A/N: SVM is owned by Charlaine Harris. This story is being beta'd by FiniteAnarchy, whose praises I cannot grow tired of singing.

It seems that I have some new readers this week - hi folks! I wanted to say thank you to Seastarr08 and Moxiemo (and FA again) for saying kind things on their blogs. I'm so glad everyone's enjoying. I really am kind of crap about prompt replies to messages and reviews, but suffice to say, I am feeling the love and it's very encouraging.

Chapter 16 - Dust, Straw, and Vampires

"So not only are you telepath, you're a fairy princess," Pam snickered. "That's priceless."

"I'm not a fairy princess. I'm a mostly-human who happens to be related to a fairy prince."

"As you say, my Lady," she said, her voice dripping sarcasm.

"Shut it, Pam," I gritted out.

She finished her chuckle and made a bit of a show of composing herself, lifting her shoulders with the breathing out of a soft sigh.

"So all this time there has been a family of fairy royals living in Eric's area," she mused.

"No," I stressed. "It's only me who has the, you know...well, do you know? The spark? My brother is just normal, and my dad and aunt were too."

"But delicious, I'm sure."

"Thanks Pam, that makes me feel heaps better about confiding in you," I said with annoyance.

"You smell delicious. That's hardly my fault. Eric said you tasted wonderful that first night," she sounded almost wistful. "A fairy. Mmm. It's been years."

She looked at me hungrily, but not threateningly. I felt like a slice of cake in front of a girl resolved to diet. Not that Pam would need to diet. She was slim and petite for all eternity.

"Cut it out," I said. "So now that you know the worst, why do you think he's all moody, as you say?"

"I suppose he's trying to figure out what to do with you."

I slumped back in my chair. The timer for my dinner had run out, but I was not feeling hungry anymore. I'd opened the door to the microwave and snapped it shut again, leaving my chicken and rice to cool inside.

"He would give us a chance to meet his price, wouldn't he? I mean through Niall he could have practically anything material that he asked for."

She gave me a sharp look.

"I mean, it's just better for everyone if I stay alive...me especially. Surely Eric will realize that. I told him he could have whatever he wanted."

Eric had to realize that it could start a war. That's not me talking up my own importance. These people, these groups, were like open powder kegs just waiting for a spark. And here's me, all sparky. The two fairy clans against each other, or the fairies together versus the vampires. Nothing unites enemies like a common foe. That would be bad for everyone. He had to see that, right?

"You didn't say that."

"Of course I did. He needs to know we would match anything he would get from others."

"It didn't occur to you that you were insulting him?"

"It's just another business arrangement," I said defensively. "He had no objections before."

"Why should he object to taking money for something he was going to do anyway?" she asked.

"So it's as you said, he is like this because he doesn't know which way to leap."

She made another little noise of irritation, but I ignored her. I got what she'd actually said; that Eric had no intention of handing me over to their queen. That was good, but Eric had also made it plain that he wanted me to work for him here. It's not like he should be in line for the tin medal of selflessness or something.

"I'm sure you realize that a vampire as old as Eric isn't often surprised," Pam said. The way she said it really made Eric sound like an eminent figure. I found I was interested to hear whatever she'd be willing to share about him.

"Pam, may I ask you a question about Eric?"

"You may ask," she said levelly.

"What is his deal? He's so old, and incredibly strong. I mean, how he took down Haagenti... Why is someone like that content to just manage Northern Louisiana? Shouldn't he have a whole kingdom of his own?"

"He has no desire to rule," she said simply. It seemed like an answer she'd given many times before.

"Yes, but why? He strikes me as someone who'd take any opportunity to forward his position."

She considered her answer for a long moment before she gave it.

"He is comfortable here. Eric does love having power, but that does not mean he loves politics. He has authority here, and he is a good Sheriff. He must answer to Sophie-Anne, true, but she is at the other end of the state, and mostly leaves him to his own devices."

I suppose if you're a vampire who just wants to stay in one place, a position like Sheriff beneath an undemanding monarch was pretty much the best you could hope for, from the standpoint of retaining a semblance of freedom. Any higher in the food chain and you'd be bogged down by politics and a whole spate of larger concerns. Any lower and you'd risk being stuck beholden to someone who might not be considered "a good Sheriff." What I took from what Pam told me, was that Eric just wanted to be able to live his own un-life, as much as he could. Huh. I guess we had more in common than just our hair color.

