Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

Chapter 13 - New Orleans

We walked into the building past many people and even more guards. Before I knew it, we had entered the hall to be presented to Victor. He of course was waiting for us, along with his entourage. His clothes seemed to change only slightly more often than his curly hair – which was never. His suit was Armani, though instead of black, tonight he was in navy blue. The vampires at his side were more casually dressed, which wasn't much of a surprise as Victor was the head honcho under Felipe de Castro's orders.

He inclined his head to Eric, the typical vampire greeting. "Eric, Sookie, How nice to see you," He said. It was a friendly greeting but I knew not to trust him. Somewhere along the line someone taught Victor that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but I wasn't taken in.

While my interest in being cordial was not, my manners were genuine "Good evening Victor. It is so nice of you to welcome us personally. I haven't seen much of New Orleans. I'm really excited about Eric showing me around," I told him. I smiled, it was my fake smile, but I tried my best to smooth it out so it didn't seem so strained. I don't know how well it worked.

"You look absolutely stunning this evening," Victor told me.

"Thank you." I responded automatically. I looked away from Victor and smoothed my dress, even though there was nothing wrong with it. I took this moment to scan the room for Jenna, but she was nowhere in sight. She still hadn't called me back yet, and it was all I could do to keep my worry in check. I saw Pam though, which elicited a real smile. She responded in kind.

"Yes, isn't she?" Eric asked Victor. "My wife is determined to have a human nuptial ceremony, and I have decided to indulge her. We've come to celebrate," Eric elaborated; a hint of smile on his lips.

"How charming." Victor responded, though it sounded to me more like he was mocking my humanity than he actually thought the idea to be sweet.

"Congratulations Sookie. The ring is just darling." Pam said with affection. I hadn't been showing it off, but Vampires did have enhanced senses, so I shouldn't have been surprised. Or Eric had already shown it to Pam.

"Thank you," I told her. "Eric has impeccable taste."

"He's a lucky man." Bill responded from behind us. I hadn't heard him walk in.

I seemed to be the only person surprised by his entry. Of course everyone else must have heard him already. "What brings you to our fine city, Bill?" Victor asked.

"I had scheduled to meet with some vampires in the area in regard to my database. When I was informed that my Sherriff would be in the area, I was obliged to postpone." Bill answered.

Victor turned his attention back to me and Eric. He was smiling in a way I wasn't sure I liked. It reminded me too much of the last time I saw him at Fangtasia. "Eric, instead of celebrating your 'engagement' why don't you celebrate your honeymoon? You could marry here," Victor said in a way that sounded more like a command than an offer.

"We would be honored," Eric responded, gripping my hand to let me know not to say anything.

"Let me call for a justice of the peace," Victor said.

"No!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself. Victor's eyes flashed and Eric gripped my hand tighter, which hurt. I had to think fast, "I can't get married in this. I need a proper dress," I explained.

Victor laughed. "Tomorrow night it is. Come Eric, we have matters to discuss. Mr. Compton, your joining us is quite convenient; please see to our Mrs. Northman."

Eric turned to Bill and nodded curtly. "Keep in mind, to whom she belongs," he hissed in a whisper that was nearly inaudible. He turned back to me. "I will see you soon my love." He said before leaning in to kiss me. The kiss was passionate, but thankful quick. I welcomed him as all eyes were on us, but Eric had to break away to go to Victor before I could respond more enthusiastically than would be appropriate for a former flame, especially in front of Bill.

Pam left, I assumed to attend to whatever business brought her in the first place. Bill had to step away to talk to one of Victor's people. I looked around the room searching for any sign of Jenna I may have missed earlier, but found nothing. I checked my phone again, there were no missed calls.

"Come Sookie, I will show you to your room." Bill told me. I put away my phone and followed. Bill had been here previously, when Sophie-Anne had been Queen of Louisiana, and master of this house. The building had been damaged in Katrina, but restored beautifully. My friend and former roommate Amelia's father had actually had the contract to fix the building and she told me it had been returned to all its former glory with almost everything exactly as it had originally been. I missed Amelia. I think I took to Jenna so quickly because she kind of reminded me of Amelia, and I had really needed a girl friend once Amelia left, and Arlene went batty with the Fellowship of the Sun people.

