Spellbound

Surprise!

I hope that you all enjoy this additional chapter. I have written two extra chapters and as soon as the editing is done, I will get them posted but those chapters will be posted maybe three or four days apart.

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

"How'd André behave when he saw that I wasn't there to see him once again?" Sookie asked as Eric rolled off of her. "Considering that he sent someone for me I can only guess that he wasn't very happy." She giggled as she nestled into his arms.

Eric didn't giggle. He was furious. "The son of a bitch bragged of sending his henchmen for you. He even made the comment that he should've come here and taken you with him since the ones that he'd tasked with job hadn't returned."

She rested her hand on his chest and closed her eyes. "Maybe he should've come for me. Thalia would've ended pretty quickly. I'm sure of it. Did he happen to mention why he sent the vampires for me tonight? It couldn't have been because he misses my company." She'd hoped that he would laugh at her attempt at a joke but he did not.

Growling, Eric said, "He wants what's mine. There's no other reason for his treasonous act, regardless of what he says."

Sookie knew that André wanted her to show them what they'd learned during the investigation. She knows that André doesn't want what's Eric. He's only out to save his ass. She looked up at him as she spoke. "He doesn't want me," she assured him. "He's never been interested me in that way."

"He'll never have you," her husband said as his grip on her tightened.

She tried shifting her body but Eric wouldn't let her. She tapped his chest and said, "Eric, you don't have to hold onto me so tightly," she said. "I'm safe. You're here now. I'm doing well and am capable of taking care of myself when you're not here. You don't have to worry."

His body stiffened as he loosened his hold on her. He knew that and just because he knew that didn't mean that he had to like it. "Forgive me. I worry over you, lover."

Even though they haven't always been as close as they are now, she's always known that Eric is extremely jealous. He didn't show her any affection during their downtime but he hated it when she would be with male vampires. He hated it when they had to touch her. He hated it when any supe touched her but it was and will always be a part of the game. It's a game that they'd both agreed to play.

She didn't have any problem with Eric's behavior. She is used to having a highhanded and overly protective vampire husband. As a matter of fact, she loved it. She loved knowing that he would forever protect her. He is that way because he cares and because he loves her. She has always accepted that. Just as it is for him, it is her world too. And together, they will survive in it. They will fight in it. And there will be times when she will have to fight. There will be times when he'll have to leave her alone and he can't let that bother him. She will be fine. She has a role that she has to play as well.

But this time, Eric's jealousy was just getting the best of him. It was clouding his judgment. "You can't let this get to you. Remember, we know that this is what André wants. If he knocks you off of your game, he wins." She placed her hands on his face and said, "You are in control. You run this. It's all you."

Though her words comforted him, they did nothing to dissipate his anger.

She then frowned. "You know, I'm kind of disappointed in how I handled myself tonight. I shouldn't have given in to the bloodlust and killed the vampires so soon."

He glanced down at her and asked, "What do you mean?"

"If I hadn't been lost in the bloodlust, I would've saved one of the vampires for you to question." She began to shake her head in disappointment. "I should've known better."

Eric chuckled as he listened to his wife. "You did well," he said. "If I'd been here when they'd arrived, I doubt that I would've saved one for questioning. You killed two of them, huh?"

She looked up at him and nodded. "I did. The feel of my blade in my hand was like heaven to me. The weight of it … I never realized how I've missed it so. You should've seen me. I can't wait for you to see me in battle. That is something that I wish for us to share."

"And it shall come to pass," he said as he roughly claimed her mouth.

Slowly pulling away from his mouth, Sookie said, "And Claudette. How did she behave while being in the same room as her enemy?"

Tugging lightly at her lip before answering her question, he said, "She was extremely professional. André wasn't happy to see her in your place but he soon got over it." He paused for a brief second and said, "After she'd learned of what he'd done to Claudia, she controlled herself very well. I was very proud of her. She did have to confront him a couple of times but she did it without violence."

"She has great self control … at times," Sookie said. "What surprises me is that she didn't confront Selene when she showed up for the meeting."

He looked down at the top of Sookie's head and said, "She did confront her. For a moment there, I believed that I was going to have to break up a fight. You know that she meant nothing to me. I didn't hide her from you to be deceitful. In my mind, there was nothing to hide. She is no more than a friend; a part of our retinue … nothing more. I give you my word. Freyda was trying to come in between us. I don't ..."

"There's no need for that," she said as she looked up at him. "I know what Freyda was trying to do and she did not succeed. I am not of weak mind, my dearest love. I would never take her word over yours. You are my husband. I don't question you. I don't question Selene. She was your past. Pam was your past. Any other woman that you have been with is nothing more than your past. I am your present and your future. I have no concerns or jealousy within me. I am secure in our relationship. I trust you."

