Spellbound
Please forgive my delay. I didn't get the time off as expected for the holidays and I do apologize for that. I have finished up this chapter and the last three; which I might have to break down to four. I'm not quite sure because it is a little longer than I'd anticipated. Once I'm done doing the editing, I will try to post them all just as soon as I can. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful weekend. And since it's so snowy out, I could possibly be able to post the last few chapters every other day. Cross your fingers and say how-de-do. It just might happen.
The story idea is mine but most of the characters, they belong to Charlaine Harris.
The night's activities were on everyone's minds; especially Eric's. He stayed up until the sun was tugging at him with its invisible strings. After the killing of André, he took everyone back to his and Sookie's compound. As he said before, they had to make sure that their fellow supes were told of tomorrow night's meeting. He needed the members of the board and every sheriff and lieutenant that was under them to make an appearance. Their very existences depended on it. No excuses were accepted.
"Miss the meeting and lose your position," said the vampire or faery that made the call. So far no one has had the nerve to say that they can't make it. They knew that the warning wasn't threat but a promise. A very strong promise.
Sal, Claudette, Godric, and Shiloh made the calls to Salome, Felipe, Russell, Bart, and quite a few others. They'd even gone through all of André's logs to see who was at his home the night he'd killed Claudia. They'd let each vampire know to meet at André's compound by 10:00 pm the next night. They never let on that anything was wrong or that anything had changed. As far as the other vampires knew, it was a surprise gathering of peers. A celebration of sorts. Regardless of whether or not they had plans, they needed to be there.
Eric's plan was to get rid of every vampire that was a council member if they had knowledge of what happened that night and did nothing to stop it. Any vampire that was involved with or privy too the disappearance of the halflings was also going to be punished. He was not going to allow the disregard of another being's life go unpunished. He couldn't allow it. If he let those same vampires live, there was no point in taking claim to that seat. If those vampires are allowed to do as they please, their world would always be filled with chaos and destruction.
After making his last call, Godric rubbed his eyes and tried to shake the weariness from his mind. He looked at the pacing Eric as he talked on the phone. He has always admired the younger vampire. His strength and power were phenomenal. He's extremely intelligent and a formidable opponent. If he had to lose the seat to someone, it didn't bother him that he'd lost it to the Viking. It irritated him to no end but if he had to be truthful, he would've taken the same route as the Viking.
The Viking's wife had been taken while he was at his daytime rest and she's with child. She's having the Viking's child. Godric still didn't understand that bit of information. He had too many questions and was not getting enough answers. He'd questioned both Eric and Sookie before she'd gone upstairs but they wouldn't honor him with a single reply. They only looked at him and stared. Right then, Godric knew that the vampire and the fae were going to be running that council with iron fists. He knew that, without cause or reason, neither the vampire or the fae would answer to anyone. And he didn't mind it.
As Godric said before, Eric is a reasonable and fair vampire. It's more than obvious that he wants the supernatural world to be fair and equal for everyone. Those that are under his rule have always praised him for having those qualities. They would have laid down their very lives for Eric and Sookie.
From what he's heard about the Viking, Godric knew that the supernatural world would be in good hands and if the plans that Eric and Sookie have for the council go as intended, their world would thrive beyond even their wildest dreams. Though he wanted the seat, he was going to take his loss as any honorable and dignified vampire should. And though he was accepting his loss with dignity and grace and he may even admire the younger vampire, he still had to question the Viking's motives behind what they've done.
Shiloh gave Eric the thumb's up after ending her call with Felipe. She then leaned in to Godric and asked, "Do you think it'll work?"
Godric nodded as he looked at her. "I do," he answered. Picking up the plans that Eric had given to each of them, he couldn't help but chuckle. "With the way that this thing is laid out, they are fucking geniuses. I'll bet everything that I own that they've been planning to take over the council from the very beginning of their marriage. And now she's pregnant with his child?" He began to shake his head. "It's awfully convenient if you ask me."
Shiloh briefly glanced up at Eric and thought of Godric's words. She didn't get that vibe from him. She didn't even get that vibe from the faery but maybe Godric could see something that she couldn't see. "Do you really think so?" she asked as she looked at the vampire sitting next to her. "Do you really believe them to be that deceitful?"