"Eric has said that you will read minds for us for non-trivial matters, is that correct?"

I'd been distracted again, but that was a hard line of questioning to ignore.

"Yes..." I answered, with a pinch of uncertainty and a dollop of sullenness.

"There's a situation that could benefit from your attention, if you're willing."

"Go on," I gestured.

"Eric said that when you went to the nail salon, you couldn't get any information out of the girl who waited on me."

"Right. She barely remembered you."

"But she should have done. We spoke. She had lovely hands, so warm. I paid her the compliment."

"You didn't glamour her?"

"No."

"Well, someone had. I can sort of see it, like their minds know what they want to recall, but when they go to think it, there's nothing there."

"Fascinating. But you see, I didn't glamour her, and someone did... In addition, I was groomed and tended to while I was being held. I can only assume that too, was her doing. It's clear another vampire was involved with the witches."

"So you've got a traitor in your midst?"

She looked at me thoughtfully.

"That sounds very melodramatic. Eric has said you have an impressive knowledge of the supernatural world, for a human. I suppose we now know why," she quipped, rolling her eyes. "Regardless, call it treachery if you will. Among ourselves, we might simply call it competition. However, I am loyal to Eric. I am here at his request as his Lieutenant."

"So, who's behind you in the pecking order?"

"Long Shadow is the other part owner of the bar..."

"And does that dictate the chain of command?"

"I suppose to an extent. Day to day, yes."

I understood from what she'd said that normally, at the bar that served as Shreveport Vamp HQ, Long Shadow was considered third behind Pam. In other endeavors throughout their fiefdom, Eric didn't formally have a third-in-command. That seemed like a good way to run things. Keeping a small governance allows you to put the best person in charge of any given job, without having to worry about being beholden to their various ranks or positions. When that job is done, that's it. I had a passing moment of approval for Eric's management style.

Pam was still watching me as I shook my head to break away from my mental tangent. If Eric didn't keep a ranking order all the way down, then it made sense that someone wanting to advance could only go directly for Pam.

"Or Eric himself," I murmured, finishing the thought.

"What?" Pam demanded.

"Well if someone is looking to move up through the ranks, and the ranks only consist of you and Eric, then maybe you're both at risk. Has anything strange happened to him lately?"

"You are the only strange thing that has happened to Eric lately."

"Uh-huh," I said, breezing right over that. "Well I assure you, I'm not after his job."

"Not that you don't put him at risk for losing it," she said coolly. Now who's on her own tangent?

I squinted at her. She gave me a look that dared me to try to argue that. It wasn't worth it.

"His choice," I shrugged.

"Not anymore, now that he knows what he knows about you."

"It's the same choice it's always been. The only difference today is that he can better guess the magnitude of the repercussions."

"Perhaps you should have told him all of this at the beginning."

"Maybe," I said absently. "But I didn't know him at all then. I barely know him now. It seems like he is at least a man of his word, but maybe I shouldn't have told him at all."

Maybe I should have just run months ago, the night I'd had my slip and let him know I was anything more than a regular blood bag with a handy knowledge of antiques. And where would that have left me? Even farther away from home and more well hidden. Yeah. I could probably rent a room in some distant corner of the world, and never ever leave it, and never talk to Gran or Jason again, and I'd be perfectly safe from all the supes. But what would be the point of being alive at all if I didn't have a life?

"You and Eric will have to work out whatever is going on between you and Eric," Pam said, again interrupting my weighty thoughts. "Regardless, my suggestion is this: We discover who is behind the attack on me, and by extension, Eric. In doing so you will further prove your worth to him being here and intact. I will have the chance to avenge myself on the vampire to blame for my abduction, and Eric will have a threat to the stability of his area quelled. A stable and strong Eric is useful to you, if he is serving as something like your protector here. I believe this is what you humans call a win/win/win."

"Very neat," I agreed. "So, you want me to go and talk to Jack and Diane again, I take it."

"That would pose a problem," Pam said. "Their memories of us, of vampires in general, are...extremely limited. The same for the others in Jack's coven."

