Spellbound
I know that I haven't posted in quite awhile but real life has been taking a toll on me. I apologize to ya'll from the bottom of my heart. I hope that a'll will forgive me and bear with me for just a little bit longer to finish up the story. We don't have too much further to go and we will reach our destination soon. I want to thank each of you for reading my story, making it one of your favorites, and hanging around until I finish it up. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Again, thank you so much for sticking around while my job beats the shit out of me.
Most of the characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine.
When Eric woke up for the evening, Sookie was still in lying in bed next to him. Her hands were resting on her belly as she slept. And from the looks of it, she'd been in bed all day. It was very clear that she was taking the doctor's orders seriously. It was about time and Eric couldn't have been happier about it.
He smiled as he watched her sleep. After all that they've been through, he never expected to see them as they are, where they are in their relationship. In these few short months, she's hated him, defied him, and loved him. She'd threatened to leave him but in the end, she decided to stay. She'd given him another chance when she would've been justified in walking away and never looking back. She defended him with her life. She risked everything so that they could stay together. She made him realize that his very existence would be null and void without her at his side. She made him want to earn her love, trust, and respect. She made him see that there was no shame in being in love. She gave him every inch of her and in every inch her, he's found happiness. He's found life.
"My lover," he whispered as he nestled in closer to her body.
Smiling, she turned to face him. "Hey," she replied groggily as she slowly opened her eyes.
He looked into her eyes as he moved in closer to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay," she said. "Just really tired. The baby spent most of the night making me extremely uncomfortable. How'd you sleep?"
"Great," he said as he kissed her. "You fell asleep last night before you could call Claudette."
She closed her eyes and began to silently admonish herself for not taking care of business as she should have. "I can't believe that I …," she began.
"Don't worry about it," he interrupted. "I called her and let her know that she needed to take the girl shopping for a formal dress and simple pant suit for what she wants to do this evening after the meeting. I also let her know that she would be with her during her testimony at the hearing."
Sookie didn't hear the rest of what Eric said because she was focused on what it is that Amelia wanted to do this evening. "I thought that she wanted to talk to you after the meeting? What changed?"
"She couldn't wait," he answered. "She came to me just after you'd fallen asleep and she wanted to talk. She wanted to know her options concerning what happened to her. I gave them to her."
Sookie cocked an eyebrow and said, "Wow. So tell me, my dearest. What plan did she decide on? What course of action is she going to take?"
"I can't tell you," he said. "It's not that I don't want to tell you. I can't tell you. Dr. Ludwig believes that it's best that you remain calm and not concern yourself with any of the business that's going to be handled tonight and I agree with her. Even Amelia doesn't want you to know right now. And she's right. You've been through enough."
She began shaking her head back and forth as she slowly tried to sit up in bed. And since that didn't work, she rolled over onto her side and faced her husband. "She's been through too much too soon, Eric. I don't want her to overexert herself. She's already going to speak before the council and now she wants to do whatever it is that she wants to do that could possibly cause setbacks? What if she's …," she began.
And once again, Eric cut her off. "She's going to be fine. She's strong and she's determined to get through this. Isn't that what you said?" Cocking an eyebrow as he looked at her, he asked, "You weren't just running a game on me when you said that, were you?"
Her eyes widened as she talked. "No, I wouldn't do that," she declared. "I wasn't running a game. I meant every word I'd said but she's been through so much. What if she becomes overwhelmed? I don't want any obstacles to stop her when she's only just been freed a couple of days ago. I feel that she's moving way to fast."
Worry crossed Sookie's loving face as she continued to explain her reasoning to Eric. "Octavia gave her a potion that was to make her sleep for at least two days but she didn't even sleep through the night. Dr. Ludwig has been giving her shots of something to make her sleep and to calm her and that didn't work. I feel that she's gone through so much that it's keeping her from sleeping. She needs a peaceful night's sleep. I don't want to baby her, Eric. I really don't but I don't want her to rush herself either. She's taking on too much. I want to make sure that she's going to be fine and safe. I don't want anything to happen to her. I think that after the meeting, she needs to come home."