"I can't say that I do but it's possible," Godric answered as he watched Eric. "Before we are so willing to accept them at their word, we need to look at all angles. How could they have come up with these plans so quickly? It's not possible for them to have done this overnight. I'll bet blood to silver that while he was in Faery getting to know his new bride, they were plotting and planning then." He dropped the plans on the table and repeated his earlier sentiment. "It's not possible for them to have just devised this plan in a couple of days."
Shiloh began to shake her head no as she disagreed with him. "I doubt that," she replied. "Many a nights we talked of the way he dismissed her and treated her as if she wasn't there. We would watch them closely at the summits and it was more than obvious that she was the only one that was in love. She always looked so lonely and sad. Shit, Godric, you'd gone so far as to use his disregard of her as an opportunity to try and claim her as your very own. If they were playing us, they played us incredibly well but I don't believe that's what happened." She looked at Eric and repeated her earlier statement. "I don't believe that they would have done that. It's not in them. If there's something that they want, they will do what is necessary to take it … and not sneakily either. I just don't see what you see, old friend. "
"Then you are naïve," Godric stated. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that they have deceived us but I am saying that it's possible. Maybe his mistreatment of her was for our benefit. Think about it," he said as he turned to face Shiloh. "He couldn't let on that he loves her or that he needs her. I, too, noticed them at the summits and now that I think about it, I don't see things as they appeared to be. I now see something completely different than what you saw. He would be filled with anger if another being touched her. His fists would be so tight that blood would be dripping from the palms of his hands. He played the role of a vampire well when he would ignore her.
"The night that they have to give us the report about what they'd learned from the police, I'd never seen them so close. Even you noticed it. Their incessant need to touch one another; the way they flaunted their feelings for each other in front of everyone; it was nothing as it had been. And I saw them at the Black and White Ball, Shiloh. She was ignoring him but he was fawning over her but now? Now he can't get enough of her and she can't get enough of him. If he'd treated her as he treats her now when they'd first married, he would be no more. The Viking would have met his end long ago. Making us believe that they weren't in love could've been their plan the entire time.
"Can you imagine the power that the Viking and the Fae will have over our world?" he asked. "Can't you see how this will work out for them?" He then leaned in closer to Shiloh as he talked. "If she has been unfaithful to him, there will be no one that will question the validity of their marriage. There will no one that will dare to challenge him and request that he break the contract and send her back to her homeland. This could possibly be what they wanted," he exclaimed. "This could have been their plan all along," he stated with conviction instead of possibility.
"It wasn't," Claudette said as she appeared from behind the vampires. "Sookie and Eric aren't like that. If they'd had that plan in the making as early as you believe, Godric, don't you think they would've acted a lot sooner than they have? Why would they want to risk the lives of those girls just to claim a fucking seat?"
The vampire turned to look and Claudette. He believed her but still, anything was possible. "Why should I even listen to you? Why should what you have to say or think matter? You are a faery. You would do and say anything to cover for your princess and her husband. You don't want to be sent back to the realm anymore than she does."
Claudette sneered as she glared at the vampire. "This is why you weren't even second choice as her husband. Shiloh would've made a better suitor than you ever could have."
Shiloh beamed at the compliment.
Claudette noticed and rolled her eyes.
Godric was appalled but before he could voice his anger, Shiloh began talking. "Do you really think so? Do you really think that I would have been a better suitor?" She cocked an eyebrow and said, "I've always been partial to the princess. That night she and Eric made love in the garden … oh," she said. "Be still by dead heart. She was quite magnificent and breathtaking. To have her would have been marvelous. To have tasted her would have been glorious." She closed her eyes and went back to that night; oblivious to the conversation that was going on around her.
"You dare to disrespect me?" Godric said as he stood from his seat to face the faery.
Never one to back down from a challenge, Claudette answered, "I dare. You dare to disrespect my princess and my master? You dare to question their loyalty to our race? All that they've done for this world and you still seek reason to doubt them. Your closed mind is your worst flaw or is it your jealousy?" She began to nod her head. "I think that's it. I think that it's your jealousy. Jealousy doesn't become you, Godric. Take your losses like a true vampire should and know your place."
He dropped fang on her.
Claudette did the same.
"What's going on?" Eric asked as he approached them … his eyes trained on Godric.
