Spellbound

You guys are wonderful! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Your reviews and the way you are following the story is just amazing to me. Thank you. I can't say it enough. Before I respond to a guest review, I would like to say that I respect all opinions whether I agree with them or not. With that said, let me proceed.

To the guest that left me the really long review today; my last a's/n was not meant for you but this one is. You are sorely mistaken when you say that Sookie was flirting with Antony. They were playing a game of Scrabble. She interacted with him just as she has with the other males in the story … Chow, Quinn, and Sal. She didn't make him feel any type of way. She wasn't batting her eyes at him. She wasn't touching him. She was only laughing at his stupid word choices. Eric saw how Antony was behaving. He heard her laughter. He saw her smiling. So? That doesn't mean that she was flirting with him. Maybe he heard what he wanted to hear. Maybe her laughter wasn't like bells. Maybe her smile wasn't the same smile that she saves only for him. He was jealous. He could have been wrong and as far as I'm concerned, he was and so are you. She wasn't flirting with him.

Nowhere in this story has she led any man on other than Eric. I, and I hope to God that I'm not the only one, don't believe that playing a game of Scrabble and laughing at a joke is considered flirtatious behavior. If that is the case, then we all must flirt when we laugh at a joke told by a person of the opposite or same sex. My friends and I get together on some weekends and play games and we laugh. We have a few drinks. We have blast. We laugh and we joke around but I don't think we're flirting with each other. I laugh at my girlfriend's husband when he does something silly or says something funny but maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I should think long and hard before I laugh at another joke or another silly thing that a friend does. The next time I see her, I'm going to have to ask my girlfriend if she thinks I'm flirting with her husband because I laughed at what he's just said. It has nothing to with the fact that it's funny. I was always under the assumption that Tomas was funny and could tell one helluva joke but obviously, I was wrong. I must have been flirting with him …right? When we sit around the coffee table and play Shotz, I shouldn't laugh or smile at him or any of the other men there because I'm flirting with them. When my girlfriends laughed at my boyfriend when he used to tell them jokes, they were flirting with him. He wasn't funny at all. They flirting with him! The rat bastards (jk)!

During all that time that Eric was with Gervais, maybe Sookie stumbled upon something. Hmmmmm. Let's have a guess here. The story isn't over.

And as far as Eric goes, the night in the living room, was the first time he'd met Antony. He said as much.

Another misunderstanding I'd like to clear up is that she is not going to hide anything from Eric. If you'd thoroughly read the chapter, she told Claudette that she was going to tell Eric everything. She also admitted to making a mistake when she was going to go to Pixie's apartment. She told Eric about it. She said that she was wrong. And as far as her popping away, she did it once earlier in the story when he wanted to hold her. She popped herself away to her new bedroom. She has always had that option. She thought about going to Fae when he threatened to break the door down but she didn't do it. She listened to what Eric had to say. Just as he listens to her. And what's wrong with her explaining what Antony meant when he made those nasty comments to Eric? She was supposed to explain to Eric how the fae are when it comes to being close to each other. She wanted him to understand how being near their kin affects them.

And since they are starting over, why wouldn't he listen to her? She didn't say that she felt anything for Antony. She didn't say that he comforted her way better than Eric ever has. She told him what Antony said was true but she also said that Antony was wrong. She plainly stated that the other fae may feel that they need to be with their kin when they need comfort but she doesn't. Eric is the only comfort that she needs. Also, Eric and Claudette have made plans that Sookie knows nothing about. Claudette said as much right before she told Sookie that she needed to meet with the police. Is he not hiding something from her? So the same rules that apply to Sookie, apply to Eric. Is it Sookie that you're determined to find fault with or is it just the story?

And Guest, the super powerful couple are a step ahead of their enemies. I'd say they are a few steps ahead of their enemies; chapters even. If you'd let the story play out, you'd see that. As I've always said, I have no problem with critical reviews just make them fair. Don't pick and choose what you deem as being one sided. I welcome all reviews; good or bad but make them fair. If there's a mistake or if there's something that's not clear, I will fix it and do my best to clear it up. I at least ask to let the story play out.

The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Ms. Charlaine Harris.