"Home?" he asked.
"You know what I mean," she replied. "I feel that once she testifies, she needs to come right back here. Two to three hours is all of the time that it should take for her to testify."
Eric laughed at her. With loving eyes, he said, "You're going to be a wonderful mother."
The worry lines faded from her face as she smiled at him. "Do you really think so? I'm so afraid. I'm so nervous. I know that I'm going to do something stupid and mess up. He's going to grow up resenting me because I wouldn't let him practice fighting with you and guards when he's only ten years old. Or he's going to be mad that I'm going to make him wait to train with the daggers and swords with you and Claudette. I'm going to think that he's too young and he's going to be so mad at me. And just like now with Amelia, I'm going to come to you and complain about it and you're going to tell me that everything is going to be just fine." She chuckled.
He laughed as he recalled thinking the same things about his son sparring and practicing with a dagger not too long ago. "Great minds think alike," he muttered.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he replied as he shook his head. "Look, Sookie. You're worrying over nothing. Everything is going to be just fine so you just lay here and get some much needed rest. I'm going to shower and get dressed. The meeting is going to take place in a couple of hours but Amelia and I have to do 'whatever it is that she wants to do' before the meeting begins." He hesitated getting out of bed as he looked at her. "Are you going to be alright while I'm gone?"
Nodding, Sookie said yes. "I have my guards here with me. I have the great Dr. Ludwig at my side and Pam's just down the hall. Dr. Ludwig said that she's on the road to recovery and I take that to mean that I'll have someone to talk with while you're having all of the fun."
"It won't be that much fun, Sookie," he said.
She knew that he was only saying that to make her feel better about not being able to go and she appreciated it. "Liar," she said jokingly.
He leaned in and kissed her before getting up from the bed. Before heading to the shower, he said, "If you need me any while I'm out, you call me."
"You're only going to take a shower, Eric," Sookie replied.
Glaring at her, he said, "You know exactly what I mean."
"I do and I was only joking. I'm not going to call you. The only way I'll call you is if the baby is coming," she said. "You have to take care of tonight and secure your place as the leader of our world."
Eric didn't like the sound of that and tried to say as much. "I want you to call me as soon as …"
"No," she said. "This time, I'm calling the shots. I'll call you only if the baby is coming. If anything else arises, the guards can very well handle it. They are fae guards for goodness sakes with a few vampires sprinkled in there and we'll be fine. They'll make sure of it. They are the best of the best. You take care of tonight's meeting and they'll take care of home."
Though it didn't sit well with him, he agreed to her terms. "Okay," he said. He then added, "The best of the best?"
Settling deeper into her pillow, Sookie smiled and answered, "Naturally. We wouldn't expect anything less. Now, you go on and take your shower and as soon as you get dressed, bring your sexy ass back in here so that I can admire you before you go." She licked her lips as she winked at him.
He looked at her and laughed as he walked away.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"You look very handsome," Sookie said as Eric smoothed his hands over the front of his black suit. "Everything about you looks absolutely perfect." And she meant it. Thalia had done a wonderful job on the French braid. His suit showcased his bulging biceps and his tight ass. She'd never seen a sexier man in all of her life and she never would. "I want you so badly," she whispered.
"As you should," he replied.
She ogled him as he stared at his reflection. Every desire that she's ever felt for him hit her all at once. The power that he exudes, the feel of his hands as they traveled over her body, the feel of his lips as they kissed every inch of her, the feel of his tongue as he tasted all of her; she'd never wanted him more. "I want you," she repeated.
"I know, my lover," he answered as he smiled at reflection Sookie. A smug look was on his face when he turned to look at her. "I am going to be the sexiest and best looking one there," he declared. "And I will be wishing that you are at my side."
"I know," she moaned. "How I wish that I was going with you. No other woman should be on your arm but me."
"I agree," he stated. "And there will be no other woman on my arm. Claudette and Amelia are only going to be with me, not with me."
"Same difference," Sookie pouted. She began to gently run her hands over her belly. "They're going to be with you while I'm stuck in this stupid, old bed."
Just then, there was a knock on their bedroom door.
