All Hell Breaks Loose

Chapter 13: Cold Hearted

New Orleans

Eric pursed his lips and read the latest e-mail from Pam. Both the Authority and the AVL had pressured her to let Steve speak with the public, let them know he is alive or let them think he is still alive. They were going to reveal his true status a few nights from now. She went out of her way to point out this was not her idea and their adopted child was still not completely comfortable with it either.

"It is to let the public rest," Eric said and sighed. He had seen the news on the MSN landing page about how he was found but still wanted to stay with his rescuers in Shreveport for a little longer.

"What do you know about the latest Magister?" Bill asked. He was in the middle of the crossword puzzle.

"Helena Davenport," Eric answered. "712 years old exact. Was originally from Sussex. She looked up to Nan and most likely hates our guts."

The sound of the key in the lock was jiggled and Amelia walked in whistling a tune and carrying in a fast food bag. She dropped the keys on the table and sat down on the couch.

"Welcome home," Bill said to her.

"Thank you for everything," Eric said and turned off the computer. While they slept Amelia cleaned the apartment for them and refilled their fridge with bottles of Tru Blood. Eric gave her money and a small list and she bought them a few more chairs, a microwave to heat the bottles, a few lamps and a few other things for comfort such as bathmats.

"Don't need to sweat it," Amelia said as she pulled the food out of the bag. "Got some new info for you."

"Go on," Eric urged.

"New Queen has been crowned. Monique Dubelle."

Eric nodded at the name. Monique was turned over four hundred years ago. She had a great radar for bullshit as she once put it and she was fair, always listening to both sides before she made a decision. She also had a bit of an addiction for Dance Dance Revolution.

"Shegoing to stay in Baton Rouge?" Bill asked.

"Yeah and she is appointing new Sheriffs soon," Amelia said before she took a bite from her burger.

"Will she chose someone over Pam?" Bill asked.

Eric shook his head. "Knowing her she will review the currant lieutenants who are acting as sheriffs and officially give them the title. She will acknowledge Pam as Sheriff of Area 5."

"I just realized something," Amelia said after she took a sip from her soda. "All these Area's got numbers right? Is there an Area 51?"

"Not in the way you think," Eric said and had to keep from smiling. Some of the way the humans think were amusing. Their ideas of flying saucers and government conspiracies to cover them up had him laughing half the time.

"How did you find out about the new queen?" Bill asked.

"I have some connections," Amelia said before making quotation symbols with her fingers. "Sophie Anne had me do a few things for her, although I had to get some more experienced witches to help her with what she wanted and up to about a year ago her little consort used to live upstairs."

"Hadley," Eric said.

"That's the one. She left all of sudden and had me forward all of her stuff via moving trucks. Hate to say it but I'm not all sad to see her go. Tried to rent out this place but the last tenant left a few months after he found out about my day job and that I willingly rent out to fangbangers."

"What is your day job," Bill asked. "If it isn't rude for me for asking."

"I give out tours for visitors and I do readings. A lot of people come to New Orleans for the magic, of course some are a little disappointed that what I do is witchcraft and not voodoo."

"I need to go upstairs and think," Eric said as he rose to his feet. He had to think deeply, meditate. He hoped to speak with Godric again. He needed his Maker's guidance. "Bill I need you to stay here for at least an hour. Try not to anger our host to the point of throwing you out."

"Why would you get that idea?" Bill asked.

"I doubt I will get angry with him," Amelia said as she reached for the remote. "As long as he doesn't disturb me in the next hour." She turned on the television and changed the channel to what looked like the start of a sitcom. "Ooh this is going to be a great episode."

"Oh?" Bill asked after a few minutes of cheesy sitcom lines and one of the main characters being caught with a bikini clad woman in his room. "What kind of show is this? I thought they got rid of the canned laughter."

"This isn't a sitcom," Amelia explained as the credits opened on the two males who were supposedly brothers. "It's about these two brothers who travel around in a 67 Impala and fight demons, ghosts and monsters. It's pretty dark and—aha that is why it's like this. The trickster is in this episode."

"Interesting premise," Eric said. "I will be back in an hour if it is okay with our gracious host."

"Sure sure now shhhh." She waved her hand.

