Spellbound
I apologize for the delay but my job called me to duty and I had to answer. I also have the next two chapters ready but I have to edit them. It will take me longer to get the chapters posted b/c I don't have a beta. I try to catch the errors but sometimes it's pretty hard to do.
I hope that you all enjoy. Most of the characters belong to Ms. Harris but the story idea belongs to me. Enjoy!
As soon as the sunset, Eric sat up in their bed and roared. It was a thunderous roar, a fearsome roar. It was the roar of a murderer, an avenger and a loyal and true husband and father. It was the roar of a vampire that was going to have his vengeance at any cost. They'd taken his wife. Throughout his daytime rest, he could feel her fear. He could feel her despair; her very need for him. It flowed through him with such ferocity that it owned him. It consumed every part of him. It killed him to know that when she needed him the most, he wasn't there. But he was going to get there and may the gods help whoever has taken her.
He was going to kill anyone that got in the way of her return.
He closed his eyes as to feel her. Thankfully, he felt no pain; the fear and despair was slowly subsiding. The only thing that gave him comfort was to know that he could still feel them; his wife and child. No harm had come to them.
He jumped up from the bed and pulled on his clothes from last night. He snatched his cell phone from the nightstand and saw that she'd called and left him a message. Her message said that she was going to look for Claudette because she hadn't shown up for their lunch date. She was going to go and look for her cousin with her guards if she hadn't heard from her.
He noticed that her voice was calm and easy. There was no concern for her or their child. Her only concern was for her cousin. She was supposed to come home after she'd located Claudette but she didn't. He could only guess that whatever had happened to her had taken place after she'd called him.
She was gone.
Once the message ended, Eric called Marco.
The Were answered on the first ring. "Yes," he said.
"Are you with my wife?" Eric asked.
"No," he said. "I'm still here at the compound with Amelia; on the second floor with the girl. Your wife told me to not leave her side and I haven't." The Were then frowned. "Why do you ask? Is she okay?"
Eric shook his head no. "She's gone. Someone has taken her. Have you heard anything from her or her guards?"
Marco growled. "I have not," he answered. "Don't worry, Eric. I'm on my way. We'll find her."
"No," Eric said. "Stay with the girl. We have to keep her safe. I'll have the others come with me. Do as your mistress has ordered."
"If you're sure," Marco replied."
"I am," Eric said. He soon ended the call and called Quinn.
The were-tiger answered on the first ring. "What's up, Eric?"
"Someone has taken my wife! She is not safe! You are to watch my wife! You and her guards were to be with her! You promised me!" he yelled. "She is gone! Where is Claudette? Is she with you? Is she safe?"
"Slow down, Eric," Quinn said. "And yes. Claudette is with me. She's safe. She's here. What do you mean Sookie has been taken?"
Eric growled and asked, "What the fuck do you think I mean? She is gone!"
"Okay," Quinn said. "If we are to do this, you need to calm down, Eric."
His body stiffened at the words. "Don't tell me to calm down. My wife and my unborn child are not here. I will calm down when she is with me."
Quinn clearly understood Eric's anger. He's seen Eric angry and he didn't want to have to see that again. It's not a pretty sight so he did what he needed to do. He told Eric all that he knew. "She called earlier this morning and cancelled her lunch date with Claudette. She said that she didn't want to leave you. She wanted to stay home today. We never would've left her alone. You know us better than that."
Eric knew then that Quinn was telling the truth. He could hear it in his voice. Something more had taken place. Her voicemail message replayed in his mind. Why would Sookie go to look for Claudette when she'd cancelled their lunch date? Calming down as he thought of Quinn's words, he said, "Are you sure that Sookie called you today?"
"I am," Quinn confirmed. "There is no way that I would have let them go out without me; even if the fae guards were to be with them. I'd given you and Sookie my word, Eric and I would not go back on it. I've always kept my word. You know me."
"What's going on?" Claudette asked as she snatched the phone from Quinn's hand. "What has happened to Sookie?"
"She is gone," Eric said. "You were to be with her. Where were you?"
"Oh, no," Claudette whimpered. Seconds later, she'd popped herself into Sookie and Eric's bedroom. "How do you know she's gone? Have you contacted her guards?" she asked.
"I haven't. I believed them to be dead. They never would have allowed her to be taken. Something more has happened. Her fear was rolling through me throughout my daytime rest," he said as he put his phone in his pocket. "They never would've left Sookie alone. They've never done that and I don't believe they'd do that now; not with all that's at stake. Death has to be only reason they allowed anything to happen to her."