He wrapped Sookie in his arms and smiled. "Thank you for trusting me," he said. "I know that my past could give you cause to question me but I thank you."

"I would have it no other way. How can I expect us to move forward if I hold your past against you? It's the past, my dearest love and that is where it stays," she assured him. "Now tell me, did you put André on edge about Godric and Shiloh?"

Eric laughed loudly this time. "I did," he announced. "You should've seen the look on his face. I even mentioned Sophie Ann for good measure. I'm under the impression that he believes that his second has met the true death. He didn't seem to care but he's now on alert and believes that they may have ended her and now they are after him. Using Godric's plan to get what we want was a marvelous idea, my lover," he said. "He and Shiloh will be quite disappointed when things don't work out for them. Tell me," he began. "Should we throw them a party to show that there are no hard feelings?"

Sookie laughed. "That would be great. I love parties. I especially love them after an enemy has been killed," she said as she settled into her husband's cool body. "And I can't wait for them to die. Sophie Ann and André, I mean. I can't wait for that moment to happen. I only wish that I could be a party to his demise."

"I wish that for you as well," he replied. "But once you show Shiloh what she needs to see, you will have to leave. Arrangements with Arayleaha and Donnelly have already been made to remove you from the room once the reading is complete. What has to be done now, it is solely vampire business. I only say that because André has to die. When he comes for my family, he doesn't deserve to live."

She closed her eyes as his anger rolled through her. Chills ran through her body as she imagined that the chills were his hands. Before she could let the lust take them over, his voice interrupted her.

"I will have to kill him and if I'm worried about you and your whereabouts, I will not be at my best. All of my focus will be on you and our child. The safety of my family will take precedence over everything else. André will see that and he will use it to his advantage. He's not as quick as he used to be but he's in a bind. You will be what he will try to use against me."

She lay there and stared at him for a moment and let his words sink in. She didn't want to be a distraction to him. She definitely didn't want to cause his death. The very idea pained her to her very soul. She wanted to be there when he took André's life. She wanted to be there when he claims that seat but she understood the reasons why she couldn't be there. She looked at him and sighed. "Okay," she replied. "I can do that for you and our baby. It's not a problem."

Eric wrapped her in his arms. "Thank you," he said as he whispered in her hair.

"You are right in what you've said," she said as she sat up and stared down at him. "Your points are valid. I can't deny you your piece of mind and your safety. I will do this for you. I'll do anything for you." And she meant that; especially if it means that it will keep him safe from harm.

Eric rested his head on his arm and stared at her. "I love you, Sookie."

"I know," she said. Looking sternly at him, she said, "You know that I'm going to be going bat shit crazy while waiting to hear what happens. I may have to be restrained to keep me out of harms way. The thought of you being out there without me," she said as she trailed off. She started to twist a strand of her hair around her finger as she pouted.

He laughed at her as he watched her playing with her hair. Every little thing that she does, gives him joy … even the smallest of things gave him joy. Before he could claim her mouth again, her cell phone began to ring.

She crawled over him to get it. Eric took that opportunity to kiss and cup her bottom as she leaned over his body; the baby belly resting gently on his lap. "Hey, Claudette," she said. "I heard that you were a good little girl tonight."

Sookie could almost see her smiling. "I was," she said. "You would have been very proud of me. Eric praised me for my self control. I'd rather he'd been angry because I'd lost control but I digress."

"I'll bet you that grandmother would've been extremely proud of you," Sookie said to her.

Claudette smiled. "She was always proud of me … of us. After all that we've been through, we're still going strong." A pain hit her heart. "We're just as she would want us to be, aren't we? We haven't disappointed her?"

"Yes, we are and no we haven't," Sookie said. "Even when we were exhibiting bratty behavior, she was never disappointed in us. She praised us for the smallest things. And you know what?"

"What?" she asked.

"I love you so much and I am so very proud of you," Sookie said. "I've always been proud of you."

"Well, I'm not, "Claudette snorted. "You don't know how hard it was for me to not kill that short bastard. I would've loved to hang him next to Freyda and keep him for awhile but your husband had different plans."

Eric chuckled.

Sookie glanced at him and said, "He always has a plan. So, why the late call? What's going on?" she asked.

