Spellbound

I want to thank you so much for your wonderfully, encouraging reviews. I appreciate ya'll. Ya'll will never know how much. I hope that these last few chapters are up to par and I hope that ya'll enjoy them. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The main characters belong to Charlaine Harris. The side characters and the story line belong to me.

Copley Carmichael was on the news and he was dressed in jailhouse oranges. The arrogance that used to surround him was gone. The self-entitled attitude was gone. The qualities that made Copley Carmichael, Copley Carmichael were no more. He looked worse for wear. He was shackled and he was disheveled. He looked downtrodden and defeated. Most of all, he looked embarrassed.

"These are the images from Copley Carmichael's appearance in court today," the newswoman reported. "Mr. Carmichael was arrested three nights ago for the kidnapping and murders of the missing girls (their pictures were displayed across the screen). His daughter, Miss. Amelia Broadway, gave a press conference to confirm that her father was behind these heinous crimes. He and his accomplice, Rene Leneir, were arraigned today in the local district court. Let's take you there. Elsa, what have you learned today about the pending court hearing for these two persons?"

As Elsa talked, Sookie, Claudette, and Amelia stared at the TV screen. Sookie and Claudette were ecstatic to have metaphorically killed two birds with one stone. Amelia looked devastated and tried to hide the fact that she was crying. Sookie didn't want to show her feelings of joy so she cleared her mind and held the girl's hand. Claudette didn't care. She wanted to show that she was happy and that's exactly what she did.

"Yay! You sick fucks!" she yelled at the screen. She scooted to the edge of her seat as she continued yelling at the TV. "I hope that you fucking suffer while you're in jail! I hope that everything that you did to those girls happens to you in prison! You piece of shit! Fuck you!" She gave the TV the finger as she cheered. "Alright! Justice will be served. About fucking time!"

Sookie stared at Claudette as if she'd lost her mind.

"I hope you both die in jail!" she said. She nodded her head at the TV as she sat back on the couch. The crossed her legs and began kicking right leg in an angry rhythm. She did a quick fist pump before nodding her head at Sookie.

Sookie has always known that her cousin has a tendency to lack tact but she needed to realize that maybe Amelia wasn't into cheering. "Claudette," she said as she motioned her head in the direction of Amelia.

"What?" She looked completely oblivious to what was going on around her and who was with her. As a matter of fact, she really didn't care. She was happy about what has taken place and she's not going to sugar coat her feelings for anyone. "I'm not going to pretend to feel sorry for what has happened because Amelia is sitting here. She knows that this is what needed to be done." She pointed at the TV and said, "This is what he deserves."

Sookie gave her the look but said nothing.

"I've said nothing wrong. He's getting just what he deserves," Claudette said as she defended her reaction. "If I could've, I would've killed him … but slowly. Slow killings are always better. It's allows the thing to realize what it's done. It allows the thing to realize that a different course of action could've been taken."

Sookie's mouth fell open as she gaped at her cousin. "Unbelievable," she mumbled.

Claudette nodded the confirmation of her previous statement. "I would've killed him and I wouldn't have felt guilty about it. He deserves nothing less than what he'd done to those girls … the both of him … Copley Carmichael and Rene Leneir." She leaned forward and said to Amelia, "I don't mean to be harsh but our enemies deserve to die for their wrongdoings. And your father is our enemy."

"Don't say that," Sookie said.

Claudette gawked at Sookie and shook her head. "I do not take back what I've said. And you shouldn't feel guilty about what's happening to him either. This is the path that he'd chosen for himself." She leaned back with her arms still crossed over her chest.

"But …"

"And!" Claudette said as she bounced back up to her previous position. She looked at Sookie and said, "I would hope that you'd want to help me torture him … or at least come up with some ideas. You're really good at torture if you want to the know the truth about it. I'll bet …"

"Not now, Claudette," Sookie said through clenched teeth. Though she was pleased with her cousin's compliment, she didn't want to talk about that kind of thing around Amelia; especially with her having gone through such horrendous things while in captivity.

