A little tease before Andre returns to Bon Temps. Thank you to everyone who has picked up this little Fic and offered their reviews and suggestions. I am in your debt.
Merick
Chapter 6
"Andre!" Sophie Ann swept into his room. She didn't knock, she never did. But Andre had known she was coming even before her grand entrance. He looked up with an indulgent smile from the papers he had been working on; she loved to see that smile, and he knew it. Standing, he took the embrace she offered him, along with the kiss. She loved him, and he loved her, and being in her presence again made him feel complete; as intense as the emptiness that being away from her left in his insides. "It is so good to have you home." It had only been a night, but Sophie Ann did tend towards the dramatic; and it was nothing for him to coddle her in that way.
"It is good to be home." He answered as they still held each other. Her scent was all a part of his connection to her, and he deliberately inhaled as he ran his nose through the strands of her blond hair.
"And your visit to Bon Temps? Were you able to find this cousin of Hadley's?" She whispered, enjoying the touches he gave her.
"Her, and much more." He whispered back. With a graceful step backwards Sophie Ann pulled away from him, still smiling.
"You must tell me all about it then." And she sat herself down on his settee, arranging her skirts around her, looking at him with great expectations.
"I had an opportunity to remind the shifters there of your continued presence in this State." He began.
"Excellent. I expect the panthers will continue to keep to themselves after your visit?"
"I expect as much as well. They may think themselves a pack, but they hide out of fear more than anything else. It is easy to manipulate such things." They shared a smile knowing very well what threats were worth; when they weren't idle. And nothing that Andre ever spoke in warning was idle.
"But what of Hadley's cousin, were you able to find her?" Sophie Ann's excitement was obvious.
"I was, but it was quite late when I did. Apparently her workplace kept her well into the night, it would seem that our announcement caused concern amongst the populace of her little town."
"I suppose that was to be expected as well." Sophie Ann picked at a crease in her skirt, obviously disappointed.
"It was quite obvious though," Andre offered, to placate her, "That there was something very different about her, something different about the whole place." He hoped those words were enough to keep her interest, but not so exciting that she would rush off herself. "One of the shifters warned me about it in a not so subtle way."
"Interesting."
"Indeed. She also has a brother who bears further investigation, and I have a plan worked out for how I can test Hadley's claims of this girl, and how I can bring her into our fold." He was baiting the hook for his maker.
"So you will be needing to spend more time in Bon Temps then?"
"I will, I think it is important that I establish a trusting relationship with the girl."
Sophie Ann laughed, "So you intend to seduce her?"
"In a manner of speaking. I want her to come to me willingly. Humans are so much more useful when they are in control of their own faculties, as opposed to being glamoured."
"Very true." Sophie Ann continued to play with her skirt, but Andre knew that she was listening intently. "So when will you be returning?"
"As soon as you give me leave. I think it prudent to visit the Sherriff of Area Five first, to warn him off letting anyone else get in the way of our plans for Bon Temps."
"An excellent idea, send our regards to Sherriff Northman. You can also check on this business venture of his while you are there."
"The Club? Yes, I will." Northman had presented his ideas well in advance of The Revelation, as a Sherriff, he had been party to the idea for years, and his advice had been sought by the Queen as she and her fellow regents around the globe had set things in motion.
"Could you do one more thing for me, my darling?"
"Of course."
"Whatever this skill might be, I would like to trace it in this family. I know it would be a small matter for you to put together a family tree for these Stackhouses. It would give us many paths to follow if this telepathy is a family trait."
"An excellent idea. I will compile it as I do my research in Bon Temps, and bring it back to you."
"Hopefully with the girl as well." Sophie Ann added.
"Yes indeed." Andre had already thought of the family tree, in fact he had been writing some letters of inquiry before Sophie Ann had arrived, looking for birth records. The Queen had many researchers amongst her other subjects, and he had intended to set them to part of the task while he did the physical research.
"Well, I will leave you to your work then darling." And like that Sophie Ann was gone, distracted by another desire, and Andre was able to finish his missives and pack a few things for his time in Bon Temps. He expected that his plan might take a few weeks, and not that he needed a great deal in terms of personal items, there were things that he felt would be useful for the person he would present to Sookie Stackhouse.
ooOOoo
It could have been any strip mall in any plaza. In fact, but for the Vampire perched on top of a ladder, hand painting the black awning over the door, it could have been an auto parts store or plumbing supply outlet. But this was Eric Northman's club, or at least the genesis of it. Andre approached, duffle over his shoulder, making a bit of noise (which he didn't have to do), to get the attention of the person on the ladder.
"I'm sorry, we aren't open yet." Came the voice from its perch. The man didn't even take his eyes off his work to turn and see whom he was addressing. Obviously a young one, Andre thought to himself, not at all aware of who he was, or even how old.
"I'm here to speak with the Sherriff." Andre told the back of the man, who suddenly stiffened, hearing the cadence of the words, and knowing the sense of them. He spun, sloshing the paint in his tray around, a nervous look clouding his features.
"I'm very sorry sir, he's just inside." The painter began to scrabble down the ladder until Andre held up a pale hand.