"Who's there?" Sookie called out.
"It's me," Amelia called out.
Since it was past Eric's rising time, the doors were no longer secured so she could come in and that's just what they said to her. "Come in," the lovers called out simultaneously.
"Hey," she said as she poked her head through the door before coming all the way into the room.
Eric looked at the young girl and smiled when he saw her. Sookie tried propping herself up on her elbows but couldn't do it. "Eric," she grunted. "Will you help me?"
He turned to see Sookie struggling to sit up. He was doing the best that he could to keep from laughing. He went over to Sookie and gently took her into his arms and sat her up in the bed but not before propping several pillows up behind her. "Good?" he asked as he stepped back and admired his work.
"Good," she said as she nodded. She then focused on Amelia and smiled. "Oh, Amelia," Sookie said crossed her hands over her lap. "You look absolutely stunning. The dress that you picked is absolutely beautiful."
It was a beautiful floral gown covered in a lush floral print. Her hair was done up in a tight bun and it accentuated her frail yet delicate features. Her neck was bare but ears were adorned with beautiful pearl earrings. Her makeup had been applied lightly and it didn't matter in the least. The girl was absolutely stunning.
The smile on Sookie's face broadened as she admired Amelia. "You look so beautiful, Amelia."
Amelia looked down at herself as she blushed. "Thanks but Claudette picked it out," she whispered. "There weren't many for me to choose from considering I've lost so much weight. It looks as if the dress is hanging on a clothes rack." She threw her arms out at her side and sighed. "I'm all skin and bones. My hair is thinning and I look terrible. The bracelet that Ms. Claudette gave me was just hanging on my arm so I took it off."
"No, don't say that," Sookie replied. "You're beautiful. Isn't she beautiful, Eric?"
Eric looked at Amelia and stared at her. For a long minute, he didn't answer. He only stared at her.
"Eric!" Sookie repeated. "Isn't she beautiful?"
Still staring at Amelia, Eric shook his head no. He then said, "If she's looking and thinking like that then no, she's not. She looks terrible just like she said she does."
Amelia looked up at Eric with wide eyes.
Sookie looked at him with a wide mouth. "Eric," she whispered. "Don't say that to her."
He glanced at Sookie over his shoulder and asked, "Why not? That's what she wanted to hear so that's what I've told her. I don't believe in beating around the bush … not about this. Tonight is too important for us. I won't coddle the child and give in to her pitiable thinking. It benefits no one; especially not her. This is not the time for coddling." He then gave his attention back to the girl. "Do you want the truth or a lie?" he asked her.
"The truth," she whispered.
Eric stepped forward as he slowly approached her. "I know that you've been through hell and back and for that, I am sorry but you can't wear what has happened to you on your face, on your soul. You have to be strong instead of pretending to be strong. You have to be willing to put on a brave face whether you want to or not."
Sookie couldn't believe what she was hearing and she blamed herself. "This is my fault. I never should've agreed to let her go. She's not ready."
"Don't you do that," he said sternly as he turned to face his wife. "Amelia had a choice. She decided that she was capable. She was the one that volunteered to do this. She was not forced."
"Okay," Sookie agreed. "I'll give you that but what if she's not ready to do this?" she asked. "We can't …"
Eric cut his wife off with a lift of his hand. His eyes were now on Amelia. "This was your idea, was it not?" he asked.
Amelia, still looking like a deer caught in the headlights, nodded.
"Then hold your head up and straighten your back," he ordered her. "This is no time for you to feel sorry for yourself. You want to put this entire ordeal behind you. You want everyone to see that you weren't broken but from the looks of you, you're telling us a totally different story. You want pity and sorrowful looks. You want to hear the words 'Poor Amelia'. Well, you will not get that here. That is not how you earn your badge of courage. You carry on with your head held high and with your back straightened. You don't let the enemy break you. You break them."
Amelia nodded.
"Do you understand me?" he asked.
Again, Amelia nodded.
"No," he said. "Do you understand me?"
This time she spoke up. "I do," she said.
Sookie settled deeper into her pillows as she listened to the most wonderful vampire in the world give a halfling a pep talk about beating her obstacles.