The green eyes of the faery were black as coal. She then closed her eyes and shook her head. "They're not dead. They are alive. They are here." She then summoned up the faery guards. They all appeared before her and in the bedroom. She opened her eyes and asked, "Where is your princess?"
Arayleaha stepped forward and said, "She's in the guest room resting. We brought her here after you didn't show up for your lunch date with her. I've been standing guard at her door. The others had been patrolling the grounds as usual."
The other fae guards nodded in agreement. "We would never let anything happen to her," Donnelly confirmed. "She is our princess."
With that said, Eric blurred from the room and went to his wife's former room. He threw the door open and no one was there. Again, he roared out in anger. "She's not here," he said when he went back to them. His fangs were drawn when he grabbed Donnelly by his shirt. "Where is she?"
"Release me now," Donnelly said. "I am not the enemy. I mean you and Princess Northman no harm. Release me." The silver gleamed beautifully in his mouth.
Eric thought of the faery's words. He knew that the faeries were loyal to Sookie. He knew that they never would've left her to her own devices. He retracted his fangs and released the faery from his grasps.
Donnelly nodded as the silver disappeared.
Placing her hand lightly on his shoulder, Claudette asked, "Can you do this without losing yourself? We can't have your anger getting the best of you, Eric. You have to have a level head."
Glancing at the faery hand on his shoulder, he said, "I can." Looking at Donnelly, he said, "Forgive my slight. I mean you know harm."
Donnelly bowed to Eric. "There's nothing to forgive."
"Now," Claudette replied. "Tell me what happened today and you'd better say something that's going to make sense to me or each of you will rue the day that you were born. He may not be able to kill you but I can."
Each faery stared at each other; not knowing what to do or to say … fearing the Lady Brigant's wrath, knowing that if anything has happened to their princess, they would surely die. Only one faery was brave enough to step forward and give Claudette what she'd demanded of them.
"We went to The Blood Orange. We stayed there and waited for you for over an hour. When you didn't arrive, she told us that you'd called her and told her that you weren't going to make it. Something important came up. She wanted us to bring her home. That is what we did," Arayleaha said. She looked at Eric and said, "She was with us when we left the restaurant. I swear to you, she was with us."
None of the faeries knew how it was possible for Sookie to have come home with her guards when she was clearly missing. They should've been able to see that something wasn't right. How could they have missed it? How could they have failed their princess?
"It is not possible," Arayleaha whispered.
Claudette began shaking her head. "No it isn't," she said as she looked at Eric. "But it did happen. Something wicked is going on here. I never called and cancelled on her. She called me and cancelled. She said that she didn't want to leave you." From her pocket she pulled out her cell phone and opened it.
When she scrolled through her numbers, there was no call from Sookie dated for that morning. The only calls were time stamped for the afternoon and two voicemail and a media messages from her cousin. Claudette looked up at Eric and said, "I swear that she called me this morning. It is not possible."
Claudette continued to shake her head no as she played the voicemails for them all to hear. The princess hadn't cancelled the lunch date. She'd stayed there and waited. She'd waited for over an hour. The second voicemail was the same as the first. She was wondering if Claudette was coming.
Claudette then played the media file.
What has happened to Sookie; it was no longer a mystery. They knew who'd taken her. They could hear the entire conversation between Sookie and Johan Glassport.
"Johan Glassport; I've never heard of him but maybe I should. He's an extremely powerful warlock to have stopped fae magic. Who is he?" Claudette said.
"André's attorney," Eric growled. "Send someone to find him; a Were or a shifter. We need someone to go the restaurant and catch his scent. I want him and I want him alive."
Claudette called Charlie and told him that what Eric needed. When the call was over, she nodded at Eric and said, "It is done."
He then turned and looked at the fae guards. "Tell everyone that I want them at the designated spot no less than fifteen minutes ago. It's time."
Arayleaha's fire was high. She turned to her kinsmen and said, "Call no one. Go to each home and bring them to the master. We don't have time for their means of travel. Let them know that the master is waiting and that our princess is in danger. Let them know that tonight, our enemies will fall on our swords. Let them know that tonight, we will bathe in the blood of our enemies."