I wasn't paying attention when we got to the room I would be staying in. "This is the room you and Eric will share," Bill said as he led me in. He closed the door behind us, and pulled me into his arms. "Don't worry. We will find Jenna," He said me before kissing me. His lips were hard against mine, and I responded in kind. All thoughts of Jenna were lost momentarily as I stood wrapped in Bill's arms.

"What am I going to do?" I asked, after I pulled away from him just far enough to speak.

"Whatever you have to, my love," Bill responded. "We are just as much prisoners as guests this evening, and I imagine you will be escorted tomorrow. We are here to find your friend, and I will not put either her or you in jeopardy. If that means watching you wed Eric, I will stand aside and watch. I know you are mine, and that it is only for show."

I was surprised. I thought Bill might have had some idea as to how to get me out of it, or be insanely jealous, but he was right. Human marriages were easier to get out of than Vampire ones it seemed, and there really wasn't a way around it without announcing to Victor that I was fair game. Even with Bill, Eric, and Pam, I wouldn't stand a chance against Victor and his people. I had to bide my time, and be patient, thought I wasn't a big fan.

"So what should we do now?" I asked.

Bill smiled, "I can think of some things," He said as he picked me up and walked towards the bed.

"Not here!" I almost yelled. Bill stopped abruptly, his face puzzled. "You said I'll be sharing this room with Eric," I said, and Bill immediately understood. Dire circumstances or not, Eric would not be able to hold his temper if he walked in to the scent of Bill's and my love making, especially not in a bed that Eric and I would be expected to share.

The room Bill would be staying in was next door, separated only by a very luxurious bathroom. A stroke of luck, as there were guards outside our heavy doors posed as servants. We were able to leave of course, but we were definitely being watched. Bill carried me through the bathroom into his room, and set me down on the bed.

"We'll have to be very quiet," he whispered as he raised his arms to undress me.

"Let me, just in case." I told him timidly. His eyes were locked on me as I stood up to undress. I slipped out of my shoes, and conscious of his attention I turned away from him made a show of slowly unzipping my dress – letting it fall to the floor. I just barely heard Bill gasp. I was standing in a pile of white fabric wearing only a pair of white lace panties that I knew from lingerie ads were called 'cheeky' which exposed the round curve of my bottom, and a white lace strapless bra that matched. I turned back towards Bill- whose fangs were already out, before slowly unhooking my bra, sliding it down my arms and letting it fall to the floor as well. In just my panties, I stepped over to the bed and laid back. I took my sweet time sliding the last remaining bits of fabric.

"Sookie," Bill said, his voice husky and full of lust, before the lace was finally off.

"Yes?" I asked innocently, not increasing the speed with which I was undressing.

Bill didn't respond; his eyes were fixed on my hands, which at this point were just above my ankles. Before I could pull them off Bill was next to me on the bed, and pulled them off the rest of the way and tossed them onto the pile with the others.

"Undress me," he said, and for once I was content to simply obey. He was wearing a blue dress shirt, which I took care and patience in unbuttoning. He was wearing black, flat front Dockers, he could have been posing for a Sears catalog, but instead I was unbolting and unzipping his pants as he lay next to me. I was on my knees tugging them along with his boxer briefs towards his feet when he sat up and kissed me again, deftly removing his pants and tossing them to the floor as he pulled away.

In a movement so quick I almost didn't see he had me pinned underneath him, and he was kissing me. He started at my lips but moved down my jaw line to my throat. From there he moved down my neck and collar bone to my breasts. Bill was well endowed, and at this point highly aroused. I wrapped my hand around his excitement and began to stroke him. After kissing and licking my nipples, Bill continued his trail of kisses toward my navel. He slid his body down the bed pulling himself away from me as his mouth moved to kiss where he had only been able to stroke over panties and shorts, last night. I was trying to stay quiet but my breathing was heavy, as he began to kiss and lick my most sensitive spot. Bill's tongue was urgent inside of me, and I gasped. My pleasure was swift but intense as he worked to bring me to climax more quickly than he ever had before. As much as I was enjoying it, I wanted Bill to slow down and was about to say so when I came, hard. Almost before the involuntary moan escaped my mouth Bill had his hand clamped over it, silencing me.