Taking a step closer to Amelia, Eric said, "We have all been through something that has the potential to destroy us but it is up to us to get past it. We can't let the shitty things that have happened to us define who we are or who we are to become. Do you really want to get past it or was it all just for show? Is what happened to going to define who you are and what you become?"
Amelia's back straightened as she stared Eric in the eyes. "No, it's not."
"Believe it," he growled at her.
Standing taller and firmer, Amelia said, "No. It's not."
Eric looked at her smiled as he took a step back away from her. "You will not wear your horrors for all to see. You will buckle down and not let what happened keep you from living."
"I won't and I will," Amelia replied. "I'll live."
"Good," he said. "Now, you go and get your purse and wrap and I'll meet you downstairs."
Without saying another word, Amelia left Eric and Sookie's room and went downstairs. "You're wonderful," Sookie said. "You're going to be an amazing father, my dearest love. I admire you. I adore you."
"And I you," he said as he looked at her. "I hate to leave you."
"I know," she said. "But you go on. I'll be fine."
He leaned down and kissed her. "As soon as the meeting is over, I'll be home."
Sookie laughed. "No, you won't," she said. "You need to solidify your standing in our world and you will do it tonight. And as I said earlier, the only reason you'll need to come home is if I'm in labor and I don't see that happening anytime soon." Caressing her stomach, she said, "He's calmed down a lot since last night. We'll be fine. You go and do your job as only you can do it. I love you." She reached up and caressed his face before he stood up.
"I'll think of you," he said as he stared down at her.
"And I you," she said. She reached over and grabbed her novel from the nightstand as she flipped open the first page. Without looking at him, she said, "Now, go on before I make you take me with you."
He laughed as he walked away.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
He didn't bother to make himself known. He just stood there and waited. He saw her glance up at him as he began to walk in her direction. She wanted him to speak to her first but he wouldn't do that. He'd wait until she acknowledges him. It's a game that most women play and it was that he's never enjoyed. He'd just wait until she was ready to do her job. And he didn't have to wait long.
"How may I help you?" the hostess purred as she looked up at him; sly smile appeared on her face.
"I'm here to meet Cara Ambroselli," he said.
Batting her eyes and smiling at him as she grabbed him a menu, the hostess told him to follow her. "Right this way," she said. She looked at him over her shoulder and said, "I'm Rosie and I get off at 10:00."
Staring straight ahead, Eric said, "I'm married and I don't care."
The girl walked straight ahead and said nothing else to the married vampire.
Once they'd reached the table, she left him to his business. Eric greeted Chief Ambroselli, Detectives Andy Bellefleur and Alcee Beck as he approached them. They each stood up from the table when they saw him. Keeping to the tradition of not shaking hands, he nodded at each of them. "Thank you for coming," he said to them.
"This is a very nice restaurant," Cara said as she nodded at him. "I've never been here. I've always wanted to come here but it's always been more than I can afford on a cop's salary. I've heard that they have the best swordfish in the state. I love swordfish and it's …" She squeezed her eyes closed as her nerves were getting the best of her. "Forgive me for rambling, Mr. Northman."
Smiling at her, Eric said, "It's fine. My wife has always been partial to this place. She speaks highly of the food so I thought that I'd treat you guys to a decent meal after all of the hard work that we've done on this case. Order whatever you want. Though I can't stay, I'm picking up the tab. The managers have already been made aware."
"Thanks," Alcee and Andy said at the same time.
Once she'd gotten some control of her nerves, Cara decided to start all over again. "When you said that it's important that we meet and that it was dealing with the case, we hurried here. We don't want any surprises. Whatever you have to say, we want to be prepared for whatever's about to happen." Cara said as they returned to their seats. "I guess I'm so nervous because I thought that the case was solved. I didn't realize that there was more to what happened."
Unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sat down, Eric said, "It has been solved but there is more that you need to know. As I told you when we first started working together, I would keep you updated with what we discover and we've made a discovery. It's about Amelia Broadway."