Each fae bowed to Arayleaha. She in turn bowed to Eric. "You have our loyalty, Master Northman. We will stand with you. And if the time comes, we will fall for you." She didn't give him a chance to acknowledge her words. Seconds later, she was gone.
"What is going on?" Pam asked from the doorway.
When he looked at her, Eric could see that his child was not ready to fight. She was holding onto the door jamb in order to remain upright. He could hear the wheezing in her voice when she'd spoken. He could see in her eyes that she was in pain. It could be weeks before she is able to fight again. "It is time for us to claim the seats of the council," Eric said to her.
A slow and fangless smile appeared on his child's face. He could see in her eyes that she was ready to fight. She has always been a fighter. The ability to fight and to stop her enemies always gave Pam great joy. Tonight was no different. She could almost taste their tainted blood as it soothed her sore throat and healed her aching body. "I am ready," she said barely above a whisper. "I've been ready."
He walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are not ready. You are injured and because of your injuries, you will surely meet your demise if you are to come with us. You will not join us. You will stay here."
Shaking her head no, she said, "I can fight, Master. I am strong and you've taught me well. I can hold my own. Let me stand with you. Let me fight with you. And if I should die, let me do it at your side."
So that the vampiress could not see the pity in her eyes, Claudette looked away from her. She knew what Eric was going to do and she couldn't bear to see the pain Pam's eyes.
He took his child into his arms. He was so very proud of her. She has always been willing to do whatever it is that he has asked of her. She has never denied him. Though she has a very sarcastic way about her, he has never doubted her loyalty to him. He never would.
"My child," he said. "I do love you so."
She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. She felt safe and protected in his arms. She knew that she'd always be safe with him. "And I love you, Master. Whatever you ask of me, I will do," she said. "And if I should die tonight, it would be my honor. I will have done it for you and willingly. You have given me so much and have asked for so little in return. You have me body and soul."
He released her from his embrace and said, "I know that and that's why I have to do this. As your maker, I command you to remain in this house until you are healed completely."
Pam placed her hand to her chest. She couldn't believe that he had done that to her. He couldn't go to battle without her. Since she's been vampire, they've always fought side by side. She has to be with him because they've always been together. They've always fought together.
With her eyes rimmed with blood, she asked, "Why would you do this to me? I am yours to do with as you please and you want to save me when I want to stand at your side. Do not take this away from me. I beg of you." Her eyes were pleading with him.
"And you have always stood at my side but you will not be there tonight," he assured her. "You will do it at another time … after you have healed."
She then looked into his eyes and she saw it. "No," she said. "Don't think that."
"Just in case," he replied. "If anything happens to me, you are to take care of my family. I am entrusting what matters most to me to you. Before we came to New Orleans, you promised that you would look after them. If anything is to happen to me, you and Claudette will be needed. My family is going to need you. I am going to need you. I am holding you to that promise."
She stepped closer to him and said, "But you are my maker, my friend. Nothing is going to happen to you. I won't have to look out for your family if we fight together. We can …"
He lifted his hand and said, "The conversation is over. You will stay here."
Pam barely nodded her head.
"Claudette," Eric said.
"Yes," she said.
"Are you ready?"
When those words left his mouth, a menacing look appeared on the faery's face. "I'm always ready."
He turned back to Pam and said, "You will stay here and you will live to see another day. Am I clear?"
Pam shook her head no. "But Eric," she began.
"Am I clear?" he repeated.
With her head bowed and her heart broken, Pam said, "Yes, Master."
He leaned in and gave her forehead a lingering kiss.
Giving Claudette a quick glance and nod of his head, they were gone.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Just as they'd reached the designated spot, the fae guards; along with their charges, appeared. The Weres, shifters, and vampires were surprised to be wrapped in the arms of the faery guards and once they were released, they became sick; everyone except for the vampires. They seemed a bit woozy but in the end, they were fine.
Sal was staggering but grinning. "In all of my three thousand years, I've never had the pleasure of traveling by fae." Looking at the female faery that carried him, he gave her a slight nod and said, "Thank you for a lasting experience."
She returned the nod but said nothing more.
Though she wanted to drain her, Selene smiled at her faery as she stepped out of her arms.
Once everyone had gathered their bearings, Eric began giving them his speech on how they will prevail. He talked of how none of them would fall. He talked of their power and their will to fight for fairness and justice. And while he was giving his speech, he stared into the eyes of his friends.