"I see. And by extremely limited, you mean..."

"Nonexistent."

"Great foresight there." I didn't bother hiding my scorn. This was a really touchy subject for me. I had figured that this is what had happened to each of them; a very extensive memory wipe. I hated that I had to be grateful for it.

"What's done is done," Pam snapped.

"Then how do you propose we find the culprit? I don't think you guys believe me when I insist I can't read vampire minds, but it's true."

"Well, the obvious first step would be for you to come to Fangtasia. One weekend night is obligatory for the vampires in the area, so between tonight and tomorrow, practically everyone will be there at least for a little while. You can see which humans they choose to spend time with, and determine whether or not there are any bad thoughts towards either Eric or myself."

"So I just sit there for hours, scanning the brains of the human companions while what, you and Eric try to incite them to nasty thoughts? That's a terrible idea. I don't even know what to do with myself in a bar."

"No, it's very good," she argued.

"Eric has specifically said it's unwise for me to be around other vampires any more than I have to." That was my last ditch attempt to dissuade her.

"You won't be. Not really anyway. I have a smart plan."

I listened as she explained everything, struggling to keep the skeptical look off my face.

"And Eric knows about this?" I asked when she was finished.

"I will tell him as soon as you arrive." Great.

"I guess we can try it," I finally agreed.

"Good. Go get dressed. We need to be there by eight fifteen. Do you have something suitable?"

"Yeah, I think I have just the thing."

Twenty minutes later I emerged from my bedroom, heavily perfumed and atrociously made up. I was dressed in my baggy red-and-green reindeer sweater with a pair of pleated khaki pants and white sneakers. The pants were both unflattering and unfashionable. I'd gotten them on clearance some time last year and I couldn't return them. This would be the first time I wore them out of the house. I had my hair pulled back in a loose bun.

I struck a pose in the kitchen doorway.

"Oh my gosh, ma'am! I never met a real live vampire before," I drawled, making my face look astonished.

A wide grin spread across her face. Pam's plan was to sneak me in with a group of tourists that would be arriving at Fangtasia by bus. Insulated by what she had termed "the most obnoxious humans," I would be repellent to vampires. The garish makeup and strong perfume would help with that too. Vampires have keen eyesight, but they're also heavily reliant on touch, taste, and smell. Contrary to what a lot of fangbangers believe, they are not interested in the texture, taste, or aroma of heavy pancake makeup and cheap eyeshadow. Much like my brother Jason though, many vampires wouldn't pass up a free meal.

Regardless, I was presenting myself in the worst possible light for attracting vamps, which was perfect.

We would drive separately, and I'd wait in the main parking area and then blend in with the rest of the tourists when the bus arrived. She'd be going ahead so that she could position herself at the door, making her the one who would be checking IDs. Once we were in and seated at one of the tables, she'd relieve herself of door duty, and fill Eric in.

Then, they'd start making the rounds of the tables, checking in with all the vampires in attendance. I'd screen any humans those vampires were with, looking for negative thoughts about Eric and Pam, while they gauged the reactions of the vampires. At the end of the night, we'd compare notes and move forward with any leads.

I grabbed my purse but Pam shook her head and dashed out the door. She returned a moment later carrying a thick black fanny-pack and a digital camera on a neck strap.

"I guess you'd have an inkling I'd agree to this," I said, fastening the belt around me, and shifting it to a jaunty angle across my hip.

"I thought you would see reason," she agreed matter-of-factly. "You like Eric. You want to help him."

I pulled the camera around my neck and slipped my keys and wallet into the pack.

"I'd certainly prefer to be in his good books, anyway. How do I look?"

"It's perfect," she said, with something bordering on awe. "I can't believe you own that sweater. I had something else in the car in case you had nothing suitable, but that is truly ghastly."

"Says the woman wearing thigh high patent leather stilettos."

"A fair point," she conceded with a smirk, hiking up her skirt a little and pulling at the tops of the boots. "We'd better go. Oh, and take these," she said, handing me a pair of fangs. They were the plastic kind that you slip over your teeth; the ones that cost a quarter at a Halloween store.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Seriously," she said wearily. "They give them out on the bus."