"I'm about to kill him," Claudette replied. "He questions whether or not the death of André was your and Sookie's plan the entire time. He believes your wife, my cousin, to be of low character. Regardless of his words from earlier this evening, he doesn't believe that the child is yours."
"Is this true?" Eric asked him.
Godric stood as tall as a short vampire could and said, "I'm looking at all angles. I just have to question your motives. I am not one to just take someone at their word when it comes to my kingdom and my freedoms."
Eric was soon standing toe to toe with Godric. "The child is mine," he growled. "That is all that you need to know. That is all that I will tell you but know this. I've allowed you one pass, Godric, but no more. If you ever question my wife's loyalty to me again, I will kill you."
Godric wanted to kill the Viking but he knew that he would have died right along with him. When he'd raised his hands to attack, he knew that he'd made a mistake. He was soon surrounded by faeries and vampires.
The fae guards and Eric's loyal vampires were ready to kill him if he'd taken even one step in their master's direction. The faery weapons were gleaming and the vampires were screaming to taste more blood; especially blood as old as Godric's. Tonight's battle just wasn't enough.
"Make your move, Vampire," Arayleaha dared. "I will enjoy killing you."
Godric looked around him and saw that Selene and Chow were standing in front of Eric. Four or five faeries were surrounding him. Thalia had appeared out of nowhere and was standing directly behind him. He knew that he would've never had the chance to advance in the Viking's direction and he knew that he didn't stand a chance.
"Are you done?" Arayleaha asked.
Godric nodded.
In a jealous and admirable way, Godric went back to his earlier musings. He admired the loyalty that the Viking commanded without being cruel. This was something that in all of his 2,000 plus years, he'd never seen from any vampire. André had to force his underlings to defend him. He had to go as far to pay for his security. He was willing to bet his fortune that even without paying them, Eric's supes would've did his bidding without asking for anything.
Finally realizing that his musings were just that, Godric apologized to Eric. "My words were only musings," he said. "I think that the idea of not having that cushy seat under my ass is getting the best of me. I am letting my chance at a missed opportunity getting the best of me. I mean you no harm."
Eric smirked as he stared at his underling. "Good," he said. "Now, let's get seated and discuss tomorrow night's plan."
Before letting her walking away, Eric gently took Claudette by her arm and asked, "Is she resting?"
Claudette nodded her head. "She is. She seems to be feeling better but you know Sookie. She'll have to be in labor before she tells us that anything is going on. Dr. Ludwig is with her. She knows to come and get you if you're needed." She placed her hand on Eric's and said, "Don't worry. They're okay."
He nodded at her and thanked her as she walked away.
With the meeting about to begin, the vampires and the faeries dispersed. There were vampires standing at every corner of the room and the faeries were cloaked and hidden. Though Godric apologized, they stayed close to him.
Unlike the others, Arayleaha walked in Godric's direction and slowly cloaked from his view to let him know that she was going to be close by. With her voice sounding throughout the room, she said to him, "Move from this seat without my master's permission and you die."
Eric smiled.
Claudette just outright laughed.
Smiling, Shiloh looked at Claudette and asked, "Do you really think I'd have made a better suitor than Godric?"
Claudette rolled her eyes as she sat down. "Fucking vampires," she whispered.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"What are you going to do about Russell?" Shiloh asked. "He's had his seat on the council almost as long as André had his. He's not going to willingly give up his power to you or to anyone else for that matter. He's even more power hungry than André was." She used her thumb to point at Godric and said, "Even him."
That got a few chuckles from everyone but Godric. "This is no time for joking," he said as he smacked her thumb out of his face. He looked up Eric as he spoke. "If this plan is to work, we have to be serious about this. Russell is at least 500 years older than I am. He's going to be difficult. What are we going to do about him?"
Waving off Godric's comment, Eric replied. "We are not going to concern ourselves with that right now. Just know that it's all under control. Russell is not going to be a problem. He will be handled and if his husband wants to get involved, the same goes for him."
Sal stood up from his seat as he agreed with Eric. "He's right. We can handle them. That's not a problem. We have the faeries that will be cloaked and if anything should happen, I'm sure that they can more than handle a vampire that's having a temper tantrum. The next step that we have to take care of is deciding who will rule each of the four cardinal directions. Once we get those leaders in place, everything else will fall in line."
