Spellbound
I want to apologize for the delay. I hate that I am making you all wait weeks at a time for a chapter but my job is so hectic. I am trying to edit the chapters before I post them. I'm three ahead but I have so much editing to do and I have my job. Please forgive the delays and bear with me. I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. I want to thank you all for making this story one of your favorites. I'd also like to say that once this story is done, I will complete Killer. It may take a few weeks but I will get it done. It may take me a little longer than anticipated but I will not leave this story incomplete. I promise you all that. Again, thank you for sticking with me.
The character do not belong to me. They belong to another but the story idea is mine.
Her day started off as it normally does; smooth and easy. She'd showered and dressed. She'd had her breakfast and she read the newspapers but what interested her most, was the morning news. That morning, the news was very interesting and maddening but interesting just the same.
There was so much activity going in front of the house of the serial killer René Leneir. The cops have finally gotten him thanks to a tip from a helpful and thankfully, nosy neighbor. She'd seen him in his backyard digging holes. She'd assumed that he was working on his flowerbed because his yard is filled with the most beautiful flowers. And he'd always worked on his flowerbed at night. It was nothing new.
"I mean, I wasn't too surprised to see him working in his flowerbed late at night. He's always done that. I've been meaning to ask him how he'd gotten his tulips to look so pretty," the lady said to the reporter. "The pink ones are just absolutely gorgeous."
As she watched the news, Sookie laughed. Amanda was very good actress.
Anyway, she noticed him digging in his backyard last night, so she'd gone outside to see what he was doing. He was digging a fresh hole. The thankfully nosy neighbor noticed that the hole was a lot deeper than normal and she'd also heard him talking to the hole. He'd told the hole that she'd been caught doing the same things that the others had done. She was having sex with vampires. He'd told the hole that he'd been watching the girl when she'd leave The Coffin and she was with a different vampire every night. It angered him. He'd told the hole that it was meant for him to be released from the hands of the incompetent police officers of the NOPD. It was fate. He said that his job was to save the human women from their blinding and disgusting lust … even if saving them meant that he had to kill them. She heard him tell the hole next to the hole that he'd just dug that she was going to have a new neighbor pretty soon.
"Well, I knew right then and there that something wasn't quite right," Amanda said. "Holes don't sleep with vampires and they don't need to be saved. I'd always assumed that they didn't sleep with anyone. They're holes." She then looked up at the reporter with wide eyes.
Sookie filled the living room with laughter. She was so glad that she was DVR'ing the episode. She couldn't wait to show the rest of the group how great of an actress Amanda is.
Once the reporter was over his shock at Amanda's words, he had the cameraman pan to the back of René's house. They were showing the men in white jumpsuits digging up boxes. They showed the men opening the boxes. A few of them placed their hands over their face masks in order to try and hide from the overpowering smell. The police officers were coming out of the house and they were carrying Ziploc bags that were filled with evidence. Sookie smiled as she realized that they'd gotten one of their enemies off of the street.
After she'd had her fill of the news coverage about René Leneir, she decided to flip through the channels to see if there was any information on Copley Carmichael. She wanted to know if he'd had the decency to turn himself in for what he'd done. Lo and behold, she didn't have to look for long.
There he was on the news looking as distraught as ever. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days but he was playing the part of the grieving father perfectly. No one would ever believe that he'd had a hand in his daughter's and the other girls' disappearances.
Surrounded by microphones and flashing lights, Copley looked into the camera; his eyes rimmed with tears, swollen from crying. "I would like to give my thanks to the NOPD as well as the vampire community for all of the hard work that they've done in order to find our missing daughters. Though we don't know for sure if our daughters are among the missing, I'd still like to say that everything that has been done from this point on is much appreciated."
Sookie noticed how Chief Ambroselli was staring at Carmichael. She also noticed how Ambroselli leaned in and whispered in the ear of Detective Bellefleur. He in turned whispered in the ear of Detective Beck. Each officer was staring daggers into the back of Carmichael's head.
"Though I don't believe that our daughters are among the bodies that have been discovered in the backyard of the murderer, René Leneir, I will continue to hold onto the hope that our children are still alive until I hear otherwise. I will hold onto that hope for the other families as well," Copley said.
"Before today, have you reached out to the other families?" a reporter asked.
Sookie smiled as she recognized the voice. Claudette never ceases to amaze her. After all that she's suffered through in the last 24 hours, she's still working as hard as she can to make sure that Sookie and Eric remain together.