They were buzzing with energy. They weren't just there to fight for Eric and Sookie. They were there to fight for the freedom of them all. Their ferocious excitement meant more than anyone could ever realize. It meant that they were going to have a say in how they live and how long they live. They were going to finally have a real voice. Every seat on the council will no longer be occupied by vampires alone. They were filled with the joy of knowing that even if they do fall, their kinsmen would be free. And it will be because of them … because of their will to fight and to stand up for what is right.
Eric stood tall as he spoke. He let their life and vigor fill him. In turn, he gave him his power, his confidence. He let them know that he was going to fight beside them. They were going to do this together. They were going to have their victory before the dawn would rise. He looked at Claudette and she had her eyes closed as she smiled; the moon shining down on her face. The supes were howling and growling at the prospect of the fight and the impending death of their enemies. It was going to be a great night.
At the exact moment, Gervais sailed over to where Eric was standing. "He's been located."
Murderous rage filled his eyes as he stared out into the night. "Our time has come, my friends. We take what is rightfully ours. Now take hold of your charges," Eric said to the fae guards. "It is time to see our enemy meet his end. It is time to claim what belongs to us. Tonight is ours!"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
When they'd arrived at André's compound, Sookie was taken to a room with no windows; though curtains gave the illusion that there were. She knew that because as soon as she entered the room, she went right to them. The very sight of brocade walls covered with curtains, tickled her.
Just like the walls that were covered with curtains, the rest of the walls in the room were covered in the same burgundy brocade fabric. Regardless of the circumstances, she had to admit that the wall covering was quite beautiful. The designs in the fabric were trimmed in gold. She reached out and traced her finger over the raised piping in the wallpaper.
"Nice," she mumbled.
In the room, there was also an enormous bed. It was draped in the finest silks and lace. The mattress looked as if it was comfortable. The pillows were piled high and almost looked inviting. There were two beautiful, red Queen Anne chairs that were placed in front of the fireplace as a fire warmed the room. An end table was nestled between them and on that end table, there was a thick yellow file waiting to be read.
A beautiful chandelier hung over the bed. There was a huge flat screen TV hanging on the opposite wall. The carpet was thick and plush. The art on the wall was absolutely priceless. Her 'prison' was quite beautiful and comfortable. If she'd been anywhere else, she would have been impressed with her surroundings.
"I hope that the room is to your liking?" Johan asked.
She went to one of the chairs to sit down. She crossed her legs and stared at the crackling fire as she ignored him. His very presence was like touching iron or bathing in pure lemon juice. She'd wasted enough time with him. She wasn't going give him anymore.
He stood at the door as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I take it that you aren't speaking to me."
She leaned her head onto the back of the chair and closed her eyes. In her mind, Johan wasn't standing at the door talking to her. He was being tortured. He was screaming and begging for his life. He wanted to be free but his pleas of freedom were left unheard. She settled deeper into the chair as her daydream made her happy.
"André will be with you as soon as he rises," Johan said. "So please, make yourself comfortable."
It then dawned on her. She did have something to say to him. "Before you go," Sookie said. "May I have my purse?"
He laughed. "You may not," he answered.
She glared at him before once again closing her eyes.
"Will there be anything else?" he asked.
The silent treatment was put into play once again.
He closed the door softly behind him as he laughed.
As soon as he was gone, Sookie picked up the folder and flipped it open to the first page. The first few pages that she read over were about the plan to synthesize the blood of the halflings. If they'd followed their plans to the letter, they would've succeeded. Taking Pixie was their only true mistake.
"Diabolical," she whispered.
She flipped to the next page and it was all about the first girl that had gone missing … Cecelia. They'd documented what they'd done to her … how and why they tortured her.
She's a fighter. We have to find a way to break her will … and we will.
Sookie placed the folder on her lap and looked at the burning fire. "She wouldn't give them control. She was strong. She was truly of my people."
Sookie blinked rapidly as she went back to reading of the awful things that they'd done to Cecelia and the other girls. They'd all been fighters. They didn't want to give up their will to live but the captivity and the pain was more than they could stand. In the end, they did as they were ordered; though it didn't seem to matter what they'd done or how they'd behaved.
She felt a swell of rage fill her. It was just as Amelia had said. The girls had suffered unspeakable torture and pain. There were pictures of the girls lying in bed with tubes coming out of every orifice of their body. They'd been strapped to their beds to keep them from removing the tubes from their arms.
