Eric, Bill, Amelia, and I were standing in the driveway watching the blaze of fire in front of us. After Eric and Bill had finished with the Pelts, they had untied them from the chairs and put their bodies at different spots in the house. Amelia and I found a gas can in the garage and soaked the house with it. After the vampires had gotten a safe distance back from the house, I threw a few matches inside and walked away. Strangely, it had felt more like just another task that needed to be done and it didn't really bother me at all. I knew this was not the way Gran had raised me, but more and more lately I've realized that maybe I've always been a fighter and a survivor. If that means that occasionally I have to get my hands dirty to protect myself and the people I love, then so be it.
"Are you ok lover?" Eric asked wrapping his arms around me.
"Yes. In fact for the first time since Debbie Pelt entered my life, I don't feel like I have to look over my shoulder. Not from her or her family at least." I still had plenty to look over my shoulder about.
I heard gravel crunching and looked to see Mr. Cataliades pulling down the driveway. He stopped a few feet from us and got out. He walked to the back of the car and opened the door and Sophie Ann stepped out. Oh geez, we don't need more witnesses.
The Queen walked up to us looking weary of the inferno ahead. "Ms. Stackhouse, Amelia; I'm glad to see you two are alright. What in the world happened to you?"
For the second time that night I relayed our ordeal. Sophie Ann's facial expressions never changed; which is normal for vampires, but Mr. Cataliades looked almost as mad as Eric.
"Fucking werewolves! Always more trouble than they are worth!" Said the Queen, finally showing some emotion.
"I agree your Majesty. I'm sorry I wasn't around to help you during the daylight when your vampire was at ground my dear. I would have gladly taken out those animals to protect you." It touched me that Mr. Cataliades cared enough about me to say that.
"It's not your fault Mr. C, I knew Sandra was sniffing around but I guess I didn't realize how far she would go to get to me. I'm just sorry that Amelia got caught in the crossfire." I turned to her with regret.
"Hey no more of that! I've already told you that I don't blame you for this and you saved me too. For future reference though buddy, when I said we would have a kick ass friendship, I didn't mean for you to take it so literal." She was smirking at me and I realized that in the few days we had known each other, she had become more important to me than some of my so called friends back home.
Eric chimed in, "I hate to break up this love fest, but we need to get out of here before the authorities show up." He was right. We might be out in the middle of nowhere but eventually someone would see the flames or the smoke and call for help.
We were in the limo heading back towards the city when Sophie Ann looked over at Eric and me and said "I realize you've had a very trying day Sookie, but I would like for all of you to come back to my home with me for a little while. I need to speak with you and my Sheriff and I'd like to have my staff pamper you and Ms. Broadway. They will fix you anything you would like for dinner, and I think an hour in the spa with some new clothes will help you both feel much better."
As much as I just wanted to be alone with Eric in the condo, I knew the Queen was honoring us with her invitation and it would offend her if I turned it down.
"Thank you ma'am that would be very nice." I replied and Eric sent a load of approval through me. I guess he thought I would pitch a tantrum about it, but I had been dealing with vamps long enough now to know a few things.
"That sounds great your Majesty. I could always go for a visit to the spa!" I was beginning to think Amelia was the definition of an eternal optimist.
Sophie Ann looked at Bill "I hope you will also join us this evening Mr. Compton."
"Of course my Queen, it would be my privilege."
Wow! The Queen wasn't kidding when she said her staff would pamper us! Amelia and I were cloaked in a soft chenille robe, lying back having a facial in the Queen's personal spa. When we first arrived, two human females had led us back to a large, multi-shower bathroom. It was a very large area covered in beautiful mosaic tiles in all shades of blue and teal. Each giant shower stall had some kind of fancy showerhead that had about 100 spray settings and a digital temperature gauge. I wondered if I could have a shower like this installed in my old farmhouse with my new found inheritance. Imagine all the showers Eric and I could take together! No, better slide those thoughts away for now. We had both scrubbed up with an assortment of body washes, moisturizers and shampoos in every scent imaginable.
After the facials, two very muscular vampires came in and said they would be doing our massages.
