The driver opens the large padded black door of the club. My first thought is that I'm underdressed. Eric is wearing a suit, and Chow and Ginger look nice. There are two other vampires I don't recognize. I'm surprised they're here, this seems like it should be private. Should these two know about my son?
Eric looks up for a moment, and then back down at the paper he's looking over and the conversation he's having with a short young male vampire.
It's like they all sniff at once.
"What on earth?"
"What is that?"
Fangs pop out.
"Enough", Eric shouts, and they sit down one by one.
"First of all, he's mine", Eric says. "Anyone who lays a fang on him is going to war with me and with the state of Louisiana. Does anyone have any questions about that?"
Louisiana hadn't had a proper monarch that lasted over a month since Bill, but still no one seemed to want to fight.
"Good. You know why we're all here today, I want you as witnesses to this trial. I want to state again that Ms. Swynford DeBeaufort has not committed a crime, and cannot be charged with one, but she has greatly displeased me, as her Maker, in an unforgivable manner."
"Is she even here?" the other male vampire asks.
"No."
"Is she even aware of the charges?"
"Oh she's aware of everything. I've called her, and spread the message with every vampire I know that she's to appear here tonight. Word may have gotten as far as the Old World by now. She'll hear my call, and she won't disobey me on this. I know her better than that."
"How long are we going to wait for her…."
"Be seated and be silent", Eric commands, and they all do.
He hasn't yet greeted me.
He looks up then.
"I believe most of you know Sookie….my son's mother."
"Your son?"
Eric nods his head.
"She reproduced for you? Incredible! The child…he's your mirror image! How did you do it? Everyone is going to want to know about this. Fertile and a beauty to be sure", the young male vampire croons. I recognize him from the vampire summit but I don't know his name. He seems to be circling me. My fists are clenched. "How attached to her are you? I want her badly. I hadn't thought of having a child, but…. Will she reproduce for other vampires? I'll pay you for the time and trouble."
"You stupid son of a…" The brilliance in Eric's eyes shuts me up.
Eric swallows hard. "She's my bonded. She answers no one's call but mine. Isn't that right sweetheart?"
This wasn't the time for my usual show of independence. I look at him like I'm his thrall. In love, obsessed, desperate to make him happy.
"Yes, Eric."
"That's my good girl."
"Does she heel well?" the vampire asks.
"She always comes when I call." Eric is about ready to rip the guy's throat out.
The vampire looks down my shirt. "I gotta get one of those."
I gasp and jump back.
"She's also my wife."
That earned me a bit of respect. "You married a human?" the stupid vampire asks. "Forgive me, Eric. Forgive me, Sookie."
I'm gonna kill Eric, he's going to be lucky if I don't cut off his…
I turn to leave, but Eric zips in front of me, vamp speed, and blocks the door.
The look on his face is soft. He's not angry, or at least not nearly as angry as he was. He's trying to communicate a lot with that look.
He can't be seen as anything other than in charge and dangerous or E.J. and I may be the ones who pay the price. No one can think The Viking has lost his touch.
Then E.J. opens his eyes…and screams.
"Momma, no! Bad!" His eyes are wide as saucers as he stares at the other vampires.
"I'm taking my son outside!" Grr. "Do you mind if I wait outside? If you permit it" I ask at full volume.
"It's cold out there", Eric says.
As he speaks, there is a whoosh of air in the room.
"Eric!" Pam runs toward him, but he holds up his hand.
She's her usual beautiful self, clad in a bustier, leather pants, and spike heels.
She stops in her tracks.
"You're alive", she says, a bloody tear rolling down her cheek.
"Yes." This is hard for him, he nods his head. "Pamela Swynford DeBeaufort, you've been summoned here, this is not a social visit. Do you understand why you've been brought here?"
"I have a pretty good idea", she says, glaring at me.
"Do you deny that after my apparent death, you kept my entire inheritance, and let my bonded and my child nearly starve?"
"Starve", she says with a nervous laugh, "Hardly starve." She looks me over. "She looks fine to me."
Eric sighs in frustration. "Answer the question, Pam."
"No, I don't deny that I didn't give them your money. It was left to me."
"Silver her", Eric says wearily, and Chow wraps silver chains around her wrists.
"Ow! No, Eric, no, I'm your progeny! Ever since that damned f…"
He shakes his head a deadly "no."
"Ever since that damned bimbo walked into your life, you act like an infatuated tween! I can't believe you would choose a human over me. Over yourself! Eric, what's happened to you?"
"That is NOT YOUR BUSINESS" he explodes and everyone jumps a foot. "Don't tell me you didn't know he's mine!"
"Why?", he asks. "I know it's not the money, Pam, so why? Why did you want to punish them like this? Why did you hate him so much? Because he's mine?"