Shiloh and Godric looked at one another before looking at Eric. "What does he mean?" Shiloh asked. She began flipping through the pages of the plan. "I don't see anything in here about one vampire ruling over each cardinal direction." She began to shake her head no. "I don't see that anywhere in here." She continued to read over the pages that she'd presumably missed.
"Read between the lines, my friends," Eric answered. "And who said that the ruler of said directions would be a vampire?"
Godric almost let his anger get the best of him because he could feel movement behind him. Arayleaha's beautiful yet deadly face appeared in his mind. With much control, he remained in his seat. "I fucking told you." He slammed his fist down onto the table; splintering it down the center.
"You know that you will pay for that?" Eric asked as he cocked an eyebrow at Godric.
Godric ignored the comment. "Are you saying that you are taking our kingdoms away from us?" he asked. "I will not lose my kingdom because you need to keep your marriage to the faery intact."
Dropping fang on Godric, Eric said, "Shut-up and listen and you just might learn something, underling."
Shiloh placed her hand on Godric's arm and said, "Calm down, my friend." She had her folder opened to the sixtieth page and she slid it in front of him. "Listen to what he has to say. After you hear him out, you will see that he has our best interests at heart." She looked up at Eric and said, "There are no hidden agendas here." She bowed her head ever so slightly to her new master and after thoroughly reading over his plan, she realized that she would follow him anywhere.
Eric gave her an ever so slight nod before he began to speak. "If we are to rule our world as a collective whole, one race cannot fairly see to the needs of everyone. That was the problem in the beginning. Just because you have a few supes on the board that aren't vampires doesn't mean that things are done fairly."
After reading the new information that Shiloh pointed out to him, Godric was more than willing to hear what Eric had to say. And before Eric was allowed to continue on, Godric said, "Forgive me for my hasty reply." He looked up at Eric and bowed his head.
Eric barely returned the sentiment. He was beyond tired of Godric's back and forth. He had better things to contend with and Godric wasn't one of them.
Selene began to pass out folders and placed them in front of everyone. Each folder was respectively labeled with Weres, faeries, halflings, and shifters. The goblins and other Faery natives were included in the faery folder.
Eric stood before them and began explaining why they're doing what they're doing. "This is what we will we present to the four leaders of the cardinal directions when they have been chosen. If you'd open the folder labeled Weres and turn to the page for the were-panthers, you will see what we will be doing.
"The panthers took all of the proper channels to try and get the things that they need for their young and their elders and they were denied over and over again. The homes that they lived in were mere shacks. Their children were learning nothing in their schools because the teachers were parents that can barely read themselves. They were not getting the medical attention that they needed and their new cubs were dying out within the first months of their lives."
Shiloh began to frown. She shook her head no. "This cannot be," she said as she looked up at Eric. "I have an area of were-panthers that reside in Kansas City and when they came to me, I approved all of the renovations that they'd requested. This has to have only happened in Louisiana." A frown appeared on her face as she said, "I would have never let anyone in my area suffer such atrocities."
"You're not to blame," Eric assured her. "Flip to the last few pages and you will see what happened to the funding."
Claudette shook her head as she read and said, "Fucking vampire."
"Fucking vampire," Sal repeated. "André was denying every need that they were requesting but blaming it on the queen or king of that area." Looking at Shiloh and Godric, he asked, "Did either of you notice any changes in the behaviors of the were-panthers in your areas? Did they stop coming to meetings or stop coming to you for assistance? Were they more hostile to the vampire population than usual?"
Godric shook his head no. "I just assumed that they were being just as anti-social as they usually are."
Frowning, Sal asked, "So you never contacted them to see what was going on within their community or if all was well within their community? Are you saying that you just let them stew in their anger?"
Godric glanced up at Sal and said, "They're always angry. I don't anyone in here that has ever seen a happy were-panther. I never realized that if they were angry that it was because they believed that I would willingly kill off their kin, their children. Even though they are our inferiors, I would never do that to them."
Eric could see that Godric was telling the truth. In all of his years as a working member of the council, he has never once heard a derogatory word spoken of Godric. Those in his retinue have always held him in the highest regard. And Eric respected that. He admired that. Vampires like Sal, Thalia, Godric and even Shiloh gave him the hope that he needed to know that their race was not lost. The voice of a faery interrupted his musings.
"They know that now," Claudette assured him. "We have been making contact with the pack leaders. We have provided them with a paper trail that has allowed them to see what you, as their leader, were doing to try and get them the things that they needed but they were being stopped by André."
