Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris owns all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chpt 24 Crown and Sceptre
EPOV
Stan.
I am not surprised by his visit, his spies must be telling him the same things mine are but I had not expected it to be so soon. Nor am I entirely certain of the outcome.
Pam greets me at the staff entrance, ushering me into my office as she fusses at my suit and straightens my tie. Despite years of practice, and in some cases overly ornate attire, jeans and t-shirts are my clothes of choice for a reason.
Done with me she tidies my desk a little obsessively. I am amused that I am the only one who knows how she behaves when she is nervous.
"Pam, child, relax." I urge her, gripping her flying wrist. "I was expecting this, it is nothing to fear."
"Of course Master." She demurs. "I am merely concerned about showing you in the best light."
Inwardly I sigh. I forget sometimes why she has made such an amazing vampire, she has all the instincts I do. I may not have been able, or had time, to tell her everything but she has already worked much of it out on her own. We are vulnerable with Sophie Anne injured.
"Show him straight here when he arrives." I advise her. "Do not fawn over him, he is not that kind of King."
"As if." She snorts and I pat her cheek.
"If he leaves his entourage in the bar be sure they have a good time."
"Of course Eric. I am British. Our hospitality is legendary."
My laugh of derision follows her out the door and down the hall and I busy myself with my laptop, scrolling through my mail as I process the potential consequences of Stan's visit.
An hour later Pam knocks at my door and ushers him inside. Alone, significant that he is without his bodyguards.
"Eric." He nods, lowering into a chair without being asked.
"Your Majesty." I close my laptop and afford him my full attention.
"There are two issues that bring me here tonight." He begins, eyes daring mine to look away. "I will begin with what I believe is the most pressing if you do not mind?"
My nod is automatic. Godric respected him enough to serve him, I can at least listen to him, especially as he does not, in my experience, waste time or words.
"Sophie Anne will take a long time to recover from her injuries. With Andre as her Regent she might as well be dead. He is vain and foolish."
I do not speak and he does not expect me to.
"Nevada, Philadelphia and Montana have their eyes on your state."
"Alabama and Georgia too." I concede.
"They are of no matter to us." Stan observes disdainfully. "Nevada is a credible threat. Montana is too far away."
"So is Philadelphia."
"Yet he is the only one without his own state."
Silence. In a triumph of hope over experience I had allowed myself to believe Madden was not yet that aggressive. I cannot serve him, he disgusts me.
"I will not allow Philadelphia to have influence so close to my borders." Stan observes.
"My spies have told me as much." I confide.
"If you claim Arkansas and Louisiana I will support you."
No. No, no, no. The world is very large. I will happily traverse it in order to avoid that responsibility.
Stan smiles as if he is already aware of my feelings on the subject, and well he might be if he had Godric's confidence.
"Alternatively I will claim Arkansas and Louisiana if you will support me."
I will, but I wonder how this will affect my responsibilities to the non-human.
Stan's pale eyes are boring into mine.
I cannot warn him, there is no caveat emptor for vampire, if he is unknowingly taking on the non-human then I will be grateful.
"The existing Sheriffs?" I ask.
"Will be left in situ although I reserve the right to appoint my own in New Orleans. Sophie Anne's Sheriffs have always been one of the strongest assets of her kingdom. I will require your support to ensure a smooth transition with minimal bloodshed."
He watches my still face for a moment.
"You know me through Godric, Eric. I will not interfere and you will be a valuable asset to me as you were to Sophie Anne, I will not upset the status quo unless my hand is forced."
If I agree I am signing Sophie Anne's death warrant. If I refuse I am exposing me and mine to unacceptable risk. I already know the correct answer but for the sake of etiquette he sits quietly while I pretend to consider my options.
"Might you become a target for the possession on three states?" I ask finally.
"I might." He concedes with a wry smile. "But I am capable of running them all effectively and The Northman will be one of my most trusted Sheriffs, quite the deterrent don't you think?"
Flattery. Even I am susceptible to flattery, Sophie Anne was very good at it.
"I will need your assistance to quell Arkansas, they are ill disciplined."