"I love him because he's yours. I hate him because he's hers, I hate him because he's the type of child to you that I will never be, I hate him because I couldn't give him to you despite the fact that we f*cked hundreds of times. I hate her because she killed you."
He takes a deep breath.
"She didn't kill me. It was my decision."
"You only think that! You tried to kill yourself once before for her, and I stopped you. I will never let you do that, and you did it this time without a word, without a thought. All for her, all so she could get knocked up when she spread her legs this time. You're property, little human, why can't you understand that…" she screams at me. "He's mine. MY Maker. MY love. How could you take him away from me?!"
I lift my hand... No, no, no, Sookie. Blasting her is not a good idea.
"He's not yours, you bitch, he never was!" I scream. E.J. lets out a howl and I hold him close.
She's staring hard at him. "Eric, I'm sorry. He's yours, I should have taken care of him. But they're a package deal, and I would rather see her dead first."
Eric rubs his forehead. "Pam, you've broken my heart. I'm going to let the person you wronged choose your punishment, because I cannot bear to pass sentence."
He turns to me, and I jump. "What would you like me to do with her? If you choose execution, I'll abide by it. I'll do it myself." His head hangs.
The other vampires can't quite believe it. But they're getting a lesson tonight on what happens if you f*ck with me or E.J.
He would do it himself. And it would destroy him, he'd never recover.
"Disown her", I say. "If in the future you want to give her another chance that's your business. But as of right now, disown her. She's no longer your progeny. Or your daughter."
"No!" she screams, "You bitch! This is what you always wanted…"
"You have no idea how lenient she's being Pam", he says. "You're banished. I want you out of my area by dawn."
"I'm the new sheriff, you can't just…."
He turns around and snarls. "And I'm the old sheriff, the only sheriff. Chow, get her out of here."
I can only watch and cuddle E.J. as Chow drags her away.
"I'm gonna make you sorry, bitch…"
"Say anything else to her and I'll change my mind about letting you off so easily!" Eric barks.
He drags her away. Tears are flowing down my cheeks, and I can tell Eric is fighting his own tears.
He turns to the guests. "That's all you were brought here for. To witness her being taken out of power and her punishment. I need your signatures, here and here…" The two random vampires sign.
"Thank you."
I can tell they mostly agree with Pam, that she rightfully and legally inherited his fortune, and had no need to share it with Eric's human pet if she didn't want to.
But of course there was now something bigger at work here. There was no way they were going to let this go. A vampire who could become human? With a biological child? Impossible. Yet they'd seen tonight with their own eyes. And even tried to purchase my services.
"Ginger, pour them a TruBlood on me" Eric orders.
"I'm sorry, this was necessary I promise", he says, walking over to us. "Please, forgive me…"
"We'll talk at home. You need to make it right with E.J."
"Son…"
"Bad!" E.J. screams at him, and I cuddle him close.
"He's not afraid of you", I say, proud of him.
Eric is too. "My boy is brave. But he does need an apology…I am sorry for scaring you, son. I am sorry for scaring your mother and making her cry. Please forgive me?"
E.J. sniffles, and wipes his tears with the back of his hand.
"Bad", he says, more quietly this time.
"I promise to be as good as I can. For you. Please….?"
E.J. lets Eric hug us. "You two wait out in the car", he says. "Chow! Take them out to the car."
"Yes, sir." He walks us out, and opens the back door to the limo.
Screams!
"Chow…!"
"He needed their signatures, he didn't need anything else. And they knew about E.J."
So do you, I thought.
He slams the door behind us.
A few minutes later, Eric comes out of the club, missing his jacket. He wipes the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Ginger?" I ask, as he gets in the car.
"Relax, I glamoured her. She can barely remember her name, what's one more time?"
"I'm sorry you had to do that."
He nods. I know he's crushed.
"I know you love her. It's okay to love her. Maybe another time…"
"You're so generous and kind, sweetheart." He kisses my hand.
"Can E.J. and I go home now?" I ask. "Part of this was to hold Pam accountable, but part of it was to prove you could bring us here if you wanted to. You can control anything you think is yours, and that definitely applies to E.J. and I. Don't tell me otherwise."
"Maybe", he admits. "But you're here for another reason. I hate feeling this helpless. I have no idea why he smells like he does. I just know it's going to be an effort to keep him safe."
"But he's not a vampire, Eric, he has no special ways of defending himself. Will he ever be able to keep himself safe?"
"I don't know, sweetheart", he pulls us close and kisses the top of E.J.'s head. "But I will spend forever figuring it out if that's what it takes."
"I love you", I sigh, burying my face his arm.
"Shhh, everything will be all right. I love you. So much."