There wasn't any point keeping that from him. There was no way he'd be able to get to Claude and the others without a fairy dumb enough to let him drain them. Truth be told I just wanted to be able to tell him that Eric bested a 3000 year old vampire. And he hadn't needed any crazy ancient vampire blood to do it. I looked around the room we were in, mostly just so I didn't have to look at Bill's face. It was kinda familiar.

I recognised the over the top gilding and pastels. 'Is this Sophie-Anne's place?'

Bill smirked. 'It was Sophie-Anne's. Naturally as King of Louisiana it fell to me. I have only recently decided to make it my permanent home however.'

'Aren't you worried about the national guard and all that? Surely they know about this place?' I hoped they did. I'd take one of those fancy UV bullets happily as long as there were a few dozen with Bill's name on them as well.

Bill sneered. 'I do not fear the cattle. Soon all of Louisiana will bow to me. Vampire and human alike.' Yup. Crazy. I felt almost sorry for him. I wondered what the Bill I'd met two years previously would have thought of this new and improved Lilith infused one? It was almost impossible to reconcile this crazed vampire with the man who'd been so kind in so many ways back then. The man who'd spoken to gran's friends at her 'descendants of the gloriously dead' meeting, a man who'd cared about living breathing people. Apparently they were just 'cattle' now.

I'd already had enough chit chat for the evening and I'd only been up five minutes. 'Is Tara okay?'

'Miss Thornton and her maker are unharmed.' The threat was plain. They weren't harmed yet.

'May I see them?'

Bill frowned. 'You wish to see Pamela? After she killed you? Turned you?'

Ah. So Bill hadn't figured it out yet. He probably thought Pam had turned me against my will. I played it cool. 'She's my maker.'

He waved a hand dismissively. 'You may see them when I am done with you.' I didn't much like his tone. Or the way he was looking me over. 'You are even more attractive dead than you were alive Sookie.' His vamp speed was incredible. He was in my face, arms wrapped around me before I knew what he was doing. He was way faster than Pam or Tara. His fangs were out and I could feel his erection against my hip. I shuddered in revulsion. Bill was handsome, and once upon a time I'd loved him, but there was none of that love left in me and the thing in front of me wasn't even the same person.

He disgusted me.

I tried to back away but he was too strong. I might as well of still been human for how much I could budge from his grasp.

'I remember well the first time I fucked another vampire Sookie. Fucking humans pales in comparison. You will enjoy this.' My dead blood would have frozen in my veins if it could have. I renewed my efforts to escape him.

'Bill! No. I don't want this.' It was unlikely, but maybe I could buy myself some time. Time to snap a leg off a chair or something and arm myself before Bill could rape me. I sensed Pam's unease. She could feel my fear. I tried to calm myself. Bill chuckled and pressed his hips against mine. I felt ill. I shivered in fear and disgust.

He groaned at the movement, his eyes narrowing in victory. 'You do want this. You quiver with desire.' I purposely went completely limp and still against him. 'Don't be ashamed Sookie. Don't hold back. It's natural. You are vampire now, you were made for this.' He tried to kiss me. I turned my head away and felt cold lips and sharp fangs against my cheek. He dragged his mouth along my jaw and against my neck. I felt him inhale the scent of my skin. I was shaking again. I wanted to throw up. Suddenly he threw me back. I stumbled across the room. Only my new vampire grace stopped me from tripping. Bill's face was scrunched up in disgust. 'You stink of him. Of Eric.'

I did? Oh goody! Even from beyond the grave Eric was protecting me.

I narrowed my eyes at Bill. 'I bet I taste of him too. Pam sure does.' Bill curled his upper lip in disgust. 'Her blood is almost as good. It was so easy to pretend it was him with me when she turned me.' I licked my lips and tried to channel my maker's aggressive sexuality. I felt like a bit of an idiot but judging from Bill's reaction I was doing a passable impression.

He was breathing deeply. He only did that when he was really angry. He didn't need oxygen after all.

'Eric's blood was amazing. A miracle. Like drinking fire.' I continued dreamily, laying it on thick. 'You know he didn't even need to touch me, just a mouthful of that and I…' I shrugged. 'well. You know.' Bill did not look turned on at all anymore. He looked like he wanted to rip my head off. I was amiable. It was a better prospect than sex.

'You will not speak of Eric Northman!' Bill yelled. His jaw clenched and his hands were in fists by his side. I watched him take a deep breath and calm himself.

'You will join your maker now I think Miss Stackhouse.' I smiled before I could help myself. That was exactly what I wanted. Then the door opened and two vampires wearing gloves and holding silver chains walked in. The smile dropped right off my face.

'Fucking Bill fucking Compton. I was looking forward to Gaul.' I let out a laugh at Tara's continued persistence in referring to France as Gaul.

Pam sighed. 'Cease your prattling. I am attempting to go to my happy place.'

I wondered what Pam's happy place was like. 'Öland?' I asked.

Tara snorted in laughter then tried to turn it into a cough. Like vampires coughed.

I couldn't see my maker from where I was chained up, but I felt her glare.

There was silence for a few minutes before Tara broke it again. 'I bet the donors would have tasted better. Drinking wine and lying around all day and eating chocolate and all that nice French cooking.'

'I dunno Tara, all that Gaulish cookin' has garlic in it.'

Pam sighed again.

'Hmm. I didn't think of that. Maybe Öland would've been better.' Tara responded.

Pam hissed at the mention of the 'windy shit hole.' I couldn't help it. I laughed.

'I should have let both of you imbeciles die. Don't speak of that place. I ruined $10 000 worth of shoes there in the 70's.' She paused. 'And that isn't taking inflation into consideration.'

Silence reigned for much longer this time. The only noises were the occasional shuffling and clinking as Tara and I tried to get more comfortable with our silver chains. It was a constant burn against my wrists and neck. Also the smell of our slowly burning skin was gross. Like terrible BBQ.

'Hey sook, if you could bite anyone, who would it be?' Tara might have been asking me about which movie star I'd take on a date from her tone. Naturally the name I wanted to blurt out was Eric but I kept that in and ignored the wave of sadness I felt at the thought of him.

'Hmm. I'd have to think about it. Pam, who's the most famous person you've ever bit?'

'I am not going to spend what will in all likelihood be my last night gossiping like a teenage girl.' she drawled.

'Aw come on Pam! I bet you've biten lots of famous people!' Tara cajoled.

'I have.'

Tara and I waited but our maker did not appear to want to elaborate. 'Such as…?' I prompted.

Pam sighed. 'Well, back in the 90's Eric and I did once share the Spice Girls.'

Tara and I both laughed.

'As I recall the 'scary' one was quite delicious. Although to be honest most celebrities taste worse than the average fangbanger.'

'Drugs?' Tara inquired.

'Mm-hmm. Most musicians are a waste of time for that very reason. Duran Duran gave me terrible food poisoning. The 80's were awful for finding a decent meal.'

It was too much. 'The Spice Girls and Duran Duran? You're making this up.'

'Why on earth would I lie about such an atrocious meal? Still, my Simon Le Bon allergy was nothing compared to Eric's David Bowie incident.' I could hear Pam's smirk. 'He should have known better but he was quite star struck. It took me a week to find him. He'd dyed his hair green and taken to wearing jumpsuits. He took a month to sober up.'

I was pretty sure she was exaggerating, a lot, but I couldn't help but laugh remembering how Eric had acted after he drained Claudine, playing around like an enormous five year old, pinching my butt and pretending to be a sea monster.

Tara chose that moment to ruin Pam's good mood. 'You know who I'd like to bite? Öland-o Bloom.'

Even I groaned.