Sookie smiled at the people she encountered as she walked through the lobby of 2by2 Enterprises. Some of them looked as if they wanted to talk to her but she didn't have the time. She needed to hurry along. She'd spent too much time getting ready this morning; more time than she'd had. Since last night, things have changed for them and considering the situation that she and Eric were now in, they didn't change for the better. They needed to work and they needed to work fast.

The line for the elevator was too long and she didn't have the time to stop on each floor. She couldn't be late for a supe meeting. Even though they'd requested it at the last minute, there would have been no valid reason as to why she was late. They'd never let her live it down.

So, instead of taking the elevator, she and her guards walked through the doorway of the first stairwell she'd seen. After making sure that there were no humans around, they popped themselves to the twelfth floor stairwell door. They pushed their way through the doors and she elegantly emerged. She glanced at her watch and realized that she had at least five minutes to spare.

Before heading for the meeting, Sookie checked her reflection in the mirrored elevator doors. She ran her hands over the coat that covered her black Halston Heritage bellow shoulder dress. After approving her look, she smiled broadly to check for blackberry seeds in her teeth. She had always been partial to blackberry jam but the little seeds, they were the worst. After finding no sign wrinkles or blackberry seeds, she smiled and nodded at her reflection.

"Good," she said as she took a deep breath.

As she walked through the twelfth floor office doors, Charles Clausen charged towards her. He looked exactly like the animal that he shifted into; a snow owl. He was no more than twenty-five years old and was as white as a snow owl. His hair was so blond that it was platinum blond and he had to have weighed a hundred-twenty pounds soaking wet. His too big suit did him no favors but his eyes were the key to his soul. In them, Sookie could see his honesty and his honor. He was a good man.

"Good morning, Mrs. Northman," he said. "I'm so sorry. I was supposed to meet you downstairs but I've been so busy this morning. I know that you weren't supposed to have to walk up here alone but I lost all track of time and … things have been so hectic. I apologize."

"It's alright," Sookie replied. "I understand. And as we all know, I'm never alone so don't worry about me."

Before turning away from Sookie, he looked at her and frowned. "You look different." He then closed his eyes and inhaled. "You smell sweeter … almost new."

She chuckled from surprise. "Excuse me?"

He laughed and covered his mouth with his hand. "I was just making an observation. Don't worry about it. I'm gay. You don't interest me in the least. Come; let's get you to that meeting." He hurriedly walked ahead of her. "I don't know what type of perfume you're wearing but it is absolutely divine."

Sookie smiled coyly as she followed behind Charles. "Maybe what you smell are my guards. Our faery scent intensifies when we're together."

He glanced around and saw nothing. He winked at the realization that the fae guards were cloaked. "Well, whatever it is, it is delish." He quickly changed the subject. "Thanks for coming on such short notice. When Daniel told me to call Sam last night, I was surprised. They don't seem to be too ... oh never mind. I am surprised that he would offer to call you for them. They've never been civil to shifters that are not a part of their pack."

She tilted her head to the side and stared at the walking man in front of her. "Why would they be rude to Sam? He has no pack. He's always been willing to help any and all shift packs if they need him. I've only ever known for him to of high standards."

He glanced quickly over his shoulder. "Please, ignore what I said. I'm not supposed to say anything. Please don't make me. I'll get into so much trouble. They always tell me that I talk way too much. Anyway, when they asked Sam to set up a meeting with you, they assumed that they'd have to come to you but when he told them that you and Mr. Northman were here, they were ecstatic. I'm supposed to tell you beforehand that they are so glad that you are going to help them."

"I never said that I was going to help them," Sookie corrected.

Charles suddenly stopped in front of a closed office door. "What do you mean?"

"I never said that I was going to help anyone. I agreed to the meeting. I agreed that Eric and I would TRY to help them with their issue; depending on what that issue is." Smiling, she said, "I never said that I was helping them with anything. We have to know what they want first."

Charles swallowed deeply. Whispering, he said, "I didn't say anything. There are six shifters in on the meeting. The others couldn't make it." Waving his hand back and forth, he said, "Business and stuff."

"Okay," she answered. She could feel her guards flank around her as they stood at the office door.

"Ready?" He didn't bother to wait for an answer before opening the door and held it open for Sookie. "Daniel, Mrs. Northman is here."