Needless to say, no one was surprised at what André had done.
"How was this discovered to be?" Shiloh asked.
Before Eric could answer her question, Sandy came bounding into the room. And she was limping. "It's fucking raining and the flight was fucking delayed and I couldn't fucking feed. It's been one fucking, shitty ass night so far and to top it all off, I broke my fucking heel when I stepped in a fucking pothole at the fucking airport." She threw her coat on the table and dropped her wet umbrella on the floor. "I'm going back tomorrow night and I'm going to glamor every fucking person that works there so that each one of those fuckers can replace my fucking shoes."
When she sat down, Selene slid two folders across the table to her. Sandy looked down at it and asked, "What the fuck is this?"
"Why are you late?" Eric asked her.
She frowned at him and said, "The fucking weather delayed my flight. Chill out, Eric. I'm here now and all is well in this life." She opened her first folder and began to read over it. She had no questions. She then began reading the over the second folder. And once again, she had no questions. She closed the folders and crossed her hands in front her and waited.
"So?" Claudette asked.
Sandy shrugged her shoulders and asked, "So, what?"
Claudette rolled her eyes. Using her thumb and point finger, she lightly squeezed the bridge of her nose and said, "Fucking vampires give me a headache."
Looking as clueless as ever, Sandy looked at Eric and the others and asked, "What's going on tonight?" Using her head to point at the folders, she asked, "What's the purpose of these?"
Claudette's head fell onto the table; making a loud thump as she began to moan.
Selene didn't want to but she laughed. For once the faery was right. "Fucking vampires," she whispered.
Claudette looked up from the table and smiled at the vampiress.
"Sookie and I killed André and now we have the head seat on the council," Eric answered.
A look of astonishment was on her face as she looked at all of the faces in the room. "Bullshit," she said when she looked at Eric.
"I kid you not," he answered.
"Well, shit fire," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell me what I missed and how it happened. I'm most intrigued."
Eric explained to Sandy what had happened and what was going on and she had the same attitude as Shiloh. She was game and she was willing to do what was necessary to make sure that peace and order remained in place in their world … just as long as she gets to keep her queendom. "This is a world that I've always wanted. Just so long as you don't have any plans of taking Florida away from me, I'm game. I will go along with whatever you think is best for our world but can I make a suggestion?"
"Please," Eric answered. He couldn't wait to hear what Sandy's suggestion was going to be.
Sandy rested her elbows on the table and looked at Eric as she spoke. "I think that there should be an assistant to the one that's appointed the leader of the cardinal direction; someone or maybe a couple of 'some ones 'that will be able to go from state to state and keep track of what's going on. I know that whoever is going to be over the south shouldn't have to do it alone. There are too many issues and one vampire can't possibly handle them alone."
Everyone was shocked that Sandy had come with a good idea. Though Eric and Sookie had already decided that there would be three beings assigned to the head of the area, it was good to know that another member of the council was thinking in advance about what they could do to improve their relationships with each race in the supe world.
"That's the plan," Eric assured Sandy. "But there's something that you need to know. The beings that are going to be over the areas are not going to only be vampires. There are four directions and four beings of different races will be over those areas."
Settling into her seat and crossing her arms over her chest, Shiloh asked "And what beings do you have in mind? Will they all be from your retinue?" she asked smugly.
Blurring to her before she'd even noticed that he'd moved, Eric was thisclose to Shiloh. With their noses touching, Eric asked, "Are you implying that I'm being sneaky and underhanded in my choices, Shiloh? Is that what you're doing? For your sake, I hope that's not what you are implying?"
Slowly shaking her head, Shiloh answered him in a humbled tone. "No, Master," she said. "That's not what I was doing at all."
That's exactly what she was doing and everyone knew it. Shiloh's cowardice and Eric's anger at being questioned made her backtrack in what she was really thinking.
Returning to where he was previously standing, Eric smiled at her. He gave her a gentle smile as he talked to her. "Good," he said. "Now, Sookie and I have decided that … Shiloh?"
"Yes sir?" she answered.
"You don't have to be afraid," he suggested. "No harm will come to you as long as we work together. I give you my word."
She nodded her head as she watched him.