Copley only stared at the reporter and the folder that she was holding.
Claudette moved closer to the podium and stopped right in front of him. "In case you didn't hear me, I asked if you'd reached out to the other families before today," she said with a smile.
Copley's smile slowly receded from view.
"I can assume that we can take that as a no?" she asked.
He remained quiet.
Another reporter, Luna Diego, decided to chime in. "It's not a difficult question, Mr. Carmichael. Have you reached out to them during any part of this heartbreaking time? I would think that as a parent of a missing girl, you would reach out to them … share in their grief … console one another." The female reporter was frowning at Copley as she waited for a response.
Copley looked down at the podium for a few seconds before looking at the cameras. "I did not. I felt that I would have been intruding. I didn't want to be that type of person; especially with me being who I am."
That began some mumbling amongst the reporters.
"I would think that would draw them to you … being who you are," Claudette said. "Your contacts and your political power would've been a benefit to everyone affected by these horrible circumstances; especially before Amelia went missing."
Another reporter said, "I agree. Your contacts could've been the catalyst to get those girls home alive instead of possibly being dead. So it's true that you only used your contacts when Amelia went missing? You never once tried to help the families until your daughter went missing?"
Copley cleared his throat. He was unable to answer because another question was thrown at him.
"Is it true that the girls that are presumed to be dead were friends of Amelia's?" Claudette asked.
Copley shook his head no. "My daughter didn't know any of those girls."
That was the answer that she was waiting on. Claudette opened her folder and pulled out a picture of Amelia posing in a picture with Connie Babcock. They were laughing and had their arms draped over each other's shoulder. She held the picture up in front of one of the cameras. She opened her folder once again and handed a stack of the pictures to another reporter. She passed out duplicates of the picture to the other reporters. Sookie noticed how Chief Ambroselli signaled for the reporter to hand her one of the pictures.
Still holding the picture up in front of Carmichael, Claudette asked, "Is this not your daughter?"
Copley began sweating and fiddling with his tie. "I've never seen that picture before in my life. I've never seen that girl before in my life. In good conscience, I cannot stand up here and say that my daughter and Ms. Babcock are friends."
Claudette then smiled and pulled another picture from her folder. It was picture of Copley, Amelia, Connie, and Elizabeth at dinner. Each of them was smiling for the camera. There was a single cupcake on the table with a sparkler sticking out of it. An 'E' was stuck the front of the cupcake cup. Elizabeth was wearing a birthday crown and the others were wearing the caps. "Is this you, Mr. Carmichael?"
Copley's mouth instantly went dry. He didn't know what to do or what to say.
"I can take that as a yes," Claudette asked.
Bulbs began flashing and the questions were coming at him a mile a minute.
"Mr. Carmichael," Claudette began. "Is it true that you could've possibly been involved with the kidnapping of those girls? Is that why you never contacted the families? Is that why you're now pretending that you didn't know them?"
Copley shook his head no. "I would never …"
A male reporter, Alcide Herveaux, asked, "How are we to believe you, Mr. Carmichael? You've lied about or been vague with each answer that you've given us." He looked down at the picture that was passed to him by another reporter via Claudette. "This looks like your daughter, Mr. Carmichael. You've made sure that she's been on our TV screens every day since the day she went missing and not once did you include the pictures of the other girls and they were friends to your daughter. Why is that?"
"Is it because you were involved?" Claudette asked.
"I would never do that and I'm insulted by your question, young lady!" Carmichael exclaimed.
Claudette nodded. "I can accept that, Mr. Carmichael and I apologize for making such a suggestion. Now, answer me this. Why you were determined to blame the disappearances on the vampires? Is there a negative history with you and the vampire community? I'm sure we'd all like to know." She looked around at her fellow 'reporters' and shrugged her shoulders. The other reporters began to nod and agree with Claudette. Hell, they wanted an answer too.
Needless to say, Carmichael didn't answer.
A female reporter, Maria Starr, asked, "Didn't the vampires assist in working the case?"
Chief Ambroselli leaned in and answered the question over Carmichael's shoulder. "Yes. Mr. Eric Northman and his wife, Sookie Northman were two of the major players in working this case. They assisted my detectives, Alcee Beck and Andrew Bellefleur. Without their help, we would probably still be trying to solve this case." After answering the question, she then stepped back and looked straight ahead.
Sookie smiled. She knew what was coming next.
"Has that been your angle all along, Mr. Carmichael … to blame the vampires so that the focus would not be on you and your selfishness?" Claudette asked. "Was your goal to discredit them because your daughter has an affinity to the fang?"