"Oh uh, you don't have to do that, we feel great already" I smiled nervously at him.
"Do not worry Ms. Stackhouse, Hans and I have been professionally taught the way to massage humans without hurting them. We are also perfect gentlemen." He smiled showing me his fangs were completely retracted.
"Well ok, I guess it would be nice. Thank you" I felt silly for questioning them, but you have to be careful around vamps that could crush your spine without thinking twice.
"This is wonderful" Sighed Amelia. "I should have made better friends with the Queen sooner!"
After every piece of my body felt relaxed, Amelia and I were sent to one of the large upstairs bedrooms and a young vampire was waiting for us. Her platinum blonde hair was very curly and she had a beautiful, short, fuchsia strapless dress on. The dress was offset by her neon yellow heels. She looked like she was a sorority sister who had been made vampire.
"Hi guys, nice to meet you! I'm Salem and I'll be your stylist this evening" She beamed at us. I almost snorted at her cheerfulness. I have never seen a vampire so happy in my life! Of course it wouldn't be a good idea to snort since she could still rip my throat out.
"Oh this is too much!" Amelia said to the girl, but only because she thought she should. I heard it right from her head that she was as happy as a clam. Apparently she had forgotten the dreadful events of the day.
The sorority vamp asked our sizes and took each of us behind a changing curtain. She sped off for a few minutes, apparently perusing the closets full of clothes, shoes, lingerie, and accessories. She came back with a few different outfits for each of us to try on. I had to admit she had fantastic taste.
The second outfit I tried on, I fell in love with. It was a short, black, fitted skirt with a neon blue peplum top. When I came out and showed her, she let her fangs run out a little when she smiled. I guess she liked it?
"I'll be right back!" She was off at vamp speed searching in the rear of one of the closets. She came back with a black cuff bracelet, a silver bangle bracelet, and silver high heels.
Amelia stepped out looking equally as fabulous with her long, purple maxi dress. I was a little too busty for the neckline of that dress, but on Amelia it was just right. She was also outfitted with accessories and within minutes we were ready to go.
"Damn we look hot!" Amelia whistled at our reflection in the mirror, and we headed downstairs to the lion's den.
When Amelia and I walked into the dining room, we got some pretty serious stares from all the vamps in the room. I went and sat beside Eric who was all kinds of lusty and I think I felt relief from him too. I realized he was relieved that I had made it out of today relatively unscathed and my mental health didn't seem to be suffering either. I was pretty relieved at that also.
Mr. C sat down beside me, while Amelia sat beside Bill and in front of me. The Queen sat at the head of the table of course. I couldn't wait to see what we were going to be served for dinner, considering I hadn't ate in 24 hours. My stomach was growling the whole time I was trying on clothes.
Two waiters came in the room; one was carrying a tray with 3 bowls of minestrone soup, 3 bowls of blood bisque, and a loaf of made from scratch bread and whipped butter. Us humans and demons dug in and didn't come up for air until the bowls were clean and the bread was gone. We went on to receive an entrée of lobster tail, prosciutto macaroni and cheese, and steamed broccoli; as well as vanilla bean cheesecake for dessert. I didn't think I could ever hold that much food, but it was fantastic. Hopefully I wouldn't pop the seams in the skirt.
"Bill, why don't you take Ms. Broadway for a tour of the grounds" Sophie Ann smiled gracefully while politely dismissing him and Amelia.
Bill held his arm out like a true southern gentleman for Amelia. "Shall we?" he grinned at her
"We shall. I can't wait to see the rest of this place, it's like Disneyland!" They set off to explore the mansion and grounds.
"Sookie last night we didn't get to talk about everything I wanted to talk to you about. I would like to offer you a position in my employ. I would like to keep you on retainer to help me with some human dealings and summit meetings. You could of course stay in Bon Temps if that is your wish, and I will summon you when I need you. I'm willing to pay you $5000 per month base pay whether I need you that month or not, and if we need to go any further than New Orleans, I will double that. Most of the times I will need you it will most likely only be for a day or two at a time. I expect you will want Mr. Northman to travel with you if we leave New Orleans, and that is acceptable to me." "Sheriff, I will also reduce your monthly payment to my kingdom by 15% if you consent to this arrangement as well."