Daniel was sitting at his desk while the other five shifters sat in seats around his desk. The seat in the center was empty. Sookie assumed that seat was meant for her. Daniel was the first one to stand when he saw her. When the other followed his eyes, they followed his lead.

Sookie greeted them all with a nod and a smile. As she walked towards them, she began her normal spiel before every meeting began. "Before this meeting starts, know that whatever is discussed within these walls will be relayed to the council. Know that each of you is responsible for your words and your actions. Know that if my guards feel that I am being threatened in any way, shape, or form, they will take actions. I will take actions." She looked at each face in the room as she continued to smile. "Is that understood?"

Each shifter nodded his and her acknowledgement.

Sookie placed her purse on the back of her chair as she sat down. "Please, take your seats and introduce yourselves to me. I need your names and your alter egos."

She already knew them but she needed to make sure that they weren't hiding anything. She could read the minds of shifters but it's easy for them to block her out. When they speak, their colors are easily seen. They told her what she needed to know.

Daniel was the first one to speak. "As you know, I'm Daniel Jackson. I'm the leader the New Orleans shifters. I shift into a hawk."

"Bridget Henderson and I'm a German shepherd."

"Hondo, gorilla," he said quickly.

"Dr. Joseph Josephus and I shift into an eagle."

The next two shifters were Heather Kinman and Marianne Lipton. They shifted into a fox and a lynx respectively. Each of the shifters present was a lieutenant of Daniel's. There was a clear sign of deception from each and every one of them. She could've gotten up and walked out and never looked back but she wouldn't. She wanted to hear what they had to say before she shot them down. She also wanted to know what they had against Sam Merlotte.

Daniel stared long and hard at Sookie. "Is there something different about you?"

She shook her head no. "I'm with my kinsmen. When we are together, our scents and our essences get stronger when we are together. You've all seen this before," she said.

Daniel nodded in agreement. "Yes, but it's different this time. Are you sure that …?"

Cutting him off, Sookie said, "Don't concern yourself with my appearance. You have some things that you want to discuss with me. Let's discuss them. Shall we proceed?"

"Yes," Daniel answered. "But first, wouldn't you like to take off your coat? It is quite warm in here." As an afterthought, he added, "If you're cold we can turn up the heat."

She wouldn't ask him to do that. They were already sweating. Shifters are hot natured and she would never ask them to turn up the heat in order to accommodate her. "I'm rather comfortable, thank you. Now, please, can we proceed? I have things to do today."

Daniel clapped his hands. "Well, let's get down to business. As I'm sure you and your husband have heard there are going to be some changes within the shifter community."

This was new to her. She had no idea but her face remained emotionless. "Okay."

Daniel cleared his throat. "Bernie Merlotte is retiring. She is no longer going to be a council member. This change is supposed to take place within the next couple of months. This is something that we weren't prepared to hear."

Shit.

Marianne took her queue. "We've heard that she has requested that her son takes her place. We've also heard that some shifter from Europe is going to take her place. You're here because we want to know if that is true." Her face was hard and unyielding as she spoke.

"I hate nepotism," Hondo volunteered.

"Nepotism or not, is it true?" Marianne asked once again.

Sookie and Eric had heard nothing of this. They'd discussed the shifter seat and who would take it over once they controlled the council. They'd decided that Sam would hold the position. It had never occurred to them that Bernie would willingly release the seat before they took over. She is getting on in years but she has at least another year or two in her.

"Mrs. Northman?" Heather said. "Is it true?"

With her face as even as ever, Sookie answered their question. "Even if I knew the answer to that question, I couldn't tell you. It's unethical and unfair. What is it about me that made you think I would tell you? Why would I betray the confidence of the council for any of you?"

"You're a representative for all. We want to know where we stand. We want the upper hand," Hondo declared. "We've earned that."

"Hondo," Daniel replied firmly. "There's nothing about you that makes us believe that you are unethical or deceptive. It's just that we live here. We know the city. We know the people. We have close ties with the vampires here. Our shifters would back you and your husband in any and all endeavors if you help us."

Sookie cocked an eyebrow and smiled. "IF we help you?