Claudette waved Sookie off. "Pshaw," she said. "She knows that I'm right and she knows that her dad is getting his just desserts." She looked at Amelia and asked, "You know that I'm right, don't you?"

"I know," Amelia replied.

"See?" Claudette said with a triumphant grin.

"You have no tact or decorum at all," Sookie said. "You may be right but that doesn't mean that you have to say it just because you're right."

The faery fanned Sookie off as she relaxed and settled into the couch. "What do you think, Amelia?"

She looked down at her feet before answering the faery's question. She'd always believed that her dad was a good man … well, she used to. She used to believe that the sun and moon rose and set on her father but now? She cared nothing for him. She didn't want to feel what she was feeling but she despised her dad for what he's done. She's not even certain if she can or will ever forgive him. She and her friends were nothing to him. He took their lives from them … their security … their hopes and dreams. What he wanted was all that mattered. He may not have truly been an accomplice to what Rene Leneir was doing but he is a murderer. As far as she was concerned, he's worse than Rene … far worse.

Amelia finally looked up at Claudette as to answer her question. "I think that you're right," she said. "And I'm glad that he's going to jail. And I'm glad that he can't get an easy out either. I asked Eric to make sure that my father doesn't do anything that's going to keep him from paying for what he's done. I don't want him to kill himself or buy his way out of this. This is what he deserves. I want him to lose everything that's ever mattered to him … his money and his name." She then mumbled and said, "At least we all know that I'm one of things that didn't matter."

Claudette draped her arm over Amelia's shoulder. "Don't say that," she said. "Don't ever say that because you matter. You've always mattered."

Amelia didn't believe it. She couldn't believe it. If she mattered, there's no way that he would've done to her the things that he'd done.

Sookie, being careful not to invade the girl's thoughts, studied the look on Amelia's face. What she saw broke her heart. "Hey," she said. "Look at me."

Amelia looked at Sookie and waited.

"He loved you," she said. "At one time, he adored you. You were his pride and joy. He was proud to have been your father."

She wanted to tell Amelia what she'd seen in her dad's eye on the night she met him at the police station but she kept it to herself. She could tell that it wouldn't have mattered … not then; especially when he could've made it possible for her to come home. He had the means to make sure that she was safe. He betrayed her. She understood that Amelia had every right afforded to her to hate what her father had done but she has to let it go or she'll never be free. She'll forever be in that dungeon.

Sookie had to do and say something to keep Amelia from letting the hate for her father consume her. "Everything that you're feeling is valid and I'd feel the exact same way. As I said before, you were his world. And from what I gathered from his mind, he'd actually believed that everything he'd done was for you."

She thought of what he and André had done. She thought of how the girls suffered. She placed her hand to her chest and bowed her head. Just as she did on the night she and Eric went to the police station, she could feel the girls as they moved through her.

Shaking her head, she said, "It wasn't. No matter what he says, what he'd done was never for or about you."

Amelia sighed. "I know," she whispered.

Sookie continued on. "He may have loved you more than he's ever loved himself or the almighty dollar … at one time. And one day, after all of the pain of what has happened to you and your friends has vanished, you'll reminisce of the times when he loved you. It may take some time but it's there."

Amelia's brow creased as she looked at Sookie. "Are you saying that I should forgive him?"

Claudette shook her head no as she rolled her head to side and looked at her cousin. "I hope not. That's not what you're saying, is it?"

Sookie chuckled. "I would never say that. What she does will be her choice. I'm just trying to help her get past the hate and the pain."

"That's what I thought," Claudette said with a hint of an attitude.

This time, Sookie's brow furrowed. "What did you say?"

Smiling, Claudette said, "About what?"

"Jerk," Sookie said as she playfully swatted at her cousin. She became serious once again. "Claudette and I are going through a similar situation … cutting certain family members out of our lives."