"I just wanted to make sure that you're okay," Claudette said. "I heard that you had some visitors tonight. Do I need me to come over and stay the night? I'm done with Freyda for now. I'm going to let her heal some before I go back. It's no fun when there's nothing left to cut off or stab, ya know? And Quinn's complaining that he's too tired for battle sex." Whispering, she said, "I never knew this but he's a lightweight. I'm really going to have to work on his stamina."

Eric really started to laugh then. The teasing that Quinn was going to have to go through was going to be phenomenal.

Claudette continued on as if she didn't hear him. "He's a were-tiger for goodness sakes. He shouldn't get winded so easily."

Sookie sighed as she felt her cousin's sadness. "Maybe you're just too much woman for him. There have been instances when the lover of a fae has been hurt because of the battle sex. Do you remember what happened to poor Wendell when Claudia had him? It was awful." She shuttered as she remembered how broken the poor Were was.

"Yeah," she recalled. "It was awful. I'd kind of hoped that Quinn would be able to better handle me but I guess not." She shrugged her shoulders and said, "He'll get better with time … I hope."

"You should've taken your time with Quinn. He's not fae. It's always harder on the being when they're not fae," Sookie warned her. "Sometimes you do get a little too overzealous."

"Yeah," Claudette said. "I know but I couldn't help it. Anyway, tomorrow I'm thinking about calling Neave and Lochlan to see if they can give me some pointers on what else I can do to Freyda. I have a few ideas left but I want something that's really going to hurt."

Sookie's eyes widened. "That's a great idea. They are great with torture. I'm sure that they'll be willing to give you some tips. You should call them. They're supposed to be here so that they can be on hand for the final council meeting."

Eric couldn't believe the conversation that he was hearing. His wife and her cousin were talking about torturing someone as if they were exchanging recipes or talking about the tea social.

"I'm going to call them first thing in the morning," she said. "So, do you want me to come over tonight?"

Sookie shook her head no. She glanced at Eric over her shoulder. She giggled as he continued to stroke her bottom. "No, Eric's home. We're good. Everyone's on patrol so there's nothing to worry over. Is there something wrong? Are you lonely? Do you need me to stay with you?"

Eric's body stiffened as the words left Sookie's mouth. He didn't want her to go. He hated being away from her.

"No," she said. "I'm okay. Call me if you need me and I'm there."

He relaxed at Claudette's words as he continued to stroke Sookie's bottom.

"I will."

"Let's meet for lunch tomorrow," Sookie suggested. "It'll be fun."

"Okay," she said. "Where do you want to go?"

"We can go to The Blood Orange. They have the best death by chocolate cake and I'm craving chocolate."

"1:00?" Sookie said.

"I'm there."

"I'll see you then. Goodnight, Cici," she said. "You call me if you need me, okay?"

"I will," Claudette said. "Goodnight."

Sookie reached out and put her phone back onto the nightstand before crawling off of her husband's body. She kissed him lightly before placing her head on her pillow. She placed her hands on her belly and yawned. She didn't realize that she was as tired as she is until that moment. She yawned once again … a good long one. It was the type of yawn that brought tears to her eyes. It was a good one. It was so good that she didn't even know that Eric was watching until she'd heard him.

"My goodness, you have a big mouth," Eric replied.

The comment made her cut her yawn short. Sookie filled the room with laughter. She hadn't heard something so funny in a long time. She laughed so hard that she had to grab her side.

And Eric loved it. Her eyes were gleaming with joy and her melodic laughter was joyous as it filled the room and it was because of him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sookie and her guards were at the restaurant waiting for Claudette's arrival. They'd been waiting for over an hour and Claudette still wasn't there. Sookie was beginning to show concern. Claudette has never been late before when they are to meet. She's always on time. She's on time for every little thing. She hates tardiness.

Pulling out her cell phone, she called her cousin for the second time. The call went straight to voicemail again. "Claudette," she began. "You should've been here. Where are you? Call me back to let me know what's going on. You're worrying me. I love you."

She then placed her phone on the table and sighed. She thought of where Claudette could possibly be. She knew that her cousin was planning on contacting Neave and Lochlan but that didn't mean that she wasn't going to meet Sookie for lunch. If something had come up, she would've at least called Sookie to let her know that she wasn't coming. She began checking her phone; thinking that maybe she'd missed her cousin's call but she hadn't.

"This isn't like Claudette," she mumbled.

She picked her phone up once again and dialed. This time she called Quinn. Again, there was no answer. Just like Claudette's, his phone went straight to voicemail. "Quinn, I'm calling to see if you're with Claudette. She was supposed to meet me for lunch but I haven't heard from her. I am getting worried. I've been calling Claudette and I can't reach her and now I can't reach you. Call me. Both you."