Alcee's brow furrowed. He sighed as he rested his elbow on the table and hung his head. "Is she dead?" He didn't try to hide the anguish from his voice. He was tired of being surrounded by death. He didn't want to have to tell another parent that his child's body was among the bodies that they'd found during their investigation. He didn't want to do it.
Andy placed his hand on his partner's shoulder and squeezed. He'd noticed the change in Alcee since the bodies of the missing girls had been found. He wasn't the same. He was a lot more sullen that he's ever been. He wasn't into the job as he used to be. He tried telling Alcee that they'd done all that they could to find the girls. They'd worked hard. They'd followed every lead they'd had. They'd done the best that they could do but Alcee, he didn't want to hear it because it wasn't enough. It would never be enough because they were dead. All of the girls were dead.
In turn, Andy sighed as well and waited to hear what Eric had to say. "What do you have, Mr. Northman?"
Eric took out his cell phone and pressed a button. "Come," was all that he said. He then waited.
The chief and the detectives gave each other inquisitive looks as they stared at their host. They were going to ask him what was going on but there was no need to. There she was … Amelia Broadway.
Detective Beck was the first one to stand up. Tears rolled down his dark cheeks as he stared at her. "You're alive," he whispered as a sob escaped him. "You're alive." He walked around the table and went to stand in front of her.
Before she knew what was happening, Amelia was engulfed in the strong arms of the detective. He stroked her hair and held her as he cried. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Amelia closed her eyes and returned his hug. She began to cry with him.
Alcee stepped back from her and had a firm yet gentle grip on her arms as he stared at her face. "You're alive," he repeated.
She nodded.
"We've been looking for you," he said. "And here you are." He laughed through tears as he stared at her.
Andy and Cara went over to join them as they surrounded Amelia with love and protection. They never expected to see her again. They thought that she was going to be another missing girl that would never be found. They were wrong.
Alcee walked over to Eric and took his hand into his own and shook it. "You found her! I can't thank you enough for what you've done!"
Though he was sickened that Alcee Beck had touched his hand, Eric didn't snatch it away. He couldn't. Every patron in the restaurant was staring at them. All that he could do was stare stone faced at the irritating and space invading detective.
Alcee tightened his grip one last time before dropping Eric's hand.
"Amelia," Eric said. "We have to do this now because we don't have much longer to be here."
"Okay," she said as she went to Eric and stood by his side.
Eric pulled out the chair for her before returning to his seat.
Pretty soon, the cops followed suit.
Chief Ambroselli looked at Amelia and asked, "Where have you been? What happened to you?"
Amelia looked at Eric before she answered the chief.
He gave her a nod of approval. "You can trust them," he said. "You will be safe."
Amelia cleared her throat and looked at the cops. She'd opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out so with trembling hands, she grabbed the glass of water that was in front of her and took a sip. She placed it back on the table and sighed. "My father did this to me," she whispered.
The cops looked at each other. They heard what she'd said but they didn't hear what she'd said. There's no way that they'd heard what she said.
"What?" Detective Bellefleur asked. He leaned in closer and repeated, "What did you just say?"
"My father did this to me," she repeated. "He did this to all of us. My friends are dead because of my father."
Alcee slammed his fist on the table causing the silverware to clank and the glasses of water to spill. He looked around him as he felt as if more eyes were on him. Leaning forward and whispering, he asked, "Your father did this to you … to the other girls? Are you sure?"
With her head bowed, she answered, "Yes sir."
"Amelia," Eric said.
She glanced at Eric and nodded. She lifted her head and stared Detective Beck in his eyes and answered him with a louder and more convincing sounding voice. "Yes sir, he did."
"Why?" Chief Ambroselli wondered.
Knowing that she could say but so much and remembering the story that she and Claudette rehearsed earlier today, Amelia said, "Because I was in love with a vampire. Everything that happened to me, my friends, and the other women was because we didn't live our lives as they believed we should. We had to pay for what we'd done and we had to pay with our lives."
Andy frowned as he stared at the girl. "Your father was going to kill you because of who you loved?"
"I don't know," she answered.
"What do you mean?" Alcee asked. "How can you not know? Either he did it or he didn't do it."