Copley then realized what was happening. He should've listened to his lawyer when he told him not to do the press conference. Because he has now denied knowing any of the missing girls and denying that Amelia knew them, his credibility was shot. No one was going to believe anything that he had to say. He closed his eyes for a brief second and inhaled. He never should've trusted that André would keep their plan secret. He realized that André has thrown him under the bus. How else would Eric get the box of secret files?
"Was this your doing … all a part of your plan?" Claudette asked. "Did you think that blaming the vampires and hiding your relationship with the girls would clear your conscience?"
Every reporter in sight was looking at Copley and they were waiting for an answer. And from the way that they were looking, they would be digging into Copley's business dealings to see exactly what the self-made millionaire has been up to.
Copley began shaking his head from side to side. "There was no relationship with the girls. I've never had a relationship with those girls."
Alcide piped in and said, "But your daughter did and you knew this. Yet, you did nothing to help the girls or their parents. Is there a reason why?"
Copley didn't know what to say.
"We just want the truth, Mr. Carmichael," Luna replied. "Why did you not try and help those families before Amelia went missing? I think that the families have a right to know."
Copley began to look like a fish out of water. His tie was becoming too tight. He couldn't breathe. He was sweating profusely and he was afraid. That's when Tyrese stepped in front of his boss and said, "This press conference is over."
He hurried Mr. Carmichael off of the stage. He wanted to go through the way the police chief entered but the police officers wouldn't let him through. Alcee stepped in front of them and shook his head no. They looked to Ambroselli for support. She gave them none. They had no choice but to go through the crowd of reporters. The bulbs continued to flash and the questions continued to come at Copley from all angles. Tyrese shielded his boss until he had him in the car. Tyrese looked out at the sea of reporters before he jumped in the driver's seat of the Humvee and drove away.
Sookie smiled as she looked at the screen. Her smile broadened when Claudette looked into the camera and winked at her. They'd done it. Copley was finally going to be seen for what he is. His deviousness was finally out there for all to see. The world will know what type of man Copley Carmichael really is.
As Copley drove away, the reporters were looking into their network cameras talking a mile a minute about what had just transpired and what is to come. "We'll keep you updated as the story unfolds," one of the real reporters said.
She was proud of what they've accomplished. She and Eric and their friends have worked hard to get to this point. The bodies of the girls have been found. Rene Leneir is off the streets and Copley Carmichael is slowly going to fall from grace. Their only concerns now are André and Amelia.
A smile appeared on Sookie's face. That was another bit of comfort that she was able to hold onto. She knew that André was going to feel a strong sense of security now that Copley is being seen as the fall guy. He will believe that he is in the clear … safe and sound. He is André Paul. He's the leader and has nothing to worry about at all. He is also arrogant. He is the type of vampire that doesn't believe he'll ever get caught. He's the type of vampire that believes that others will fall in his place and because of that mentality, he'll keep on smiling as if he hasn't a care in the world. That's going to be his downfall. He'll be the cause of his own downfall and he'll never see it coming. If they can find Amelia in time, they'd have André by his cold, dead heart.
If they can find Amelia, everything that they've ever wanted will be in the palms of their hands. They wouldn't have to fear that their marriage will be ended. Their baby will safe and they will rule that council. Everything will fall into place just as they've planned. Life as they know it, will only get better. The lives of their friends will only get better. They would all prevail.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
She didn't realize that she'd fallen asleep. She also didn't know where she was when she'd woken up. There were trees high above her head. The moon was shining down on her. The cry of the owls surrounded her. She especially didn't know who was calling out for help.
"Help me," the voice called out to her in a weak voice.
She expected to be lying on the ground but she was sitting on her couch.
"Please," the voice called out again.
When she swung her legs over the side of the couch, her feet hit the soft, unfamiliar ground. She looked at her surroundings as she stood up and began walking towards the sound of the lost voice. The warmth of the sun was not beaming down on her. It was dark and it was cold. Nothing around her was familiar. There were prickly bushes that were snagging her dress ... well, her nightgown as she walked. There were huge boulders that she had to side step in order to make it to where she was blindly going.
"Please, help me."
"Who are you?" Sookie called out as she stopped in her tracks.
There was no reply.
Closing her eyes, she tried to hone in on the mind of the person that was calling her … the girl. And there it was … her mind. The girl's mind was fading. The girl was dying. Centering herself, Sookie went deeper into the girl's mind. This time she could see her. The girl was lying in the brush. She was bruised and she'd been harshly treated. Her clothes were tattered rags. Her hair was matted to her head and strands were thrown sloppily over her once beautiful face.