"We know about the missing girls and that the police believe that vampires are involved. We will back you in the public if you back us. We just don't believe that Sam Merlotte or some shifter from Europe will do a good job on the council. It's hard to say what would happen if we didn't stand with the vampires. The negative light would be unbearable. It's more than possible that the vampires would have to go back into hiding if it's discovered that they're involved." Dr. Josephus spoke with heartfelt concern and blackmail.

They were blatantly trying to blackmail them. Sookie looked around the room at the face of each shifter; never saying a word.

Bridget decided to speak. "We've made a lot of accomplishments within our pack. We don't need someone who doesn't even have a pack to come in here trying to take over. And we definitely don't need someone that's not from around here." She then snorted. "The European guy isn't even from this country. What we need is someone that already knows us. We know how things work. We should be the ones that stay in control. If we stay in control, we can work closely with the vampires and keep everything balanced."

Sookie looked around the room at the others. With her voice as steady as ever, she asked, "And everyone here agrees with this sentiment? You are all in agreement with what has been said?"

They all said yes. They even nodded their heads to put a little extra emphasis on their stand. She stared at them in disbelief. She smiled. She knew that her smile would put them at ease; make them believe that they stood a chance. And it worked.

The shifters took her smile as a sign that she was going to side with them. They even looked at each as they continued to nod and smile.

Marianne was so gung-ho that she had scooted to the edge of her seat and rested her elbows on her knees. She asked, "What do you think? Do you think that it's at all possible that you and your husband will back us? Daniel would be the perfect leader for us. We don't know Sam and we don't know the new shifter. We can't trust them. Our main goal is to look out for our own."

"But the council is in place to look out for everyone … all of us," Sookie said.

"We understand that," Marianne said. "We're speaking about the shifters in general. Once we take over the seat, we'll keep things flowing as they have been. My point is that we have to look out for our own too. We just don't believe that an outsider will do that."

"You don't like Sam Merlotte?" Sookie asked.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "He's okay but he's not one of us. We don't know if we can trust him to do right by us."

Sookie then crossed her legs. "But you knew and trusted Sam well enough to call him and to ask him to set up this meeting. Isn't that correct?"

No one answered her. They only looked at each other. For the first time since coming into the office, they had nothing to say. She could now hear the thudding of their hearts.

"Is anyone going to answer me?"

Since no one else was going to say anything, Hondo decided to speak up. "Yeah, that's correct. We needed him to get a job done so we used him to get the job done. What's the big whoop?"

The arrogance that surrounded her was overwhelming. Sookie folded her hands over her knee and said, "We won't help you."

Bridget said, "But you said that you would help …."

Sookie raised her finger as to stop Bridget before she could complete that sentence. "I did not. What I said is that I would meet with you. I said that I would listen to what you had to say. Never once did I offer our help. I offered our time and as far as I'm concerned, you've wasted enough it." Sookie looked at her watch and then at them. "I'm done here. This meeting is over."

"You can't do this." Hondo stood slowly from his chair. "You have to help us. It's your job to help us. Give me one good reason why you're turning us down."

"You can't be trusted," she said simply. She looked at each of them. "Not a single one of you can be trusted. You've blatantly tried to blackmail us into siding with you." She stood up and took her purse from the back of her chair. "I will no longer sit in your company. I will no longer hear your grievances. Each of you will be taken before the council for treason."

Hondo growled at her. "We are very honest. You have no right to come in here and tell us that we're dishonest. We came to you for help. That should show you that we're more than honest. We could've killed Merlotte and the other one and you never would've known anything about it."

She looked Hondo in his eyes and said, "I would've known as soon as I looked at you. You're easy to read. But what gets me is that you call me here to discuss a situation that I can tell you nothing about. You berate your fellow shifters and you expect us to speak for Daniel? Eric and I will not do that. I am sure that Eric will agree with me when I tell him what has transpired here today."

Dr. Josephus decided to speak up. "Did you hear anything that we said? Bernie wants her son to take her place. André wants another shifter to come in. They don't know anything about New Orleans. How will either of them be able to lead us? They don't know us! We have so much more to offer!"

"Empty pockets," Sookie answered. "That's what you have to offer; empty pockets. There's no proof that you'd do any better than Sam or the unknown shifter. You haven't proven anything other than your dishonesty and your willingness to turn your back on anyone that isn't of your pack. You offer nothing but empty pockets."