I tucked the fangs into my fanny-pack. I had no plans to wear them. I followed her to Fangtasia, happy to note that she obeyed all the traffic rules and always used her blinker. She was a very good driver. I'd been too tired to notice when we'd ridden with her before. She pulled around into the employee parking lot and I found my own spot. It was a bit before eight and the bus was nowhere in sight. There was a short line of black-clad young people by the entrance already. Actually plenty of them were probably close to my age, but for the purposes of this evening's skullduggery I'd be pretending to be a lot older. Even out of my disguise, I rarely felt like a "young person."

My only major concern with the plan, aside from the part where I was participating at all, was the possibility of being recognized if one of the three vampires newly employed at Splendide were in attendance. Actually two, since Gerald was working tonight. Pam assured me this would not be a problem as Anthony was at another job and Thalia's required bar time had been cut down to twice a month since she'd signed on at Caddo Security. Apparently she had something of a cult following among the vamp aficionados, and they'd been unwilling to let her give up making her appearances altogether.

"She's new to security?" I had asked.

"Yes," Pam had replied curtly.

"Why did they choose her for Splendide then?"

"Eric chose her for Splendide," was the only reply I'd gotten.

I mulled that over as I sat in the car, listening to the Dixie Chicks at low volume and waiting for the bus to arrive. Thalia was tiny, but ancient. Older than Eric, I thought. She didn't look it, but she was probably very strong. If he'd chosen her specifically it probably meant that she'd be good for the job, and I tried to find confidence in that. There were so many things that I needed to talk to him about at this point I felt like I should write a list.

The minibus rolled up at eight sixteen. This tour company was running pretty close to schedule. It was one of these tall luxury coaches that would have a tiny bathroom on board and little televisions on the backs of the seats. It parked at the far end of the lot, because that's the only place there would be room. Fangtasia was located at the end of a strip mall, though by this time in the evening the other businesses had closed. You could still see the big lit up sign of the Toys 'R' Us down the way. I bet their management had just loved it when Fangtasia opened up.

The crowd of tourists approached in a tight cluster, a roving mob full of nervous excitement. Pam was right, there were enough of them that I was able to slip in with the group undetected, less than twenty, but more than a dozen. It was hard to count while they were moving. My outfit was maybe a weensy bit over the top. I was not the only one in a Christmas sweater, nor the only one in ill-fitting khakis. I wasn't even the only one sporting a fanny pack, but I was the only one who'd achieved the trifecta of sartorial tragedy. I'm not a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, but most of the clothes I have are of good quality and fit me well. I felt ridiculous.

A squat older woman about fifty turned to me as I sidled up beside her. She was heavy and wore a long-sleeved collared shirt in black with a black skirt and low black shoes. She had giant breasts that had not stood up to the test of time and had left three buttons open to display a generous amount of her cleavage. She'd dressed for the evening.

"Have you ever met one before?" she asked in an excited whisper.

"I've only seen them on TV," I lied smilingly.

"I saw one on the street in Chattanooga once," she confided. "I'm pretty sure. I didn't like to stare. I think he was doing his shopping."

"Wow!" I enthused.

As we stood in line, she introduced herself as Marcy Lynn.

"That's my husband Stevie," she informed me, pointing out tall, thin man who managed to look uncomfortable in his black denim jeans. He too wore a black dress shirt, tucked in. He had a satchel slung over his shoulder. Stevie was here to indulge his wife, period. He was happy to have found another gentleman in the group to chat to while their women "got on with it." I found it oddly sweet, that they'd come along at all.

I gave my own name, which was fine, since she was barely paying attention anyway. She was too distracted with people-watching. I barely had to read her thoughts. Once she perceived me to be an eager listener, she was happy to babble away and point out various things and people. Another woman, even older, joined our friendly pairing. Her sweater was bright red with a silhouette of a sleigh and reindeer stitched on. She introduced herself as Billie Jones, and yes, she was named for Billie Holiday. She offered that without my asking. She was a widow who had recently retired, and was looking forward to embracing excitement in what she termed her golden years. I gave her a genuine smile.