"I don't want to die."
She could clearly hear the words that were coming from the girl's mouth and she knew. Right then she knew who the girl was.
"Amelia?" Sookie called out.
She could hear the girl moan. She saw the girl roll her head to the side. She was looking at a sign. Kent, 54 miles and Newberry, 44 miles; she was just outside of New Orleans.
Sookie began running through the brush; thistle was scratching her legs, rocks were cutting into her feet. "I'm coming," she yelled as she ran to dying girl.
The girl started smiling as she looked at the street sign. She could feel the life slowing leaving her. She could see images of her and her daddy at the park. He was pushing her on the swing. She was laughing when her feet went flying above her head. She loved looking at the clouds. They'd gone out for ice cream that day. Her daddy let her get a cheesecake blizzard; strawberry, her favorite.
An image of her fifth Christmas appeared. She'd gotten a Barbie convertible. It was custom made. She had no idea what that meant at the time but that's what her dad told her when she saw it sitting under the tree. It was sparkly purple and it was hers. It had pink fur seats and a horn that sounded like bells. She could see Tyrese smiling and watching her while she drove around the compound; never once letting her out of his sight. She smiled. He was always watching her. He and her dad were always afraid that she'd be taken because she was Carmichael's daughter.
"I'm not afraid," Amelia whispered. "Not anymore."
Tears were stinging Sookie's eyes ran to Amelia. She could see the girl's memories. She could feel the girl's very life leaving her. It terrified her. "Hold on, Amelia," she said as she ran harder and faster. "Hold on."
With the little energy that she had left, Amelia lifted her arm and placed her hand on her chest. Just as she was about to close her eyes, she saw it … the light and a smiling face … her mother's smiling face. "You came for me," she said. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes.
"I did," she said.
She reached out and held her arms open as her mother bent down to pick her up. "I knew that you'd come for me, mommy. I knew that you wouldn't let me die here." The light then enveloped her.
Sookie woke up screaming and crying. She didn't make it in time. She'd let Amelia die. She'd failed.
Marco came running into the room with his gun drawn and standing over Sookie as she remained laying on the couch. He looked around the room. He sniffed out every corner. He checked behind every door. Nothing or no one was there. He went back to where Sookie was laying and stared down at her. "What has happened?"
She looked up at him with sad eyes. "She's dead, Marco and I let her die. I let her die," she whispered.
He kneeled down in front of her and asked, "Who?"
"Amelia," she said. "I couldn't save her."
He stared into her eyes and said, "You can't save everyone. I know that you want to but you can't do that. It's not possible. You can't carry the burden of the world on your shoulders."
She knew that he meant well but it hurt just the same. "Leave me," she said. "Just leave me alone." She turned her back to him as she cried.
He stood and put his gun back into the holster. "I'll be around."
"You always are," she said. Before he left the room, she said, "You're fired."
He chuckled as he left the room.
She lay there thinking of how she'd failed Amelia. If only she'd known that she and the other halflings existed, they wouldn't have had to die at the hands of vampires and humans. She could've given them protection. She could've made sure that they weren't left to their own devices. She could've made sure that they remained alive and well. They would be with their families. If not for her, their families wouldn't be grieving.
"This isn't your fault."
Sookie jumped up from the couch. The tears and the sadness were gone. Her sword was raised and ready for contact. "What are you doing in my home?"
Fintan looked at Sookie as he sat down the couch. He patted the seat next to him and asked, "Will you sit with me?"
Her defensive stance deepened. Her body was vibrating with anger and her sword was aching for the taste of blood. It has gone far too long without battle. "Answer me," she said. "Why are you in my home? You are not welcomed here."
Fintan tucked a piece of blond hair behind his ear and looked down at the floor. He inhaled deeply before looking up at his granddaughter. "To apologize," he answered. "I was wrong and I owe you an apology."
She didn't know what to do. She didn't know whether to believe him or to kill him. Fintan apologizes to no one. He's never wrong. She couldn't help but think that he was up to something. With her sword still at the ready, asked, "What do you mean?"
"You and the vampire," he said.
"Eric," she said. "His name is not vampire. His name is Eric and he is my husband. You will respect him."
He smiled. "Eric," he corrected. "I am here to beg for your forgiveness. Yours and Eric's."
Sookie's sword dropped down to her side. "What?" she whispered. "What did you just say?"
