I know, that was a lousy place for a chapter break, but it had to go somewhere. Thank you to everyone who has been reading along and reviewing.
Again, I don't own anything, just having a little fun.
Chapter 4 Interrogations
Sookie had already been reaching for her purse and followed him to the elevator. "What happened?" The whole tone of the conversation set her on edge.
The doors opened and they stepped in, "Someone else wore that make-up to Fangtasia tonight."
"Is she okay?"
He ran a hand through his hair, 'Pam thinks so, one of our regulars is a nurse. Once Pam fought off the young ones she locked her and the nurse in my office." He smiled ironically, "Luckily there is plenty of blood substitute there."
"Was Pam able to resist it?" Why now and not earlier, Sookie wondered.
He nodded, "Barely, she said she could smell it but it wasn't as overpowering as you had been."
They had reached his car and he had it started before she had even shut her door and he was pulling onto the street as she grabbed for the seatbelt. Their drive was silent as Eric was intent on the road, though Sookie could see his jaw clenching and unclenching. She was concentrating on not shrieking as Eric swerved through traffic.
There were three police cars in the lot when they pulled in and back around to the rear entrance. He turned off the car and turned to her. "Sookie, I'm going to ask a favor." She nodded, "I need you to read the police for me." She looked indignant and began to protest but he took her hands and cut her off. "Sookie if they close us down we have very little hope of finding Thalia in time. I have to know what the police are thinking and if there is anyway to keep open."
She nodded, it made sense and she knew that Eric ran Fangtasia according to the rules for such an establishment. "How can I tell you what I find?"
He contemplated that for a minute. "Okay, in general I find the police fit into one of 4 categories when dealing with vampires: first are the ones just trying to do their job fairly, then you get the ones that hate us and will do whatever they can to make things difficult." She nodded, "then you get the ones that look down on fangbangers and think they are just looking for trouble and get what they deserve." Sookie's face hardened, she had encountered that attitude often in the past.
"What's the last group?" She thought that had pretty much covered the spectrum.
"The ones looking for a bribe." He said plainly, he was watching for her reaction, expecting outrage or indignation on her part. She just nodded sadly.
"It makes sense, most people assume vampires are rich. So how do I let you know which category they fall into?"
"Stand next to me, I'll try to address each one in turn, read that one. If he's just a good cop don't do anything. If they are anti-vamp take my hand, if they think she got what she deserved hold my arm, and if they are bribable put your arm around my waist and your hand in my back pocket."
"And if they fall into more than one category? Like anti-vamp but bribable?"
He grinned encouragingly, glad that she was willing to go along. "Use both hands. " He looked serious, "I might have to glamor them. You know that." He obviously expected her to protest.
She nodded in resignation, she might have protested if the situation was different, but too much was going on to have the police cause any delay.
He gave her hands a squeeze and smiled at her. Then he was out of the car, opening her door before she could blink. He took her hand and helped her from the car. Before releasing her hand he kissed the back of it. "Thank you." he said softly and she could see the gratitude in his eyes.
"You're welcome." she whispered back, almost too stunned to speak.
They entered through the staff entrance and passed the spot where she and Pam had struggled. She found she was not upset about the incident anymore. Pam had had little or no control over herself and had actually been more hurt than she had.
It was odd walking into the bar at night when there was no music playing, the lights were all on and she didn't have to put her shields up. The Fangtasia staff was there, Pam was talking to the police, the bartender was doing the normal behind the bar tasks that need to be done at closing and the waitresses were sitting at a table looking both nervous and bored at the same time.
Eric walked up behind Pam and addressed the police, "Hello officers, I'm Eric Northman, the proprietor, I came as soon as I heard." Though Eric and Pam co-owned the bar, Eric was the public face.
Pam turned, looking only at Eric, "I'm glad you're here. I was just explaining to these gentlemen how the victim had used human blood in her make-up and the three young vampires had lost control." Her eyes flicked to Sookie and she lowered them and wouldn't make contact.
"Is she alright? She is receiving the best medical care?" he directed the question at both Pam and the police. The oldest of the three officers spoke.
"It looks like she will probably be fine. Fortunately this woman kept her head." He nodded toward Pam who inclined her head in response. "However this is a very serious problem. As you know..." he searched for a delicate term. "...feeding is forbidden under your license." Listening in to his thoughts Sookie was relieved to find that this was just a good cop. He was somewhat intimidated by the vampires but was not ready to shut the place down. He thought about reports he had read from other jurisdictions and knew that Fangtasia had few complaints comparatively. Also in other cities when the legitimate vampire bars were closed down 'vampire raves' would pop up and those had a high mortality rate.