Even though the tourists all seemed to be perfectly nice people, the whole idea of coming to see the vampires in their "native habitat" was absolutely absurd to me. The vampires were the rare and exotic species who would be on display and Fangtasia was the zoo. This place had to be incredibly profitable for Pam and Eric to tolerate, let alone invite, this crap.

When our little trio stepped up to greet Pam she glanced us over with what I recognized as affected disdain.

"Welcome to Fangtasia. IDs please," she said in a bored, brusque tone.

The two older women were delighted to be asked. I grinned and caught Pam's eye for an instant. She may have given me a wink. No one in our party could be remotely mistaken as underage, but being carded, even as a formality, puts a woman in a happy mood. Pam certainly knew her business.

I'd followed suit when the other women had proffered the twenty dollar cover charge, but Pam didn't take our money. I figured that was for my benefit, since I was here on her behalf.

"Oh no ladies," she smiled perfunctorily. "Save it for the gift shop."

They would, and they'd probably spend more there, anyway.

She waved us through and we moved inside, waiting for Stevie and the other couple to join us before we were seated at a table by a human hostess in a long black dress very like Pam's. A waitress appeared to take our drinks order as soon as we were situated. There were visible fang marks on her neck, very fresh. The sight of her caused a stir among the other tourists.

The place was filling up quick. The area where we'd been seated allowed a decent view of the rest of the club. That was probably by design. I'd been here before, so the grey and red décor, the pictorial history of vampires in film, and the intermittent block-lettered notices cautioning against feeding in public weren't new to me. I still scoffed inwardly. Such things were for the benefit of the human patrons, not the vampires. The vampires would know the rules. Sure they might still choose to break them in the confines of a convenient bathroom stall, but no one would be stupid enough to bite someone right out here in public.

The bar contained an interesting mix of people. There was our mismatched group of course, and then the fangbangers. There were also plenty of people just dressed for a normal night out. I doubted they were regulars. For whatever reason they'd chosen to do their drinking here this weekend. Probably a more subtle example of the same looky-loo inclination that was driving the bunch that surrounded me. There were half a dozen vampires interspersed throughout the floor, not counting the employees. Long Shadow was behind the bar and Clancy was positioned at the front like a bouncer. Pam would hardly need backup at the door, but I supposed it was the customary spot. I'd seen the two of them well enough through others' eyes the last time I was here to be able to identify them.

Eric was nowhere to be seen but just as my Gin and Tonic arrived I saw Pam slipping into the back hallway on her way to his office. I didn't intend to get drunk, but the rest of the table was of a mind to "let loose," so I felt obliged to get something to nurse. Marcy Lynn was halfway through her Sex on the Beach before Pam returned. She was speaking to Long Shadow at the bar when Eric appeared at her side.

He was wearing leather pants, dark as to be almost black but as he moved and they caught the light, I thought they might have been a very deep purple. They looked supple and fit him very well, sitting low on his hips. He'd paired them with heavy boots and black collared shirt. There might have been some stitching on the tabs of his collar, but it was hard to tell from here. He had forgotten even more buttons than Marcy Lynn. A broad belt with two rows of bronze rivets and a large buckle tied the outfit together. His hair was down, of course. I may have licked my lips. I had a sip of my drink.

Eric was talking to Pam and the bartender, but his eyes locked on mine. I glanced away quickly, but was forced to look back when the other women noticed him and exclaimed. It was simply impossible not to. He wasn't watching me anymore though.

When Pam and Eric moved away from the bar I took it as my cue to get busy. It was a busy few hours, for me. Eric and Pam strolled through the bar playing not charming, but intriguing hosts. I struggled to follow the minds of the humans they spoke to, or those that accompanied the vampires, all while keeping track of the conversation at the table, so I wouldn't come off as odd if someone spoke to me directly and I failed to notice.

Eric took plenty of breaks to conduct business in a booth that was apparently reserved for him. When two Weres sat down with him, what I judged to be a father and a son, just based on their appearances, I took the opportunity to scoot into the ladies' room. Marcy caught me coming back and dragged me off to the gift shop near the club's entrance. It was really just a closet and a cash register. They had one of everything on display, but the main stock seemed to be stored in a back room.

"My my my, would you look at this!" Marcy said excitedly.