Shreveport

Break time at last. It wasn't like Steve was having a difficult night. He was just hungry and the way some of the humans danced and when they noticed he was watching went out of their way to show off their necks, their thighs and their wrists in the hope he would drink from them. He refused to drink from humans. He would try to refuse anyway.

"Hi Steve," Hailey greeted from a small table in the break room. "How's the evening going for you?"

"Not too difficult," Steve answered as pulled out a bottle of B Positive and heated it up in the microwave. "How about yourself?"

"Pretty good night," Hailey answered. She always brought a home made meal for her break and this time it was a chicken and almond type of meal with rice with a side of avocado slices and a chocolate bar. "Most of the customers have been nice and tips are great."

"That is nice." He pulled out his heated bottle and sat down next to her. He liked her well enough and they were both new employees. She was always chipper and friendly. She was the type of gal he had enjoyed speaking to in the past and would probably lecture to about staying away from vampires and those who betray the human race by being with them.

"It's still bothering you," Hailey said while Steve sipped on his bottle. "Being turned and working here."

"More than anything." He set down the bottle and stared at his nails that had been painted black. "I'm not a monster. I don't want to go to hell."

"Evil monsters can't stand being near religious symbols." She pointed at the gold cross hanging from his neck. "They enjoy hurting people. They get off on torturing people to the point of insanity. They love to kill puppies and kittens and you don't want to do that."

"No I don't," Steve said and fingered his cross. He had asked Pam for a bible and before he would climb into his coffin in the morning he would read a passage and before he fell asleep he prayed to God, asking for his forgiveness for what he became.

"I know this is going to take time."

"I still have these emotions and feelings that I have a hard time controlling and the sun." He closed his eyes. "I can't feel the sun on my skin anymore. What creature cannot be in the sun?"

"Some humans burn faster than others. I had a friend in high school who would get second degree sunburn by being in the sun for an hour and there are some humans who have an actual allergy to sunlight and they are good people."

"Odd allergy," Steve said. He thought of humans who had what was called the vampire disease and wondered if the sun allergy she was talking about was the same or something else.

"A lot of people have odd allergies. I have to be careful when choosing a toothpaste and mouthwash cause I have a bad allergy to spearmint."

"Not being able to stand the sun doesn't make you evil. It's the feeling of not being able to enjoy it. I can't go to sporting events or barbecues, mowing the lawn or just relaxing outside with a good book during the day. My church was beautiful, Hailey. The way the sun poured in through the open roof and I'll never be able to enjoy it." He wiped away his tears and stared in disgust at the blood on his fingers.

"Here." She handed him a napkin. "Are you sure you are ready to go on air in a few nights?"

"I'm not sure." He hadn't thought about that. The idea of him revealing to the world the fact that he was a vampire now frightened him. A few members of the AVL had thought that pushing him was not the answer but the Authority wanted him to speak.

"No matter what happens you still have us," Hailey said with a smile. "Ah crap that's probably not want you wanted to hear."

"No that is what I needed." He chugged the remains from his bottle. "You finish your meal."

"I'm practically done," Hailey said as she unwrapped her Hershey bar.

"I hope you do have a good toothpaste you can use." He said in a teasing tone. "With the way you have been eating."

"These are my only vice."

"I used to have a bit of a sweet tooth myself before I got fangs." He placed the empty bottle in the recycling bin. "I better take out the trash." He took out the filled bag tied the end in a knot and carried it outside.

There was something different about that night. Steve felt prickles against his skin and had a strange sensation through his body. Someone that was close to him had returned.

"Hello?"

"Are you their servant now?" The voice sent a chill down Steve's back. "Taking out their trash for them. This is not what you are meant to be."

"Nicolette?"

"I am here." She stepped out from the shadows and stood before him. "Hello my progeny."

A/N:

First I like to say sorry that I'm a little behind on this chapter, been out of town for a wedding.

I'm sure some of you have guessed it by now that I'm also a fan of Supernatural and I can see Amelia being a fan as well. The episode she is watching had originally aired on November 5th 2009 and that is the date of this chapter.

Replies: Samantha, thank you. I try to update often.

Anonymous. Thank you. I enjoyed writing Sookie and Claude's conversation and there had been times when I want to shout at the TV. "Put them away and zip it up."