Amelia's eyes widened. "You two were taken against your will?"

"Hell, no," Claudette announced. "That will never happen … not to me or to her. We've been trained to fight and to kill our enemies without hesitation. No one would ever be brave enough to take us. They would be sealing their fate. We're not weak. We're not easy prey. I guarantee you that our enemies will fall at our feet." She pointed at Amelia as if to confirm her statement.

"Tact," Sookie said.

Claudette shrugged her shoulders.

Glancing at the annoying faery before speaking, Sookie said, "Our situation is different. We are at odds with our grandfather. He has done some terrible things to us and they have affected us in some life changing ways but we both know that there was a time when he loved us. If we go back to those days, they're there. There were the unicorn rides or the overnight trips to the Elf Faire. There were the bedtime stories and there were the times when he made us laugh when we wanted to cry. All of that is still there."

Placing her hand to her heart, Sookie said, "It's right here. We've let our anger at him make us forget the good times but they're there." She heaved a sigh as she said, "Maybe in time, we'll learn to forgive him and forget what he's done. Perhaps we won't but there have been times when he's loved us … just as Copley once loved you. All you have to do is remember. Keep the good stuff. They'll come in handy on those nights when all you want to do is cry and ask why. You'll find comfort in them. I promise."

Amelia and Claudette had matching looks on their faces. They'd never thought of that; specifically, not Claudette. She's loathed Fintan since he'd exiled Claude from their world. When he'd been drained by a vampire, before the treaty with the vampires had taken place, she'd blamed Fintan. She didn't care that Claude had been brainwashed by their family's enemies. He was but a boy. He didn't recognize what he was doing. She'd begged Fintan to let her brother stay in Fae but her pleas fell upon deaf ears. And since that day, she's felt nothing for Fintan. She's always told him that he's the one that killed Claude. He was the one that sent him away and so brother's death was her grandfather's hands. She'd been so angry with him that she'd overlooked the unicorn rides and the Elf Faire.

She surprised herself as she chuckled. "Those were good times," she said. "The faire was great. It was always great. Claudia, she was my oldest sister, she loved the faire. They always made her smile. She had the most beautiful smile. Her smile could light up a room." A tear trickled down her cheek. "I miss her smile."

Sookie reached for her cousin's hand after wiping away the tear. "She did. Oh, and she had the most beautiful laugh. Do you recall the time she ran off to go to the Elf Faire and that year, the fair was held over the rainbow? Niall, he was our great-grandfather; he couldn't find her for nearly what ... three days?"

Claudette began to laugh. "Yeah. She was put on restriction for a month. She didn't get to leave the grounds for a very long time. There would be days when we'd look up at her bedroom window and her face would be pressed against the glass … a scowl would be on her face." She mimicked the face that her cousin used to make as she laughed.

Laughing, Sookie said, as she rolled her eyes, "But she didn't care."

"That's what she said," Claudette interjected. "But we knew the truth. Claudia loved to be outside. She needed to be outside."

Sookie began to laugh. "Yeah," Sookie said. "We knew the truth. There was no way that she didn't care. She loved the outdoors."

Claudette said, "She loved the outdoors so much that there'd be days when she'd be outside as naked as jay bird."

Amelia's mouth fell open. "Really?" she asked.

"Really," Sookie said. "That's how much she loved to be outside. Anyway, she pretended to be so cool during that time. She said that she didn't mind being on restriction. She'd gotten to see the other side of the rainbow. She said that it was all pink; and she hated pink, by the way. She said that it reminded her of throw up but she was happy to have gone."

"And on that day, she loved pink," Claudette clarified.

Amelia's mouth opened wider than before as she thought of the other side of the rainbow being pink. She'd always assumed that it was blue … like the sky. She imagined the beauty of it as her great cousins talked.