I nod. That they are, we have had several run ins with them over breaches of our borders, it was one of the reasons Sophie Anne was considering an alliance with Threadgill, to exert some control.
"Do you need more time to consider Eric?" He asks, still smiling.
"No. Very well Your Majesty, for the good of both our states I accept your proposal."
"Excellent. I have a present for you." He chuckles. "To seal whatever deal we struck tonight."
A commotion of vampires barrels down the hall, bursting open my door and throwing a struggling and mewling form at my desk.
Stan steps adroitly out of the way as his two Sheriff's pin their companion to the floor.
I blink.
The Reverend Steve Newlin no less. Newly made vampire.
"One of my Sheriffs found him in Houston. I am afraid he has no idea who his Maker is. But I am delighted to inform you that he has changed his mind about all vampire being expunged from the face of the earth."
"I just bet he has." I chuckle. Our mystery avenger has a sense of humour I can fully get behind it seems.
"Well Eric." Stan sighs happily. "I must be getting back to Dallas, I have work to do. I will leave our new brother to your tender mercies, I am sure you will be able to extract all the information we need."
"Of course Your Majesty. And thank you for trusting me with such an enjoyable task."
Stan laughs.
"Such lovely courtly manners Sheriff, no wonder your Queen is so enamoured of you. If you will show us where The Reverend will be residing we will be on our way."
Several minutes later, with a hysterical Newlin secured in silver in the basement, Pam and I bid Stan and his Sheriffs farewell.
"That's another crown deftly dodged Eric." Pam's voice is amused.
"Thank you." I chuckle, patting her hand. "I am taking the rest of the night off, I have things to do, but I will be in touch later to plan our defences."
Outside I fold my long frame into my Corvette. Now would be the perfect time for the hedonistic self-indulgence I promised myself but instead I set the car toward Bon Temps, where it will surely be destroyed by the travesty that is the non-human's driveway.
Erring on the side of caution I pull off the lane that leads to her house and decide to walk the rest of the way. Thalia is on me in moments.
"Your woman angry."
"She is?"
"Yes. Fell over on rug and broke nail. Is blaming you."
"Me?" I query, surprise evident in my tone.
"Yes. You. Deceitful, liberty taking, jerk. Is waiting for you on porch. Seemed to know you coming."
"This is amusing you." I observe dryly.
She shrugs, feigning disinterest, and blurring away.
Since a second blood exchange has not worked I have decided to take a different approach with the non-human, one that I am hoping I can make work rapidly. Events are moving quickly and I cannot afford to leave the risk she may represent to chance. Since I will not harm her and I cannot control her, I have decided to be nice to her. To pretend I am playing her game.
And having made such a dangerous choice I refuse to sanction myself for the twinge of apprehension I feel as I approach her through the darkness.
She is indeed sitting on the porch, however there is no trace of the snivelling pathetic 'pretend' human who awaited me last time. Even without the bond I fancy I can feel the waves of anger wafting off her and when I deliberately break a twig to let her know I am approaching the blazing blue eyes she raises to mine are worthy of a mythical warrior queen.
My own, personal, demon.
"Sheriff Northman." Her voice is cold and clipped.
"No Eric?" I mock.
She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment.
"Is there something you need to tell me?" She asks.
"There is nothing I need to tell you." I respond, watching her jaw clenching and unclenching with interest. "However there may be some things I am inclined to. Can you be more specific?"
"Are you deliberately trying to make me angry?" She growls.
"Yes." Might as well be honest.
"Why." More of a demand than a question.
"Your anger amuses me."
She makes a strangled sound that I decide is somewhere between a laugh and growl as I come to a stop a mere foot in front of her so that she has to crane her neck to look up at me. A blatant intimidation tactic.
"I can see up your nose." She observes, cocking an eyebrow at me.
"Is it clean?" I reply smoothly, forcing myself not to laugh.
That sound was definitely a snort and I wait, expecting her to get up, uncomfortable with me leaning over her, but she stays seated, glaring up at me.
"Alright." I say softly, squatting down so that our noses are on the same level. "I will bite. What is it you think I should be telling you?"