As Sookie flipped through the pages of the files, she noticed that there were lists of the doctors that helped them. There was a list of the vampires that had participated in the torture of the girls. Everything that the council needed was right in her hands.
She closed the files and looked out into nothing. "Why would he leave this here for me to see? What are you up to, André?" she murmured.
She reached over and placed the file back onto the table. He would never willingly give them evidence against him. He would lose everything if he's found out. She knew that it wasn't because of the silver poisoning that he'd made such a stupid mistake. This was calculated.
"What are you doing?" she asked again.
And that's when she felt it.
She stood up from the chair and lifted her head to the ceiling. She held her arms wide open and basked in the glory of it. Now, it didn't matter what André was up to. It would never come to be.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
They stood outside of Johan's house as Charlie talked. "I followed him from André's compound," he said. "He's not alone. He has two vampires with him. They're standing outside of his office guarding him. He's drenched in magic, Eric. You're not going to be able to get to him. If I hadn't shifted, I wouldn't have been able to get near him. We're going to have to wait him out."
"I can smell it," Eric replied.
Claudette nodded her head in agreement. "It's very strong. It has all but saturated the air," she said. She looked at Eric and said, "We need Octavia and we need her now if you want to get into his apartment."
"I'll go to her," Donnelly announced before he popped himself away.
"What else do you know?" Eric asked Charlie.
Taking a closer step into Eric's space, he said, "I could smell her on him …"
Eric growled.
Charlie shook his head. "Not in a sexual way," he corrected. "From what I could tell, she hasn't been violated in that way. I have to admit that it does surprise me. He has a reputation for being a hater of women. André must have told him not touch her. Anyway, it's more than obvious that she was with him. As I rode in the car with him …"
"What did you shift into?" Claudette asked.
"A ladybug," Charlie said. "I sat on his shoulder."
She clapped her hands together. "Oh, I've always loved ladybugs. They're so cute."
"Go on, Charlie," Eric ordered as he angrily interrupted the faery's mindless musings.
"As I rode in the car with him, I noticed that your wife rubbed her scent on every inch of the seat. She slid in from one side and to the other," Charlie said. "She wanted to make sure that it is known that he is the one that has taken her."
Eric smiled. "Now tell me," he said. "Has she been harmed in any way?"
Charlie shook his head no. "She's safe. She's at the compound. I looked through several windows before Johan left the compound but I could not find her but her scent is strong."
Looking at Eric, Claudette said, "Makes sense. She can't cover her scent since her magic is no longer active."
"Okay," Eric said. He knew that no harm had come to his wife but he wanted to make sure. Though he could feel her moving through him, he wasn't quite sure that Sookie was only sending him calm in order to keep him at ease. He then stared at the house. "As soon as Octavia gets here and removes the wards, I will go inside and take care of Mr. Glassport."
"I can go with you," Claudette said.
He shook his head no. "There is no need. Once I get inside, I'll question and kill him and then I'll be right back. It won't take too long."
Claudette giggled at his nonchalant attitude.
"Damn it all to hell, vampire!" the witch yelled as she and Donnelly made their appearance. "Why didn't you call me before you sent some faery to come for me? I hate traveling by fae." She bent over and placed her hands on her knees. Just as the others were when they'd arrived by fae, the witch was just as wobbly and nauseous.
Placing his hand on Octavia's shoulder, Donnelly said, "You will fine. It's not that serious."
Shrugging Donnelly's hand off of her shoulder, Octavia glanced at him and said, "How can you say that? I'm sick. And keep your hands to yourself." She then looked at Eric and said, "Why in the hell am I here?"
"We need you," he said.
"For what?" she asked as she slowly stood upright.
"They've taken my wife," he said. "The warlock that took her has put a spell on her and his home. I can't get inside to get to him. What I need is for you to remove the wards from his home."
Octavia walked towards the house and closed her eyes as she inhaled. She opened her eyes and began to nod. "Very powerful," she said. "Do you know what spells he's used on her?"
Claudette spoke up. "No, we don't. What we do know is that he was able to deceive her fae guards into believing that she was with them when she wasn't. He stopped her from being able to transport and bring forth her weapons."
"Hmmm," Octavia said. "He's quite impressive. Not everyone can use the spell of illusion." She nodded as she stepped forward. "More than one spell has been cast here. He's very talented. He would've been a great addition to my coven. Capable of using several spells at once; he's good."