She made one more call and that call was to Eric. "Hey," she said. "I'm going to give Claudette fifteen more minutes and if she doesn't show, we're going to go and look for her; me and my guards. She's not answering her phone and I'm worried. I'll call you as soon as I hear something. I love you."

She placed her phone on the table and again, she waited.

Sookie sat at her table and looked around her. She noticed that it wasn't too busy today and she didn't mind that. Shoot, that's how she wanted it. She and Claudette would some privacy. She watched the other patrons as they ate their lunch. She watched them as they laughed and talked with each other. She'd hoped that soon, she and Claudette would be doing the same thing.

"Arayleaha," Sookie said. "Will you go to Claudette's? She should've been here by now."

Nothing.

"Arayleaha," she said.

Nothing.

"Donnelly?" she said.

Nothing.

Sookie closed her eyes as to hone in on the feelings and the minds of her guards and there was nothing. She looked around her and the patrons that she was watching only seconds ago were now watching her. And just like that, they'd faded from view. She jumped up from her seat and opened her hand expecting her sword to magically appear at her side but it didn't happen. She closed her hand and opened it again. Still, her sword wasn't there.

"It's not going to happen."

Sookie turned around quickly to see a human man walking in her direction. He was impeccably dressed. His suit was navy blue and his tie was bright red. His hair was combed so perfectly that not a hair was out of place. He was smiling as he walked towards her. The smile was big and bright. Friendly, almost. Sadly, it didn't match his eyes. They were as dead as any pair of eyes she'd ever seen.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Mrs. Northman," he purred as he bowed. "If you don't mind me saying so, you are quite beautiful. You're even more beautiful than I'd anticipated. The stories of your beauty do not do you justice."

"Answer my question," she hissed. "Who are you?"

The man gave her a slight nod as he said, "I'm Johan Glassport. I am, shall you say a very important person to a very important vampire and I'm here to take you with me."

'André,' she thought to herself. He has done this.

She shook her head no. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

He laughed as he stopped just a few feet in front of her. "Without a doubt in my mind, you will come with me."

Sookie did her best to hone in on the feelings and minds of her guards but she felt and heard nothing. "Where are my people? Bring them to me now and your death will be quick and painless. I will make sure that you do not suffer." She tried to bring her powers to the surface and yet again, nothing happened. She was stuck.

"They're safe, Mrs. Northman. No need to worry," Johan reported. "And they will remain safe just as long as you come with me. You are needed."

As she looked at him, she could finally see it. He's a very powerful warlock. She could smell the magic as it rolled off of him. He's the reason she can't summon up her sword or her inner magic. He's the reason that her guards have vanished into thin air. And he's the reason she's all alone. That's exactly how he wanted it.

"You are very powerful," she replied.

"I am," he said proudly.

As she stared at him, she tried to read his mind and she got nothing. There was only blackness. "You will find nothing there," he said as he tapped the side of his head. "I know what you are capable of. I am always prepared."

"From where to do you come?" she asked him.

"That doesn't matter," he answered. "Just know that you should come with me. No harm will come to you or those that you love. This is not what you think. No one is out to hurt you. We just want to talk." With his hands up in the surrendering motion, he said, "You have my word."

Sookie glared at him. "You have used magic to remove my guards from my side. You have used magic in order to suppress my powers and to trap me here and you expect me to trust you. Soon as I am able to, Mr. Glassport, I will kill you. You have my word."

He sighed as he walked to the table that Sookie and Claudette were to share. He pulled out the seat and sat down. He crossed his legs and looked at the princess. "Please sit with me," he said as he pointed to the seat she'd only moments ago vacated.

"Why?"

He held his hands out and said, "Just to talk. I want nothing more than to talk."

"You're lying," she said. "I can see it in your colors. Your colors are just as deceptive as your words. You are here to take me before my husband rises. Your belief is that if you take me before dusk, he won't know where to find me." Staring into his eyes, she said, "There is something that you don't know, Johan. Regardless of where I may be, my husband will always be able to find me."

Johan raised an eyebrow. "Very good, Mrs. Northman," he said. "But you need to know that I don't want you for myself. My boss has sent me for you. He only wants to talk with you. And we know that he will find you. That's what is wanted."

Sookie smiled at the man as she took the seat across from him. She picked up her phone and put it in her purse which she then placed on the table. "André wants more than to talk with me. That is who sent you, is it not?"

"Again, very good," Johan said. "But how can you be so sure that it's André. I could be here …"

"I'm no fool, Johan," she interrupted. "I'm far from it. There was no other way for him to bring me to his side. Why else would André send a very powerful warlock to take me?"