With his hand still hard on my lips he shifted his body upward and thrust into me. I moaned into his hand. Bill's face was intent and his eyes never left mine as his hips drove forward plunging his deeper and deeper inside of me. Bill seemed almost desperate in his movements, and I matched him at every thrust. The moans I couldn't help silenced against his fingers. While the walls were thick enough not to convey the sound of talking an my ragged breathing, I'm sure that if Bill weren't making sure I stayed quiet, that the whole floor would have been able to hear me, much less the Vampires outside the door. I was at the brink of pleasure when he pulled out and drove into me a final time. I cried out, though no sound was heard as Bill and I came together. I could see the effort it took for him to restrain himself from biting me. Instead he sank down into the bed beside me. "Sookie, " He whispered into my ear huskily, "I love you."

"I love you too," I replied.

We laid in bed wrapped in each other's arms for a few minutes before reality set back in. "We should go back to your room, so that I may leave formally. I do not know when Eric will be returning." Bill said.

"Yeah, and it wouldn't be good for him to find us here like this," I told, not being able to repress a smile.

Bill was serious when he responded, " I do believe I would meet the true death, if that were to happen."

"Don't ," I told him. Putting my fingers against his lips, to shush him this time. I kissed him again, rose from the bed, and started to dress. Bill was completely dressed before I had my undergarments on.

"What if Eric comes in here?" I asked. I hadn't wanted Bill's scent in my bed, but I hadn't thought about my scent it his.

"I am sure that if Eric wants something of me he will summon me to your room, if only to show off his possession of you. I have to feed though, since I couldn't from you. In case he wants to enter my room I will bring, a woman here to feed," He explained. I'm sure my face showed how appalled I was, because he quickly added. "I will not have sex with her, Sookie. Though I will have her undress and leave her scent in the bed. Once she leaves, I will request clean sheets, and the request will not seem amiss."

I didn't like the idea of another woman being naked or even nearly so with him, but as I had no better ideas, I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. And it's not like I really had the right to complain as I would be next door with Eric. By now I was dressed, and we walked back through the bathroom into my room. I squeezed his hand.

"I know this is a very difficult situation for you. I love you, and you are the one I want to be with, no matter who I may be married to, and in whatever way," I told him.

"I have put you in difficult situations before, and I can never make up for that. This is a consequence I must accept. You are truly unique and amazing, and I will always love you, with no exceptions." He told me.

We kissed one last time, before I knew he had to leave. It was tender and sweet, and I never wanted it to end. But of course it had to. Bill opened the door, stepped into the hallway, said his goodnights and was gone. My heart ached to watch him away, and for the door to close leaving me alone. I walked back toward the bathroom so I could take a bath. I was happy to find some lavender scented bath salt, and vanilla candles. It surprised me a bit, but thinking on it, it shouldn't have. The human companions of vampires often lived a more luxurious lifestyle than I was used to.

The bathtub was large and inviting. The warm water and the fragrances helped ease the tension of being in the house of someone who would like nothing more that to see me dead, while looking for a friend who had been kidnapped by said person. Of course I still didn't understand why he Victor would take Jenna. He had to have known that I would figure out where she was, and who she was with. That I would have known right away that he had something to do with it. I couldn't see what he had hoped to gain. That is, unless he thought I would come alone. Of course that's it; and a few years ago I might have. Or maybe this was a test to see how truly committed I was to Eric. Victor didn't know that I had broken the blood bond between Eric and I, so he couldn't lure me to New Orleans to kill me, and get away with it. Maybe he was deranged enough to think he could though. I didn't know.

"May I join you, my lover?" Eric asked from behind me. I had been so lost and intent on my thoughts I hadn't heard the door open.

I screamed, and my body jerked, spilling water onto the floor. "What the hell Eric? You scared me half to death!" I yelled at him.

"Not hardly," He responded with a very characteristic smirk. Maybe I hadn't heard the door open because Eric had wanted to scare the day lights out of me.

I scowled at him, "Hand me the towel." There was no point in modesty, not only had Eric seen all of me in the most intimate of ways already, I had added bath salts to the water, not bubbles, so from where he was standing he had a clear view.

He picked up the towel, but instead of handing it to me, he held it higher. "Come and get it," he told me.

A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I was out of town on vacation, and then got home just in time to start the last semseter of my Bacheloriate career, which has taken up most of my time the past couple of weeks. I will try to be more timely going forward. I hope you enjoy.