Eric then began again. "Now, Sookie and I have decided that a vampire, a faery, a Were, and a shifter will be assigned to each area. Once the head of the area has been assigned, there will be three beings of a different race assigned. For example, an area that has a leader that's a Were will have a vampire, a shifter and a faery assigned to work with them."
For the next two hours, Eric discussed his and Sookie's plans with those in attendance and things went a lot better than he expected. He didn't expect to have Sandy on board so easily. He didn't expect her to be throwing ideas at him left and right and he certainly didn't expect them to be excellent ideas. And even though they seemed to have their doubts, Shiloh and Godric were more than on board with the way that the new council was going to be held.
"And that's what's going to happen tomorrow night when we meet with the others. Are there any questions?" Eric asked.
Glancing over his shoulder, Godric said in a joking manner, "If Arayleaha doesn't mind, I want to ask a question."
Remaining cloaked, Arayleaha leaned down and whispered in Godric's ear. "I don't mind at all, Godric." She tried to hide the amusement in her voice but she couldn't do it.
"Thank you," he said as he laughed. Turning to face Eric, he asked, "What do we do about Russell and Salome? I know that the question was posed earlier but it was never answered. They are not going to go down without a fight. And they are quite old. They will fight to the death if they have to. Bart won't be too much to handle. He's always been a weakling but the others," he said as he shook his head. "I don't know. They're going to be hard to handle. They are not going to want to give up their states. We will have a battle on our hands."
That's when Claudette chimed in. "Don't worry your dim, little brain about that," she said. "That has already been taken care of. We just need for you, Sal, Shiloh, Thalia, and Sandy to do what needs to be done. I'll handle the rest."
Shiloh asked, "If you are going to appoint one person as the leader of each direction and he or she will be assigned three underlings. How will they know that they can trust their underlings, their lieutenants?"
"Sookie will read them," Eric replied. "Any types of deception that's found will be handled accordingly."
A few minutes later, the meeting was over and everyone but Thalia was leaving the office. She stayed behind. She always stayed behind. She had to make sure that everyone else was gone and her master and mistress were safe.
Before leaving Eric's office, Godric stopped in front of him and said, "I admire you, Eric. You and your wife have devised an amazing plan that is going to benefit us all as a race and not just a species. My doubts have been quelled. And if you need me in any way, I will stand with you. You have my word." He placed his hand over his heart and bowed deeply to his superior.
"I will hold you to that," Eric replied.
"So will I, Godric," Claudette said as she poked her head back into the office. She looked at Eric and said, "Sookie's still awake and waiting for you. I will see you tomorrow night, Eric and everything will be ready. You can count on me."
"I've never doubted you," he told her.
"Come, Godric," Claudette said. "Let's make sure that you leave." She winked at him as she offered him her arm.
Godric laughed as he wrapped his arm around Claudette's. "Goodnight, Eric," he said as he and Claudette walked down the long hallway.
Eric looked around his office and nodded. "It was a good night, was it not, Thalia?"
"It was excellent," she said. "If I may so, I am very proud of what you and Mrs. Northman have put forth for our world. I foresee wonderful things in our futures."
He turned to look at her and said, "Thank you, Thalia. My wife said that you want to be a council member. That pleases me. You are one of the most honorable and respectable vampires that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I offer you a seat. Anywhere that you want to go, you may go. Any state that you ask for, it is yours."
Remaining as stoic as ever, Thalia said, "I don't want to go anywhere. I want to be on the board but I want to stay here with you and the mistress. I want to be here to keep watch over that boy of yours. He's going to need the best protection that you have available to you and I am offering you my services for as long as you need."
Bowing deeply to his elder, Eric said, "I would be honored. And you believe that we will be blessed with a son?"
"I do," she said. "You are a strong and honorable vampire. I have always been happy to be in your service. You make me proud to be what I am and who I am. In this life, in our lives, we don't get to see that as often as we should and a son would carry on your legacy, Master. That is why I would expect nothing but a son from you and your wife."
Again, Eric nodded deeply to the vampire as he basked in her compliment. "Thank you, Thalia."
A hint of a smile almost appeared on Thalia's face. "Okay," she said as the admiration and almost smile faded completely from view. "I must go and make sure that everyone is gone. Goodnight, Eric."
"Goodnight, Thalia," he returned.
After everything was secured and put away, Eric began making his way to wife. And he was happy. He was very happy.