"They don't know us!" Marianne exclaimed.

"They're shifters," Sookie answered plainly. "Sam has done many wonderful things for the shifters in his area and in the outlying areas. He may not have a pack to lead but he does try to help his kind and others, including vampires and Weres. I'm sure the European shifter has some type of leadership skills for him or her to have even be considered."

Hondo looked at Sookie and shook his head. "I told them that you wouldn't help us. I knew that you would more than likely back Sam. You two are thick as thieves. And you call us dishonest?"

Sookie's eyes slowly began to change color. "Are you questioning my integrity, Hondo?"

"Yeah," he answered. "I am. You're nothing more than a …"

The room in the air suddenly changed. Sookie's eyes were black orbs. The energy surrounding her was high. She walked to Hondo and stared him in his eyes. "I'm a what, Hondo? Say it. I'm a what?"

"Hondo, don't," Heather begged.

The faery guards were no longer cloaked. They made themselves known and they were armed and ready to kill. Hondo wasn't fazed one bit. He looked at Heather and back at Sookie. He looked at her with disgust in his eyes, his voice. "She doesn't scare me. I don't give a damn if she's a fucking faery princess. This isn't fucking Faery." With his finger in her face, he said, "You're a vamp humper. You're a fucking faery cunt and that's all you'll ever be." With his finger, he poked her in the chest. "Fuck you, Sookie."

The guards were ready to kill him but they weren't quick enough. Hondo never saw her move. The slice was so smooth that not a drop of blood got on her. His head rolled to the furthest corner of the room. The other shifters watched it as it hit the wall with a thud. They looked down at the head and back at Sookie. She was standing in front of them; sword in hand and guards at her side. "I would have taken him before the council but he sealed his fate when he questioned my name and my integrity." She looked at the head as she shook hers.

"We didn't know that he was going to do that." Daniel looked at Sookie. He was pleading with her with his eyes. "We didn't know."

"I know." She looked at them and her eyes were blue.

"Carson," she said.

"Yes, Princess Northman," he said.

"Clean up the mess and request and a meeting with Andromeda, please. I need to show her what has happened at this meeting." Sookie looked at her fae guard and gave him a knowing nod.

The shifters growled, moaned, and squawked when they heard the name Andromeda. No one calls her by her given name. It is punishable by death. It was more than obvious that she and Sookie are very good friends. Each of them knew that they were in trouble.

"Yes, ma'am," Carson said. Within seconds the body and the head of the dead shifter were gone.

Sookie looked at the shifters and said, "This meeting is over. I will report your actions to Andromeda and she will handle each of you accordingly. You will be summoned by the council." Before turning to leave the office, she decided to leave them with a little something. "If it does come about that Sam gets a nomination, he deserves it. You all could learn a lot from him. He has honor, dignity, and he's loyal to his kind and his fellow supes. You should be so lucky to have a leader such as Sam Merlotte. Whatever Andromeda decides for you all, the punishment will not be just."

As she was leaving the office, Charles was going in. He bid her good day and looked around the office. The last words she heard as the door closed behind her were, "Where's Hondo?"

When Sookie and Bella popped themselves to the parking garage, Carson was there waiting on them. Sookie looked him and she didn't like what she saw. His face was emotionless but she could also tell by the look in his eyes that he didn't want to tell her what he had to tell her.

"What is it?" she asked as she and Bella approached him.

In a tone with absolutely no inflection, he said, "I gave the maiden the body and the head. She said that she will give it to her mistress. She also said that you have to leave now. The AP wants you in her chambers when she rises."

"No," she whispered. "I can't go to Las Vegas tonight. I have to be here when Eric rises. I told him that I'd be home as soon as my day was done. I have to meet with Claudette before the dusk. I have too much to do today. I can't leave and not tell Eric where I'm going or where I'll be."

Carson remained impassive. "I'm only relaying the message that the maiden relayed to me. Your presence is requested and demanded. I'm told that no excuses will be accepted. You must be there at first dark."

Sookie nodded her head sullenly as she said okay. The idea of not being at home when Eric rises pained her. The connection was so much stronger. When he was with André and she was at the police station, it was torture being away from him. They were only ten miles apart then. How is she going to handle being in Las Vegas?