Sookie moved more into Eric's peripheral vision and laced her fingers together as a sign she wasn't going to do any of their other signs. He nodded at the officer. "Yes, and as you can see we do enforce that prohibition." He gestured around the bar, "We have posted many signs to that effect and all the vampires who come in here are warned." This officer was inclined to just issue a citation and process the vamps in custody. Sookie moved her attention to the next officer who was younger than she was. He was on edge, he had never dealt with vampires before and he was scared, but he was actually trying not to look at Pam because he found her very attractive and distracting. He wasn't going to cause any trouble.
As she shifted her gaze to the final cop she found he was looking at her in disgust. He wasn't a fan of vampires and thought they were little more that predatory animals, but he was repelled by anyone who would willingly associate with them. He definitely fell into the "she got what she deserved" category. She shifted closer to Eric.
Officer Intolerance interrupted the conversation Eric and his superior were having. "Who's the blonde?" he asked Eric as if she couldn't speak for herself. Sookie grabbed Eric's arm as if she wanted his protection.
Eric addressed the officer calmly though she could feel his muscles tensing under her fingers. "I'm sorry, this is Miss Stackhouse, a business associate, we were meeting elsewhere when the incident occurred." Sookie nodded to each of the officers, trying to have a pleasant smile on her face.
Intolerant was thinking that she was probably a prostitute who serviced vamps, and thought that he could show her what a real man was like. Damn vamps and their money, but if he played this right maybe he could get some of it.
Sookie released Eric's arm and moved her hand around behind him so she could put it in his pocket, then realized the cop was talking to her.
"Just what business are you in Miss Stackhouse?" he didn't even attempt to hide the loathing in his voice.
"Bar design, or at least I hope to be. I'm actually a waitress in Bon Temps, but I've been studying online and Mr .Northman is willing to let me make some changes here. It could be my big break." She tried to look giddy and grateful and not too bright. That usually shortened the questioning.
The other officers just nodded, they assumed sex was involved in the relationship but there was obviously a basis for attraction on both sides. The third cop didn't believe a word of it. Eric smiled down at her proudly for thinking so fast on her feet.
"What hospital was the victim brought to?" Eric asked.
"Why?" He was immediately suspicious.
"I would like to send her flowers to express our regret and also cover all medical expenses."
The bad cop thought Eric was looking to go there to finish her off, or have someone else do it so she wouldn't testify or glamor her so she wouldn't. The other officers thought he was hoping to keep her happy so he wouldn't get sued.
"I assume the assailants are under arrest in the vampire unit?" The officers nodded.
"They're being held pending bail, assuming she recovers, she can press assault charges, if she doesn't they could be up for manslaughter or murder." Eric nodded gravely.
"Even if she doesn't press charges, they will be banned from Fangtasia for one year."
"Excuse us." the oldest cop directed at Eric, who bowed his head and the police moved closer to the door and talked their heads close together.
Pam nodded at Eric and left the room with a brisk stride, she didn't even glance at Sookie.
Eric led Sookie over to a table in the corner of the bar. As soon as they sat down she started to tell Eric what she found out. "Mr. Wonderful wants to question us separately, but it's just a pretense to try to get a bribe out of you. But he hates vamps and fangbangers so we better get our story straight. He thinks I'm a ditz and a whore." Eric's clenched his jaw and his hands became fists. "No, it's okay, I really don't care what he thinks. Tell him I didn't even have sketches to show you, because he might want to see them, just vague ideas. You took me to dinner and watched me eat a salad. The one in charge just wants to give you a citation, but not close down the bar."
Eric nodded stiffly, Mr. Wonderful was approaching and Sookie whispered to Eric, "Play nice." before turning to the cop with a vapid smile. "Yes officer," she said as sweetly as she could, "do you have any more questions for us?"
"I just wanted to ask you and Mr. Northman some questions about your activities this evening."
"Oh well we..." she started to explain knowing he would cut her off.
"No, I would like to talk to each of you separately, Mr. Northman, is there somewhere where we won't be overheard?"
"Of course, we can use my office. Follow me."
Eric led the officer away and Sookie hoped that Eric would just pay him off. She realized as soon as she said it that she shouldn't have told Eric what the cop thought of her. But she was surprised at the intensity of his reaction.
Sookie sat back and tried to look bored to hide her worry about what Eric was doing. She looked around and wondered where Pam had gone. She hoped the incident had not irreparably damaged the odd relationship they had. She liked Pam, in spite of the vampire's loathing of humans. She was funny and honest, in an in-your-face-I-don't-care-what-you-think sort of way. She smiled at the other waitresses and they smiled weakly back. She could tell that they resented the attention Eric and Pam gave her and couldn't see what made her so special. Oh, it's going to be fun working here, she thought and hoped none of them would recognize Desirée.