"I'm glad that you're proud of what he's done," Eric chimed in angrily. "Now do what you've come here to do."
Octavia rolled her eyes at him as she fanned him off. "Calm down, Eric. I need to know who and what I'm dealing with; if that's okay with you, your majesty."
Claudette snickered at Octavia's comment.
Eric did not.
"He is filled with trickery but I've got something for him. Bad magic is what he uses. I don't like the bad magic. What's his name?" Octavia asked.
"Glassport," Eric said. "Johan Glassport."
Octavia smiled evilly. "I've been looking for him. He's the one that has been doing the bad things to the women that work the streets near my coven." She reached into her purse and pulled out a knife. She then sliced into her hand. She handed Claudette her purse and said, "Take out the brown sack and open it for me."
Claudette did as the witch told her.
Octavia reached inside and removed a pinch of the dust that was inside. Sprinkling the dust into the cut on her hand, she began to chant and wave the free hand over the dust. Just as she finished the chant, she smeared the dust into the cut. Her chant grew louder as her face twisted in pain. The wind swirled around them. She squeezed her hand closed and kissed it.
And just like that, black and red glow that surrounded the house, shimmered and then faded away. She looked into the palm of her hand and the cut was gone.
Octavia smiled. Still staring at the house, she asked Eric, "It's safe for you to enter now. Are you going to kill him?"
"I am," he answered.
"Good," she said. She turned to face Eric and patted him on the arm. "That's what he needs. I've put a hold on his magic for twenty-four hours. I'm going to assume that he'll be dead before then."
"He will be," Eric assured her.
"Make sure of it," she warned. "He has to die in order to break the spell on your wife. You owe me and I don't want money."
"Fine," Eric replied.
"Next time if you need me, call me." Octavia's frown began slowly fade away.
Donnelly reached for her and she smacked his hands out of the way. "Don't you touch me," she yelled. "Call me a cab. I hate traveling by fae."
Donnelly did as she asked.
Eric gave Selene a quick nod before he began walking towards the house. "Go," he ordered.
Selene blurred before her master and into the house. Eric followed in behind her.
As he walked through the front door, Eric could hear the loud bloody pops of the now deceased vampires' bodies. A few seconds later, he could hear Johan yelling.
"He was about to use the phone. I thought better against it," Selene said as Eric walked into the living room. She handed the phone to Eric as she stood back and waited for her next orders.
Eric patted Selene on the back as they stood side by side. He began to smile when he saw that Johan was tied extremely tight to a chair with the curtains that had once covered the windows. It almost looked as if the poor man couldn't breathe.
Johan closed his eyes as he looked at the ancient vampire. He knew who he was just as soon as he saw him.
"Good job," Eric said.
Selene smiled proudly as she stood taller. "I do my best," she replied. Her goal has always been to please her master.
Eric then strolled over to Johan and crouched down in front of him. He rested his forearms on his knees as his hands hung between his legs. "Can you breathe?" he asked.
Johan shook his head no.
"Good," Eric said. "What have you been up to today, Johan?"
He began to chant and nothing happened. He frowned as he tried to conjure up some magic once more and again, nothing happened. "What have you done to me?"
"Oh, you mean your magic?" Eric asked. "We brought in an even more powerful witch to stop you. And it appears that she's done her job. Pretty soon, it will be gone for good." He moved in closer to Johan and said, "I want to know what you've been up to today. Can you tell me that?"
"I've been working in my office all day," he said. "Whatever has happened to your wife, I didn't do it. I've never met her."
Eric stood tall and looked down at the puny human. "What are speaking of, Johan? I didn't say that you've done anything, have I? I also haven't mentioned my wife to you. I'd expect to have never met her. You have no cause to. I haven't accused you of any wrongdoing. I only wanted to know what your day was like. Tell me, what is it that you didn't do to my wife?"
Johan blinked quickly and began to stutter. "I just assumed that it was about your wife. We all know how important she is to you. I just …"
Waving a finger at the useless human, Eric said, "I think that you're lying to me but I will admit to one thing. You have assumed correctly. How were you able to assume that you'd done something wrong and that it involved my wife?"
"Because I'm tied to a chair," he reasoned.
"And you were guarded by two of André's vampires," Eric said.
"They're clients," he whispered.
"You're lying to me again," Eric sang.
Shaking his head rapidly, Johan said, "I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't lie to you."