This trip was starting to get a little overwhelming. Let's reflect on the last few days. I had my first threesome, was possessed by my dead cousin's spirit, became a millionaire, got myself kidnapped, sent three sick twisted individuals to their deaths, committed arson, had my first spa treatment, and now I was being offered a job by vampire royalty. Yep, just another week in the life of Sookie Stackhouse.
"I'm assuming you don't want to hire me for my waitressing abilities huh?" I grinned at her, stalling for a minute until I could process her request.
"Though I'm sure you are good at that as well, I am more interested in your supernatural abilities my dear." Luckily she had a sense of humor tonight.
"Your Majesty, if my bonded one agrees to this arrangement, I am sure you have measures in place to ensure her safety." He said it with a question in his voice and I was glad he was the one to bring it up.
"Of course Sheriff. I know how attached you are to her and to be honest, I am quite fond of her myself. She has the same passion for life that Hadley did. I can see that she is intelligent, brave, and resilient. I would be honored to have her on my staff."
"So you would only call me when you needed me and other than that, Eric and I would be allowed to remain living where we choose in peace, correct?" I asked as politely as I could but still with a firmness in my voice.
"Yes. I have no interest in trying to steal you away from your love. I know all too well that pain. Plus, Eric is my most profitable and powerful Sheriff, I wouldn't want to have him angry with me." Well that was pragmatic.
"Then my answer is yes, I will work for you when you need me under those conditions. I'm honored to be in your employ ma'am." I knew how to be a lady and though I didn't picture myself working for vampires, I knew this was the best way to keep myself and Eric safe from others who might want to take me from my home.
"Wonderful! Now Mr. Cataliades has a few things to discuss with you."
"Yes child, I was afraid you couldn't handle anymore news last night so I thought it best to wait to finish our conversation. In regards to the condo you now own in New Orleans, you can keep it as a home away from home, which might come in handy now that you will be working for the Queen; or Ms. Broadway has offered to buy it back from you at $300,000 if you don't want to keep it."
I looked over at Eric and asked "What do you think? Should we just keep it so we have a place to stay when we're on business here?" I could tell by the way he looked at me and the pride I felt from him that he was happy I had asked his opinion on the matter. I know I could be as stubborn as a mule sometimes, but I knew that a real relationship was give and take and I needed to include him in on parts of my life, and decisions I made.
"If you would like to keep it lover I think it would be nice to have it here and already set up for a vampire instead of needing accommodations when we come to town, but the final decision is yours." He kissed my hand.
"I think we will keep it at least for now Mr. C." I answered. "I've been thinking and I want to discuss something with you as well your Majesty. I don't think I can keep the money from Hadley's inheritance. I mean, you gave it to her as part of your pledging and you meant for her to have it for her long life. Since she has sadly met the true death, I think it's only right that you take it back for yourself." I hoped I didn't offend her. I couldn't read the look on her face.
"I can see why Mr. Northman is so enamored with you. You are so different from most humans. I did give the money to Hadley willingly and freely to do with what she chose. She wanted you to have it should something unfortunate happen to her and I think she made a great choice. I insist you accept it, but I appreciate the offer."
Well that was awkward. I couldn't imagine how I was going to tell my brother that our finally dead cousin Hadley had made me an overnight millionaire, part owner of a vampire cosmetics company and owner of a swanky New Orleans condo. I had no idea what I would do with any of the money and I couldn't bring myself to even think about it yet.
"If you are absolutely sure your Majesty, then I will accept the inheritance. If you ever change your mind though, please let me know." I swear I saw her giggle.
Bill and Amelia had walked back in and we all said our goodnights. Amelia, Eric, and I were taken back to the condo by Mr. C and we were all bone tired when we parted ways. A few minutes later, Eric and I were snuggled in bed and as he held me close to his body, I fell into a deep sleep while he whispered sweet nothing in my ear in his native language. Even after a failed kidnapping, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world at that moment.