She was flipping through the pages of a calendar on the wall and had gotten a little flushed. It was better lit in here than it was out in the main bar. I peered over her shoulder as she flipped through the pages of very sparsely dressed male vampires.

"I'm getting one!" she declared. "Do you want to look?"

"Sure," I said, with a shy grin. It wasn't faked. I was very afraid that Eric would be in it. I started from December and flipped forward. It was outrageous. The scenes depicted all matched the months. There was Long Shadow in a loincloth and a headdress - good grief - for Thanksgiving, in November. I recognized Gerald in a star-spangled Speedo for July. The red-headed Clancy was in a Leprechaun hat clutching some strategically placed Shamrock cutouts for March. All of them were flashing their fangs of course, giving sexy, dangerous smiles. I let out a low whistle. Not every vampire is painfully attractive, but this is by far and away the common trend.

"That's Clancy," a voice whispered next to me. I jumped, and the girl who'd been behind the counter gave a little giggle. Vast improvement on the haughty pout.

"Oh?" I asked.

"He runs the bar. He's very good at his job," she said. If his job includes snacking on the staff, apparently. She was displaying fang marks on the top of her breast, just visible with her low cut blouse. She had a lot of fond thoughts about Clancy.

I flipped to the next page.

"That's Maxwell. He likes boys," she pouted. An African-American vampire was posed on a pink bed with a heart-shaped pillow. Valentine's Day and Black History Month in one shot, I guessed. Classy.

I flipped again.

"And that's Master Eric," she said reverently. I swallowed. There was a fake fireplace glowing orange in the background. Eric was lying on his stomach on a brown fur rug, though propped up a bit on his elbows, displaying strong arms and a bit of his chest. The way he was positioned, you could see one muscular thigh and then the perfect curve of one of his butt cheeks. I had to resist the urge to trace it with my finger. His hair fell down around his shoulders. Then there were his eyes of course. He could teach a romance cover model a thing or two about smoldering.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Um, yeah. I'll take one. Oh. And a t-shirt."

I put the calendar down.

"Which t-shirt?" she asked.

I chose the plain black one with Fangtasia scrawled across the front in the same red script as the neon sign out front. I could wear it to bed or something.

Marcy spent close to a hundred fifty dollars on her own calendar, shirts for she and Stevie and one for their neighbor, a pair of shot glasses etched with fangs, a Fangtasia Christmas tree ornament, and a deck of playing cards featuring fictitious vampires. She was having a blast. Also she was pretty tipsy by that point. We giggled back to our table and she showed off her purchases while everyone else oo'd and ah'd. A couple of other women from a different table went off to shop for themselves.

"Ladies," came his smooth, cold voice. "Gentlemen." He was giving the men a nod as I looked up. "How are we enjoying Fangtasia this evening?" he asked the collective tables, flashing his winsome smile. I guess Eric had finished with the Weres. A woman behind me spoke up on behalf of the whole group letting the proprietor know that we were having a wonderful time.

"I'm so glad."

A girl with a camera scurried up and asked if anyone would like their picture made posing alongside Eric. Despite the prop Pam had loaned me, there'd been signs at the entrance indicating that photography was not permitted on the premises. However you could have your picture taken by the official club photographer and buy a print. About half the people queued up. I didn't.

I was starting to get a little tired. After the photo-op a lot of the group had disappeared to retrieve their prints, and others had gone off to have a last dance or a last drink. For the tour group at least, the evening was wrapping up quickly. As I searched, I found heaps and heaps of petty crimes, and a couple of major misdeeds, though nothing dangerous. I was incredibly relieved when I finally caught wind of what I'd come here to look for.

God damn, would she just shut up? This place will be so much better without her around.

I'd just been letting my mind skip around. I couldn't see Pam out on the floor. I could see her in the mind's eye of the woman she was talking to. I tried to pin down her location but there were just so many minds in the way. It was going on midnight by now and the club was still jumping. Near the entrance? I collected my bag and stood up, having to excuse myself from half a dozen people as I bumped in to them. Well it's a bar at midnight. I could pass for drunk.

I thought for sure she was gone for good. Maybe he'll let me help him this time...