"Don't worry, I'll find my way." Andre needed no announcement of his arrival by this lacky. Eric, also an elder Vampire, would certainly have sensed the presence of someone as old as himself by now. This young one was of no consequence. Andre walked directly under the ladder and pulled on the polished handle of the left side door of the doubled entrance.
The scant hallway leading into the expanse of the club was cluttered with brass poles strung with red velvet cords, in anticipation of the grand opening crowds. Just beyond it, faint light filtered through the black curtains and Andre advanced, brushing them aside. He was greeted by the sight of three vampires sitting around the bar; two in front of it, who turned immediately, and the one behind, whose position never changed. The front male of the group had the ruddy complexion and squared features of a Native American, and must have been LongShadow, one of the Sherriff's partners in the club. The female, long blond tresses casually pinned up around her face, suit in perfect order, pasted on smile was the Sherriff's progeny, Pamela Ravenscroft.
"Welcome." Her voice was as strained as her smile, and Andre enjoyed that. Only then did the Sherriff look up.
Everything about the man betrayed his heritage. He was at least six foot four, his blond hair hanging long to his shoulders, only removed from his mortal time by the absence of braids in it. His eyes were ice blue, like the fjords he had seen from his birth. His face betrayed nothing, but took in everything. Even a thousand years removed from the Great Hall of his Father he was a Viking. And he was possibly the biggest threat to Sophie Ann in the entire Queendom; though he chose not to show those cards he had in his hand. But the Great Revelation had put so many new things in play, and Andre knew that he would need to keep an eye on Northman as well, and a telepath would certainly make that a great deal easier.
"Andre." Came the measure, calculated voice, "It is a pleasure to see you again. What brings you to Shreveport?"
ooOOoo
The two vampires settled into Eric's office, which, unlike the rest of the club, was not cluttered with boxes and turned over furniture. Pam had brought then both bottles of True Blood and then disappeared just as silently as she had arrived, her eyes questioning her maker, but her throat remaining mute. She understood her place, this was a matter for her Sherriff, and he would pass on any pertinent information from the conversation, as he saw fit. At least this club, meant for humans, had not become some sort of heinous democracy just yet.
"The club is coming along well Sherriff." Andre took a sip of the synthetic blood, playing the part of the mainstreaming Vampire, even though it was not to his liking, (not as much as the Stackhouse blood he had tasted, and that he planned on tasting).
"It is. We will be ready for the grand opening next Friday night. Will the Queen be attending?"
"Her schedule has become rather full in the last day." Andre had been given a copy of the itinerary on his waking, the calls had begun to come in even before the sunrise, wanting to block out the time of a powerful Vampire for all manner of interviews and meetings with local government. They, of course, had not released a great deal of information about the Vampire hierarchy, so no one really knew that Sophie Ann was a Queen, only that she held a position of respect amongst the populace. "I don't know that she will have the time, but you could most certainly send a formal invitation to her office."
"I cannot send one with you?" It was a question but the face betrayed no confusion at having to ask it. Northman was a cagey one.
"I have been tasked with a matter that will keep me away from the Queen for several weeks. That is part of the reason I have come to see you this evening Sherriff."
"Do tell?"
"There is a small town in your area Sherriff, called Bon Temps. The Queen has business there, which I am attending to. We would ask that you keep clear of it, and instruct your local vampires to do the same. It would be, unfortunate, if someone were to interfere in that business." Andre had debated for an hour or so, about how to phrase things with the Sherriff, to get his point across, without the man sending his own spies to Bon Temps. To say nothing would have opened the door for the inquisitive, to say something offered a chance that the necessary solitude would be respected. What had finalized his choice of words was the knowledge of Eric Northman's nature. He was at heart, devoted to self-preservation. And a small town, at the fringes of his urban environment, could, and would be put lower down on his list of priorities with the opening of the club. It was a fortunate coincidence that Eric's own business matters could trump his curiosity. And, if a Vampire did happen to try to suss out his business, a swift death would send an appropriate warning to any others. Eric would certainly not be venturing there himself, and the Sherriff's warnings would be more than enough to keep others away.
"Of course. I will ensure that you remain unmolested as you do the Queen's work. And if there is anything else I can assist you with, I hope you will not hesitate to ask. Even though I am quite busy with this matter of the club I am at the Queen's service. I will give you the contact information for my day man, Bobby. Should I be unavailable for any reason, I find him quite skilled and dedicated in his own tasks."
"Your willingness to help is a testament to your loyalty Sherriff. The Queen will be most pleased to hear of it. It is likely that I will need a secure place to go to ground on some days, and I may need other services that your man can discretely provide."
"You will not be displeased with Bobby's efficiency or his discretion."
Political niceties aside for both men they finished their drinks in relative silence with Eric briefly outlining the plans for the Club, which was to be called Fangtasia, and then Andre took his leave. The Sherriff was not going to be an ally, but neither was he going to be an adversary, at least not in the matter of Sookie Stackhouse. And that confidence was enough for Andre. He intended to be in Bon Temps, and outside the old house on Hummingbird Lane before the girl returned home from her employment that night. And he set himself to running.