Deciding to put her mind on the problem at hand she contemplated who would be making such dangerous make-up and why. Someone who really hated fangbangers? It seemed a lot of trouble to go through for a group whose dating preferences you disagreed with. Also how did they come up with it? The fairies had not revealed themselves to the world so their existence was not well known. Even less well known is the effect their blood has on vampires. Whoever was behind it was causing a lot of trouble for Eric. Maybe that was the purpose. Maybe someone wants similar attacks in the news to spread hatred against the vampires. Did the enmity between the vampires and the fairies run deep enough that they would give up their blood to cause problems for the vamps? She would have to ask Eric and Claudine just to get both sides of the story.
Eric and the police officer came out of the office, the officer trying not to look too pleased. Sookie got up and walked over to them smiling. "Did you want to talk to me now?" She asked brightly.
He shook his head, "No, Mr. Northman here has given me what I need." he had to resist the impulse to pat his pocket and Sookie could see in his mind that he had received more than he had hoped for. She checked but could find no sign of a glamor.
"Okay," she shrugged but looked up at Eric with the look of worship so many fangbangers gave him. "Mr. Northman's very good at giving people what they need." Eric arched an eyebrow at her and worked to hide a smile. The officer looked very uncomfortable and excused himself to join the other police. Eric winked at her and then went to talk to the officers. The lead officer looked apologetic as he handed Eric the citation. Eric handed them a business card in case they had additional questions and he took one of theirs. Then they left. Eric disappeared back down the hall to his office for a couple minutes, his face was unreadable when he came back out.
He told the waitresses they could go and nodded at the bartender. The women went to their lockers, got their purses, but came back to bow deeply and say "Goodnight Master." they shot her a look that said this was how she should treat him as well. She rolled her eyes and Eric actually looked uncomfortable and avoided her gaze. When they had gone he mumbled "Pam's idea."
"I know, she told me." Sookie nodded and her lips twitched in a smile. "Now I know how Desirée is to act." She bowed deeply as the waitresses had and in her huskiest voice said "Master."
She let out a little shriek when Eric grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her straight. "No, don't ever act like that." He abruptly let her go and looked away. "If I wanted a servile partner don't you think I could have my pick? I hate it. I like a woman with spirit who will tell me her mind. Why do you think I picked Pam to be my child?"
That brought up two subjects she had been postponing and decided now was the time for both. "Eric, I don't want to be a vampire, ever." She looked him in the eye so he would see that she was serious.
That seemed to perplex him. "Why not? Are you afraid?"
"No, I'm not afraid, it's just not something I want to be and you need to understand that I'm serious. Even if I'm dying."
"Are we that bad?"
"Some of you, but that's not it. I like what I am and I want to stay this way. Okay?"
He looked like he was going to argue and then nodded, "Okay for now, but I will try to convince you otherwise in a few years. Fair?"
"Fine." If they were still together in a few years, which she wasn't going to count on. After all, she had thought she would be with Bill for the rest of her life and that didn't happen.
"Where's Pam?" she asked softly, hoping he would follow the change in topic.
"She's in my office. She wanted to leave but I told her to stay. I thought you might want to talk to her."
"Can I go in?" She was actually a little nervous.
He nodded but added, "She wants me to be there, is that alright?"
"Why?" She was hoping to have a girl-to-girl talk with Pam.
"I don't think she completely trusts herself around you yet. Plus I think she expects you to be upset with her." He watched for her reaction. "Are you?"
She shook her head. "I'm not upset, maybe a little skittish, and this is definitely going to be awkward, but I'm not angry. I work in a bar and I see all the stupid things people do when they're drunk and I don't blame them for the stupid things, just for drinking more than they can handle and Pam didn't have any control of that. Someone basically spiked her drink."
Eric smiled at her, "You are the most amazing person Sookie Stackhouse."
She blushed and looked down.
He took her hand and gave it a quick kiss, "Come on, let's let Pam off the hook." It felt so natural walking along holding his hand that she found herself smiling.
Eric gave the door a single knock and then opened it without waiting for a response. Pam was standing by the guest chair, her head down.
"Hi Pam." Sookie said softly. It hurt her to see Pam looking so dispirited and ashamed.
Pam just gave a curt nod without looking up.
"Pam, it's okay, I'm not hurt." she stepped a little closer.
"Sookie, I am sorry, I haven't lost control like that in over a hundred years." Her voice was tight and her body rigid.
"I don't blame you, and I really am fine."
"No, you should blame me. I have better control than that and I lost it. I'm a danger to you and a liability to Eric. I have asked he release me from service here so I will no longer be a threat to you, but he refuses. Perhaps you can convince him." She still had not looked up.
"I don't want you to leave." Sookie walked up and put her hand under Pam's chin, raising her head. There were streaks of blood running down Pam's cheeks. "Pam, you were drugged. You didn't purposefully cover me with fairy dust because you couldn't resist me. You had no way of knowing what it was or what it would do. I'm no more afraid of you now then yesterday."