With a quickness that Johan didn't see, Eric slapped him across his face; not hard enough to kill him but hard enough for Johan and his chair to fall onto the floor. The normally cool, calm, and collected lawyer began to sob.
"Don't try and play me for a fool. Why would André put vampire guards at your door?" Eric asked.
"To protect me," Johan whimpered as he licked the blood from his mouth. "I have been working on a very important case and my client wants to make sure that I'm safe."
"Really?" he asked. Giving Selene a quick look, Eric asked, "Do you believe him?"
Selene looked at Eric and shook her head. "I do not."
"I don't either," Eric said as he lifted the chair from the floor and sat Johan upright. "Why did they need to protect you? From whom are they protecting you?"
Johan dropped his head in defeat. He knew that this was going to be his last day on earth. He wished that he'd gone to that Japanese restaurant for lunch. He'd really been craving sushi. That would've been a nice last meal instead of the microwavable burrito he'd gotten from Sheetz. He sighed and stopped the crying. He knew that it would do him no good. He'd gone against an ancient vampire and he was going to lose. He knew the risks and he willingly took them. Now it was time to pay for what he'd done.
"They were to protect me from you. I did it. I took your wife," he answered simply.
"Why?" Eric growled as he leaned in close to Johan.
He looked up at Eric and said, "I did as my master asked of me. André said that he wanted her. He'd heard that she'd changed but he didn't know how or why."
Eric frowned. "Explain."
Johan said, "She was more than she used to be."
"Who'd told him of her changes?"
Johan tried to shrug his shoulders but couldn't. "A shifter that he has a relationship with told him about her; Charles Clauson. He shifts into a snow owl. He was a part of Hondo's shifter pack."
"What did he say?" Eric whispered.
"He said that her scent was stronger," he said. "He told him that her glow was brighter. He asked the snow owl more questions but that's all he had. He said that he asked her if there was something different about her but she wouldn't answer him. She told him that it was none of his concern."
"That's all he knows?" Eric asked.
Johan shook his head no. "He knows everything. When I saw her today, I saw that it was true that she is with child. I could smell the new life. It surrounds her. It's strong and powerful I was to let him know when I found out for sure so that's what I did. I left him a note today letting him know that she is."
"She is at his compound," Eric said. He wasn't asking a question. What he wanted was confirmation.
"She is," he said.
"What does plan to do with her?"
Closing his eyes, he said, "He wants her. He wants the possibilities that the child could possibly bring to him. He wants what you have. He's out to hurt you; to end you. And if he has your wife and your child, he can do just that."
Fury owned him. "He means to kill her," Eric said.
Johan tried shrugging his shoulders but couldn't. "No but if she dies, he doesn't care because then you will die. If he kills her, he knows that you will soon follow but I don't think that he will kill her," Johan inhaled. "I told him that his plan was flawed but you know André. He knows everything but knows nothing. Your connection to her is strong … very strong. I could smell you in her when I met her. I knew that this was a bad idea but I wanted to see if I could do it … if I could take her. I've never gotten the chance to stop fae magic. Taking her was my first real chance." He smiled. "And I did it."
"The spell," Eric said.
Johan nodded. "When I die, it will no longer have hold of her."
Eric lifted the human by the curtain that he was tied with and nodded at him. "I appreciate all that you've told me. Your death will come quickly."
With one simple and quick punch, Johan was dead from the snap of his neck. There was no time for screaming. He never felt the pain. With that one punch, blood ran from Johan's eyes, mouth, and nose. He placed the dead man and his chair back onto the floor and smiled.
"Very nice," Selene said. "Quick and easy is always best."
"Thanks," Eric replied.
When Eric and Selene walked outside, Claudette was the only one out there waiting on them. "I've sent the others ahead of us," she said. "We need them on patrol before we get there."
"Good idea," he said. "Selene you go to our home and keep an eye on Pam. Make sure that she's safe. Make sure that she doesn't leave that house. Also have Johan's house sanitized before the dawn."
Selene nodded as she blurred away.
Claudette then wrapped Eric in her arms. "Are you ready?"
He agreed with Octavia. He hated traveling the fae way. It was as if something was pulling his insides apart. If not for his wife, he would have travelled his way. He would've flown. But instead of complaining, he nodded his head yes.
Claudette laughed. "Don't be scared. You'll live," she said.
Wrapping his arms around her neck, he said, "To the gods, I hope so."
With a pop, they were gone.