"I want your forgiveness," he repeated. "I was wrong in my pursuit to destroy your marriage to the vamp … Eric. I was wrong to betray you as I have. As I've done. Neither you nor he deserved that. Do you forgive me?"
"No," she answered without hesitation. "I do not."
Fintan dropped his head once again.
"Do you know what you did to us?" she asked. "I was on the way of making my husband my enemy because of you. I was on the verge of hating him because of you and your actions and you ask for my forgiveness?" She then shook her head no. "This I cannot give you, Fintan. That is something that I can never give to you."
He flinched when he heard his name pass her lips. He recalled that she and Claudine were the only ones to call him grandfather. Claudine has relinquished all ties to the Brigant name because of him and Sookie has resorted to calling him Fintan.
He looked up at her and smiled. "I figured as much but I thought that I'd ask anyway." Tears fell from his eyes. "I miss her so," he whispered.
"As do I," Sookie replied.
"I want to die but I cannot," he said. "She wrote me a letter saying that my just punishment is to live a life without my one true love. She said that the punishment that I'd chosen for you is the same one that would be placed upon me."
"As it should be," Sookie said; her voice as cold as ice.
"She had my essence, my very soul and now it is gone," he said.
She stared down at him. "If you are looking for pity, you will not find it here."
He chuckled. "I know that."
"Then why are you here?" she asked with her sword held high once again.
"The girl," Fintan said. "Arayleaha has put her upstairs in one of your guest rooms. Dr. Ludwig is with them right now." A somber look appeared on his face.
"Is she going to die?" Sookie asked.
"No," he answered. "We found her in time; Drayton, Arayleaha, and I. Maggie told him that Amelia came to her. She told us where the halfling was and we found her so I brought her here to you."
Sookie was more than confused at what she'd just learned. This was his chance to have what he wanted. He could've went before the council and told them about vampires killing the halflings. He could've told them about Amelia and Maggie but he didn't.
"Why?" she asked as her sword vanished from view.
"Because I know now what love is," he said. "She had to die for me to know what love is."
"Explain," Sookie said.
"You and Eric," he said. "You've given him your very soul and you're doing all that you can to keep him with you. You're standing by him regardless of his past actions. Knowing that you could die for what you've hidden from the council members, you still did what you had to do for love … both of you. I betrayed my love and have forever lost her."
She looked him in his eyes and said, "It wasn't just for us."
"I know that," he answered. "I know that you will now pass a supernatural bill to include all fae halflings to be included in the supe world. I know that you and Eric will do all that you can to keep the supernatural race safe."
Sookie didn't know what to say. She never expected this from Fintan. "Thank you."
He stood from his seat and smiled at her. "No," he said. "Thank you."
She appreciated what he'd done but nothing between them has changed. She'd made a promise to her grandmother and it was a promise that she was going to keep. "You can't stay here," she said. "Eric will kill you if he sees you in his home and I will not try and stop him. You deserve nothing less than death for what you did to him … for what you did to us."
This time, Fintan flat out laughed. "Adele would be proud of you," he said. "Just as I am … I'm very proud of you. I do love you, Sookie Northman. Do me a favor, will you?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Take care of that little one. Maybe one day, you'll allow me to see him." He winked at her as he popped himself home.
Without pause, Sookie popped herself from the living room and went to the room that housed Amelia, Arayleaha, and Dr. Ludwig. She threw the door open to see the girl lying in bed. She was bandaged as blood was being pumped into her veins.
Arayleaha looked at Sookie said, "It didn't take us long to find her. The halfling has the gift of telepathy. She led us right to Amelia. She had been beaten and bruised. As you can see she was close to death. She'd been out there for two nights."
Sookie began walking to Amelia's bedside. "She came to me," she said. "I don't know how but she came to me. And I'd found her but," she trailed off as she shook her head. "She was gone when I reached her. She was gone."
She then remembered the thistles and the rocks. She looked down at herself and there were no cuts and bruises on her. She was once again wearing her dress. It was as if she'd never left her home. "Is she going to be okay? Will she survive?"
Dr. Ludwig said, "Yes. They found her just in time. She wouldn't have lasted the night if not for the faeries. She will have to stay here for awhile. She can't be moved … broken leg and arm. Her lung has collapsed. She has a couple of broken ribs but she'll make it."
Sookie reached down and took Amelia's hand into hers. She sat down on the bed and held the girl's hand to her lips and smiled. "You're safe now. We're going to keep you safe."