She stared at the detective and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I don't want to know. It's easier to not know. Who wants to believe that their daddy is a monster … the boogeyman hiding underneath their bed? Anyway, he knew where I was the entire time. He knew where we were. We begged him to help us but he wouldn't do it. He said that it wouldn't be much longer. I remember how Cecelia begged him to let her go home but he ignored her."
A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered all over again.
She looked up at the cops and said, "It was as if he didn't hear her. Elizabeth would call his name and tell him that she had to go home. She needed to go home but he kept walking. He did that to all of us … even me." Amelia looked at Eric and said, "He looked at me as if I was nothing to him … a total stranger. He just walked away. At first I thought that he'd come back for me since I'm his daughter. What father would do that to his daughter? He was supposed to love me, right? That's what daddies are supposed to do. They're supposed to love their children."
"We are," he answered. He noticed the looks of the chief and the detectives but he ignored them.
"Why couldn't he love me?" she whispered.
Eric didn't know what to say so he remained quiet and let the girl continue.
"When I was the last one left, he came one last time," she said. "I was lying on that hard cot and looking up at the ceiling. I didn't even acknowledge him that last time. I knew that it would do me no good. I knew that I was going to die there." She folded her hands in her lap and said, "He said that it's almost over. His legacy was going to be unforgettable in this world and I would carry it on."
Chief Ambroselli looked as dumbfounded as Detective Bellefleur. Alcee was angry. He was beyond angry. Rage was roaring through him. "What was his legacy?" she asked Amelia.
"To show the world that vampires can't be trusted," she said. "He wanted the world to believe that vampires are the evil of the world when it was him and Rene. They wanted to rid the world of girls like me, my friends and the other women that they'd killed. We were betrayers to the human race and we didn't deserve to live. And from what I've heard, his press conference almost worked. He almost had people believing that vampires had taken me when everything that happened to me is because of him."
Alcee thought of the first time he'd let Copley get into his head. He'd let the most powerful man he'd ever encountered play him. He'd believed Copley's lies and he'd almost condemned an entire race of innocents to death. And hell, he was willing to believe anything in order to save his brother. "I was one of those people," he admitted. He then looked at Eric and said, "I apologize to you, Mr. Northman. You and your people have my deepest apologies."
"You're forgiven," Eric replied.
"He never should've been accused of something that he didn't do. He and his wife saved me," Amelia said as she looked at Eric. "They have given me a home when I have nowhere else to go. And I want to thank you, Eric, for everything that you and your wife have done for me."
Eric gave Amelia a brilliant smile. "You are most welcome."
"Where is your father?" the chief asked.
Answering for her, Eric said, "He's at his home. He's being monitored as we speak. We don't want him to leave and if he makes a move, we'll make sure that he doesn't get too far."
"You could've killed him," Cara stated plainly. "You could've killed him and we never would've known what he'd done. Why didn't you?"
Standing up from his seat, Eric said, "Your human laws are meant for humans and that is how Copley should pay for what he's done. He should lose everything that he's ever loved. He should suffer the humiliation that he'd put those girls through. He should spend the rest of his life in prison and be made to think about the devastation that he's caused." He buttoned his jacket as he looked at Amelia. "Shall we go?"
Amelia looked up at Eric and nodded. "I'm ready," she said. She smoothed the back of her dress down and clasped her hands in front of her. "Will you arrest him tonight?"
"We will," Chief Ambroselli said. "You know that you have to come to the station and speak of what happened to you, don't you?"
"I do," she answered. "But I can't do it tonight."
Eric spoke up and said, "She can come tomorrow with a guardian. She wil give you everything that you need then."
Clearing his throat, Andy asked, "Okay. That'll be fine but do you think that you can take us to where you were held?"
"Or at least tell us where you were?" Alcee suggested.
With a tremble in her voice, she said, "I can't go back there but I can tell you."
Eric lightly touched her shoulder as to give her some support.
"That'll be fine," Chief Ambroselli stated.
"Will the media be there?" Amelia asked. "When you arrest my father, will they be there?"
"If that's what you want," the chief answered.
"That's what I want," Amelia replied.