"When were you planning to tell me that we exchanged blood again?" She huffs. "And you will note that I use the word we with a degree of disdain."
"Noted. How is it exactly that you have come to this conclusion?"
What are you? How do you know? It did not even work . . . .
"Is that some kind of joke?" She snaps. "You know perfectly well how I know. Just because I didn't say anything last time doesn't mean it didn't happen. What is it? Some kind of vampire joke? Was there a candid camera there waiting for me to keel over on my face?"
Thalia's words come back to me and I look down at her hands which are waving erratically, several of the nails have been ripped down to the quick and I know that is painful and unlikely to be done on purpose.
"You will explain to me exactly what happened." I order, my voice darkening.
"Like fuck I will!" She shouts, leaping to her feet, towering over me. "You did something to me without my consent and you left me to find out about it the hard way."
I blink in surprise, watching as she charges up the steps and into the house, slamming the door against me. Her bare feet thud dully on the floorboards, a door opens and closes with another slam, bedsprings creak.
"Jerk." She huffs, apparently punching her feather pillow viciously.
I must be nice. We are supposed to be playing her game tonight.
I follow slowly, relieved, when I cross her threshold that she has not rescinded my invitation like she did Compton's. Her scent, delectable, is easy to follow, and I pause outside her boudoir door. Considering a knock, which instinct tells me would be nice and just opening it, which will probably make her even less responsive to my questions.
Hating myself I knock.
"What?"
"Should you not withdraw the invitation to enter of a vampire you have cursed at?" I ask. "I merely point that out in the interests of your safety."
"Get bent."
Does she want me to bow when I enter? Strange, but I am willing to attempt it, in the interests of playing her at her own game.
She surveys my hunched over stance with an open mouth as I enter her room, deciding to leave the door open behind me since her fresh clean scent is overpowering in here. She is laying on her front, her face turned toward me, a shotgun beside her, her delicate hand on the stock.
"If you are planning to shoot me it is a little late for that." I point out, looming over her, within easy reach of the weapon. "In more ways than one."
Sitting up she moves it deftly to stand against her bedside table.
"I was cleaning it before you came."
"Silver bullets?" I can smell them, and the gun oil.
"Of course." She blushes for some reason.
"How very prepared of you."
I can almost hear her ligaments straining against her mental command not to flip me the finger. Her bravery, despite her fear, is enticing to me, as I am sure it is meant to be.
"I actually came here to thank you."
"What for?" She genuinely seems surprised.
"Saving my life."
"Oh. Well, no problem. Thanks for choosing to repay me by bonding with me again without my permission."
"I am not denying it." I keep my voice soft and teasing. "But I am very curious as to how you know."
She snorts and I sense that her anger is about to make her close down on me again.
"Sookie." I cannot bring myself to lace her name with the saccharin breathiness that Compton does but I have a stab at it anyway. "A proper bond would enable me to protect you better, something you cannot deny you need after the events of this last week. And besides, do not be coy with me, we both know it has not changed anything between us."
She blows out a sweet scented breath and I step back in self-defence.
"I intended to tell you what I had attempted."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Really?" I chuckle. "I could not tell you last night, your eyes were like cashier lines at the bank, constantly closing."
"You could have left me a note."
"Perhaps I would have if I had known there was a reason for it. Will you please tell me what happened to you the last time we exchanged blood, and this evening?"
"You don't know?" She asks with a mixture of surprise and suspicion.
"No. I do not. Enlighten me."
After a pause she does and without thinking I drop into the rocking chair in the corner of her room.
"You really didn't know that would happen?"
I shake my head, still searching it for some frame of reference. I knew there was something wrong, no vampire has ever spoken of the blood exchange, the word bond is currently making my redundant sphincter tighten, affecting them the way mine has. And neither has anyone spoken of the human, and I use that word loosely, being blasted with similar power at the same time. It must be something to do with what she is, what is she?
"Eric?" Her voice is low and hesitant.
What are you?
"I'm a frightened waitress, can't you tell?" She fires back.
I surge to my feet, shocked out of my contemplation.
"Oh shit." She moans, edging back onto her bed as if it will defend her.