"Really? How could you not be after that?" She was angrily wiping the red tears away, impatient at herself for this further sign of weakness, but that was just spreading the blood across her face. Sookie pulled some tissues out of her purse and offered them to Pam.
"First of all, I assume from how bad you feel you are not going to go near the make-up again, I know I'm not. And second, if you feel that ...passionate for me without the make-up you could have attacked me long before now, if you were so inclined. It's not like that stuff made you any stronger." She kept Pam's eyes hoping the vampire would see her sincerity.
"We're really okay?"
"Yes, really." Sookie put her hand on Pam's shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze, a human woman she would have hugged. Pam didn't seem like a hugger.
Sookie turned so she could address both Eric and Pam. "I'm going to take that make-up to the store tomorrow and show it to Claudine, see what she can make of it and see if she knows anything." A thought occurred to her, "Pam was that stuff expensive?"
"Oh very." Sookie nodded, when an older vampire said something was expensive they meant it.
"Do fairies hate vampires?"
"Many do," Eric acknowledged as he walked around his desk to sit. "They resent our bloodlust for them, although many see it as just a part of the supernatural life cycle. Why?"
"Well at first I thought someone was just clever and hit upon a good potential product but didn't foresee the consequences." Eric looked at her as if she were very naïve, she chose to ignore it. "But now I think someone is trying to make big trouble for vampires."
Looking intrigued, he nodded for her to go on.
"Okay, if they were selling it cheap, just anyone could buy it and there'd be a lot of incidents, but like you said before, a lot of people just figure that fangbangers are asking for it anyway. Since it's expensive this is going to happen to people whose families will make waves and have the power and money to cause trouble, big trouble. How many rich girls do you think need to be attacked before the authorities come down hard. Then if the clubs are closed down people will resort to the raves and there will be even more attacks and public opinion is going to go against you all."
"That makes sense," he agreed, "but I don't think the fairies are behind it. It risks exposure and they aren't planning to come out so they wouldn't want anything to force us to out them. When you talk to Claudine see if any of her folk have gone missing. I'll notify other bar owners to be on the lookout for this..."
Eric was cut off by a man coming to the doorway. He was in his early twenties, a fangbanger and sweaty, "Hello Pam." he said nervously.
"Ah, Nathan, we were waiting for you." Pam said as if he was her dream date. "Let's go back out to the bar." She gestured for Sookie to follow and Sookie stared blankly for a moment before realizing that this was the 'V' addict she was supposed to read. Crossing her fingers so Eric could see, she followed the mismatched pair out to the bar area. Pam had just sat Nathan at a table and Sookie came and sat across from him. She saw Eric watching from the hallway.
She held out her hand, "Hi Nathan, I'm Sookie. How are you tonight?" His hand was damp and she realized he was shaking a bit. He really needed a fix.
"I'm okay. Pam said I should come back to talk to you." He was obviously glamored by and infatuated with Pam. He looked up at her with undisguised adoration. She smiled back down at him, but when he turned back to look at Sookie the vampire's expression became one of distaste.
"Were you here earlier tonight?" Sookie had shifted her hand to his wrist and he didn't seem to mind.
"Yes, did you see Pam? She was so strong, able to take out those vampires who were attacking that girl." Sookie got a mental image of the confrontation, Pam was indeed strong, and barely in time judging by the girl's appearance.
"No, I missed it. Were you meeting someone here? Other than Pam I mean."
He shifted uncomfortably and wouldn't make eye contact. "Yeah, but he didn't show before the fight. It was too early and then the bar cleared out and he didn't come." His shaking was getting worse as he thought about it.
"Do you think he'll come tomorrow?"
"I hope so, I really need to see him." That was definitely the truth.
"What's his name? Maybe I know him and I could call him for you." She tried to look very sympathetic.
He shook his head, "I don't know his name." Sookie was getting an image, but the face wasn't really clear. Nathan was concentrating on the vial of vampire blood.
"Well what does he look like? If I see him tomorrow I can tell him you're looking."
That finally got her a visual of the dealer's face. He was rather nondescript, or at least that's how Nathan remembered him. He was dressed and done up like most of the fangbangers in very dark attire, pale make-up and overdark hair, but she thought she would be able to recognize him. Verbally Nathan was giving a rather sketchy description of him, she let him finish, nodding along like she was drinking it all in.
When he finished she smiled at him. "Great, I'll keep an eye out. Have you ever met him anywhere else?" Maybe that would help.
Nathan shook his head.
"Okay, well it was nice talking to you Nathan. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow." She patted the back of his hand and stood, nodding to Eric.
Nathan turned in his seat and looked up at Pam. "Can we go now?" He asked eagerly and Sookie got a flash of his fantasy with Pam before she could block it.
Pam looked at him and strengthened her influence. "The only person here when you came back was me, you didn't talk to anyone else. We had a wonderful night together, we had sex, the best you ever had."