"Done," the chief stated. "It'll take a couple of hours but we can arrange it."
"Thank you for looking for us … for me," Amelia said to the cops. "I want to thank each of you for what you've done for me and my friends. You never gave up on us and I appreciate that. We all appreciate that. What life I have, I owe to each of you that's standing here."
Eric looked at watch and said, "We must go, Amelia. And be sure to order whatever you three would enjoy for dinner. Remember, it is my treat. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Amelia said the chief and the detectives.
"Goodnight," they said to the vampire and the halfling.
As soon as Eric and Amelia walked away, Cara pulled out her cell phone and began calling the first of three local television stations with whom she has a great working relationship. She called station WDRF TV 8 first. "If you want to see Copley Carmichael get arrested, be at his home in the next hour. We are going to alert as many stations as we can. So if you want a good spot to set up your camera, you'd better hurry." She stood up from her seat to leave as she hung up the phone.
She then looked at Alcee and Andy and motioned for them to come with her. "I need for the two of you ...," she began. She was going to tell them to take calls but from what she could see, there was no need to tell one of her detectives to get on the phone. Alcee was already talking a mile a minute as he got up from his seat but not Andy Bellefleur. Andy was reading his menu. She couldn't believe that he was about place an order for dinner.
"We're not eating, Andy," Cara said.
He looked absolutely devastated. He hadn't had anything to eat since lunch and he was hungry. He'd also always wanted to come to the restaurant. He and Halleigh both have always wanted to eat there but it was more than they could afford. Now he has his chance and he couldn't eat? What kind of shit is that?
With his eyes wide and filled with disappointment, he looked up at the chief and hoped that she'd show him some pity. "But he said he's already paid the tab," Andy began. "I think that if we don't order, he'll be offended and think that we don't want to accept his offer of a free meal."
"I don't care," Cara said as she cut him off. "We don't have time to eat. We have a job to do. Now come on and let's go."
Alcee was shaking his head at his partner's hunger as he alerted another news station.
Andy put down his menu and did as the chief said. For a second, he'd wished that he'd followed Eric out when he'd left. "Yes, ma'am," he groaned as he did as the chief ordered.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Once he and Amelia were inside of the limousine, Eric pulled out his cell phone and called Thalia. As soon as she answered, he gave her the orders. "Glamor him with what was rehearsed earlier this evening and then take him home. It's going to happen and it's going to happen soon."
He looked at Amelia and waited to see if she had anything to add.
There was something that she wanted to add. There were a lot of somethings that she wanted to add but for now, the most important was to keep Copley alive. "He can't kill himself or anything like that," she said. "I don't want him to die. He has to lose everything. That's the only way he'll pay for what he did to us. He can't have anything left; his money, his freedom, or his contacts. We have to leave him with nothing."
"Did you hear that?" Eric asked Thalia.
"I did," she answered.
"Call me when it's done," he ordered. "You have an hour to get him there."
"Done," Thalia answered. "And Sophie Ann has ebbs transported. She's under the keep of the faeries."
"Good," Eric replied. "After you're done with Copley, come to the meeting and take your place. We will be waiting for you."
"Nothing can keep me from being there," Thalia said.
He ended the call without another word.
"Eric?" Amelia said.
"Yeah?" he said.
"Thank you," she said.
He only stared.
"You are right. I'm not going to walk around with my head down and my spirit broken. I'm going to grow from this and I'm going to wear my badge of courage proudly and silently. I won't wear my pain on my face for others to see. I'm going to use it to grow," she said.
Turning to face her, he said, "And grow you will."
"I'll make you and Sookie so proud of me," she promised.
"We are proud of you. You're doing a brave thing tonight and we appreciate you." And he meant it.
"May I ask you something?"
"Yes," he said.
"Since I'm a halfling, am I a part of this world now, your world?"
"You are," he said.
She looked at him for a brief second before looking out into the night. She sighed and nodded. "I think that I'm going to fit in. I think that I'm going to like it here."
When she turned to face Eric again, there was a smile on her face and in her eyes and it satisfied him. He knew for certain that Sookie was right. Amelia is going to be just fine.