I stiffened as I identified the girl from the gift shop. A couple of loose tiles that had been rattling around in the back of my mind finally fell into place. I was ready to leave then, but I knew I'd have to wait for the group to depart, and slip away again as they headed back to the bus. Maybe at some point later the people I'd chatted with would realize I was no longer with them. Maybe they'd chock it up to one more weird occurrence in their brief brush with the supernatural. ...And she vanished into the night!

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Eric letting him know it was Clancy he needed to look out for. I didn't know why, and I didn't know what his next move was, but I did know why Dirk Palfry and Jack Mason "hadn't been noticed," when they'd been here before. I'd watched the vampires along with everyone else. Long Shadow was busy keeping bar, but Clancy watched every person come and go. He'd have seen them. Dirk more than once. Did he know that Dirk had been working for the drainers as well as his friend Jack?

Eric's head shot up as he read the text, but he didn't look to me, he was getting a fix on Clancy. I was mollified that he didn't reply or look to me to question it.

I lagged behind the rest of the tour group and had no problems just getting into my car. I waited another five minutes until the bus pulled out before I turned the car on. They might have checked the names of everyone present against the names on some list, if they'd done anything. I hadn't been on the list, and I wouldn't need to be accounted for.

I drove home and showered, washing the makeup and perfume and the stink of the bar off of me, then I blew dry my hair and put on what I deemed to be presentable pajamas, in case anyone should be planning to stop by. Eric turned up about an hour later. He followed me in to the living room and we sat in opposite chairs. He finally broke the awkward silence by demanding to know what I'd heard and from whom, so I told him, along with why it made sense to me.

"So, was there anything else?" I asked. "That you wanted to talk about. Tonight."

"Did you enjoy your visit to my club?"

"I guess I had more fun than I expected to," I shrugged. "Those people were silly, but not unkind. I don't know how you stand it though."

"It is a good business."

"It would have to be, to be worth putting up with it all night after night."

"Yes. It is very profitable."

I nodded.

"I have other businesses as well," he remarked.

"I know that, Eric," I answered, uncertain as to why he was stating the obvious.

"So you know that I do not need your or your great grandfather's money."

"Then what are you asking for?"

"Nothing."

"Then what are you going to do?" I asked him.

"Must I do something? Are you planning to leave the protection of my area?"

"No."

"And judging by tonight, you intend to uphold your promise to assist me on matters of great importance."

"Yes."

"I do not approve of the plan that you and Pam hatched tonight. If there is need in the future, we will find another way to get you near the vampires and their humans."

My instinct was to blurt out that it was all Pam's idea, but even to my sleepy self, that seemed childish.

"It was a one-time thing," I said.

In an instant he was hovering over me, his hand cupped along my jaw and his nose running down my neck as he inhaled. I trembled, and not with fear.

"You are better like this. Clean." He paused to breathe in. "Sweet. Warm."

He ran his lips down my neck and across my collar, tugging my t-shirt gently to the side with his fingers to reveal the extra inch or two of skin. He was kneeling before me now, caging me in the chair.

"I want you," he murmured, dipping back to press soft wet kisses up the other side of my neck.

Yes, but in what way?

"In all ways."

I felt my head dip back slightly. I think that was an honest to goodness swoon. I felt overwhelmed. His lips met mine and suddenly kissing him was all I could do. All I could think of. No questioning, no clarifying; just soft cool lips, firm pressure. Strong hands cradling. His sweet wet tongue probing, swirling, in an easy rhythm. He bent his forehead to touch mine as I broke away to gasp in air. He was still as I panted. His hands dropped to my shoulders, slid down my arms and took my hands as he leaned away.

"Tomorrow night we will be busy," he said.

"Wait, are you leaving?" I asked.

"I don't want to leave Pam alone with Clancy, at least not yet. And I feel your weariness."

"But..."

He smirked. Thank goodness for that really, because the cocky look on his face certainly grounded me.

"I can't stay now," he said, and he did sound regretful. "But, if you miss me, you can always see me next year."

"What?"

He disappeared for a moment and then returned with the little bag I'd brought home from Fangtasia. He dropped it casually on the table. Ah.

I shook my head with a rueful smile. "Good night then, Eric," I said as I stood up.

"Good night, Sookie."

I locked up after him and I did take the calendar back to my bedroom to give it a more intimate appraisal. I got as far as January.