Johan cocked an eyebrow as if her question was perfectly logical.

"There is no other vampire that would risk his very life in order to take me from my husband. You see, André is running scared and pretty soon, you as well. He's afraid of what may have been discovered during the investigation. He's afraid that if we've discovered anything, his secrets will be exposed and he will meet the true death. Isn't that why you're here?" She then shrugged her shoulders. "You may as well tell me the truth. I'm not going anywhere. Your magic has stopped my abilities to teleport. I can do nothing but wait here with you. So tell me, is that why you're here?"

Johan picked up the glass of water that was meant for Claudette and sipped from it. "You are quite perceptive," he said as he placed the glass back onto the table. "As I've told you before, André does want to see you but he's not out to cause you harm." He then pointed at Sookie. "I see that you have gained a little weight. Is that why you haven't been to see André? You don't want him to know of your little secret?"

"It is no secret," she said. "The important people have been made aware of the changes in Eric's and my life."

Johan cocked an eyebrow. "Are you saying that André isn't important?"

"I am," she replied. With her hands crossed demurely on her lap, she leaned forward and said, "He's less than important. He's nothing but a coward. He sent you didn't he?" she asked as she leaned back in her seat.

"That was quite rude of you, Mrs. Northman," he said. "I'm sure that will cause André much distress to know that you think very little of him. He has always been a friend of yours and your husband's. He only has your best interests at heart."

"That's what he wanted us to believe but he has never been a friend of ours. André's best interests are for André alone. When it's been discovered that you've taken me for him, you learn that soon enough. All of the blame will be placed on you."

Johan leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. Fanning his hand at her, he said, "That's neither here nor there. We need to discuss your feelings of how unimportant André is to you and your husband. What do you think he's going to think when he learns that you're pregnant? He won't believe that the vampire …"

With a quickness that Johan couldn't quite register, Sookie backhanded him twice across the face before folding her hands back to her lap.

Johan's eyes widened from surprise. He then reached up and touched his bleeding lip. He couldn't believe what happened. "You've struck me without provocation. You have quite the temper, Mrs. Northman." He took the napkin from the table and dabbed at his lip as he watched her.

"You have more than provoked me, Mr. Glassport," she growled. "You've taken me hostage and you've disrespected my husband. I can't do anything about the kidnapping just yet but my husband, I will address that with you now. You will respect him. You will hold him in the highest regard. His name is Eric Northman. You will not address him as the vampire. I don't care who you represent. Am I understood?"

"No need to get huffy or violent," he said. "I meant no harm."

"Oh, but you did," she assured him.

He inhaled deeply as he spoke with her. "Let me rephrase my sentence. He won't believe that Mr. Northman is the father of your child. He will believe that you've been unfaithful. And surely that goes against the contract."

"I don't care what he believes. You know nothing of my or my husband's relationship," she contended. "I would never betray him and he knows this. So your threat is of no use, Mr. Glassport. Find something better to hold over our heads."

"If you say so," he said as he looked down at his watch. "We must go. The master wants you at his home when he rises." He stood up and straightened his suit jacket and smoothed down his already smooth lapels. "Shall we go?"

Sookie knew that she had no other choice. She stood from her seat and stared at the warlock. Though she knew that it would do her no good, she tried once again to summon up her sword but nothing happened.

Johan laughed. "You don't believe in giving up do you?"

"I do not," she said.

She took her purse from the table as she walked ahead of Johan.

When they reached the doors of the restaurant, a long black car was there waiting for them. "I hope that it's to your liking," Johan said as he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "It's a luxury car … nothing but the best for you. After all, you are a princess."

Johan walked to the car and held the door open for her. She stared at him and then at the inside of the car. He smiled at her and said, "Magic surrounds us. There will be no teleporting out of here for you. None of your kinsmen will be here to save you. You will only be going with me." He bowed and waved his hand as he pointed to the car door, "Your chariot awaits, my princess."

Plastering her most regal and elegant smile on her face, she said, "You are such the gentleman, Mr. Glassport. It is a shame that you won't live past tonight. I've always found manners to be quite charming."

He laughed at her as he closed the car door and walked to the other side.

Though her face and eyes were empty of emotion, Sookie filled the bond with fear. She'd sent Eric all of the fear that she could muster up in the hopes that when he rises, he'll be well aware of what's going on.

One thing that she can be assured of, Eric's going to be pissed when he wakes to find her gone. She knew that he'd come looking for her and he would find her.

She looked at Johan and smiled. "Shall we go?" she asked.

And when he finds her, may the Gods help anyone that stand in his way.