"And Fintan sneaked her off of the grounds one day," Claudette said as a bemused look appeared on her face. "He took her to the waterfalls so that she could feel the mist on her feet. He could see that not being able to be out in the world was taking it's toll on Claudia. He decided to help her out." She began to nod her head. "She smiled all day that day … more than usual." She chuckled and added, "That was a good day."

Shaking her head as she enjoyed the trip down memory lane, Sookie said, "See? This is what I mean. The recollections, the happiness, the good times; don't let them go. We need them if we are to get past the bad times, the truly challenging times. We can't let the bad things that transpire in our lives control us. This is our time and we need to make the most of it. So, Amelia, keep the good with you because sometimes, that's all that we have left."

Adele, Claudia, Claude, Claudine, Luna, Gertrude, and the other vampires and faeries that they've lost during this battle for the council; Sookie and Claudette thought about those that they'd lost. Amelia did the same. They weren't going to let the good times go. How could they? It keeps them alive.

The ladies sat there in silence for a few minutes before Claudette's very loud sigh scared the begeezus out of them.

"Ahh!" Amelia screamed as she giggled.

"Why?!" Sookie yelled. "Why do you do that?!"

Claudette had her serious face on. "Why not?" she asked.

Sookie reached across Amelia and punched Claudette in the arm. "You're an asshole, you know that?! You startled me!"

"You didn't die of a heart attack, so what's the big whoop?" Claudette asked.

Shaking her head, Sookie said, "I can't believe you."

"Anyway," Claudette said. "The Gathering is tonight. Is everyone going to go? It's supposed to be a great party … dancing, eating, punishments are going to be handed down. I plan on getting drunk. It's going to be a grand old time."

The question was aimed at Amelia.

"Tact, Claudette," Sookie said.

Amelia still said nothing.

And since she didn't answer right away, Sookie decided to carry on. "Since I haven't had this overactive baby yet, I'm going to go. Maybe a little dancing and walking will make him come out. And I'm going to be there to stand at my husband's side. This is why we've fought so hard for our race. The supernatural race. This is going to be a wonderful night."

Still Amelia said nothing.

"I think Pam's going," Sookie continued on. "She's doing better. She's looking a lot better. Her fangs haven't grown back but other than that, she's doing very well. Eric is very proud of the progress that she's made. He said that he was going to buy her a new gown but Pam declined."

"What?" Claudette asked. "Pam turned down shopping?"

Sookie nodded. "She did. Last night, she said that she didn't feel like going. She said that she'd wear something that she has at home. Selene went to her house last night and grabbed a bunch of clothes for her and that was that."

Silence remained from Amelia.

"Yep," Claudette said.

"Mmmhmm," Sookie said.

Amelia still said nothing.

Claudette finally asked, "What about you, Amelia? Are you going to go?"

"I don't think so," she said. "I think I want to stay here and get some rest. To be able to lay in a bed that has a real mattress on it is a dream come true for me. Since the press conference, I've been sleeping better and it feels good. And the cheesecake; the strawberry cheesecake that I had was delicious. I brought three extra pieces with me home that night. Godric made sure to have the lady wrap me some up before we left." She closed her eyes as she thought of that cheesecake. "It was so good."

"And you were wonderful," Claudette said as she proudly kissed Amelia's cheek. "You should've seen her, Sookie. She was so courageous. You would've been very proud of her. I know that I was and Eric was extremely proud of her. Quinn and I watched it when we got home that night."

Sookie mimicked Claudette's movements and kissed Amelia on the cheek. "When I saw her on TV, I was so proud. Her voice was so clear and precise. She did a great job. And you know what? I'm going to be even prouder when she goes into the kitchen and gets me a piece of that cheesecake."

Amelia shook her head no. "I would but I can't. I ate them all," she whispered. "I ate every single crumb. I even licked the glaze from the strawberries off of the plates." She nodded her head. "It was so good."

The faeries laughed as they hadn't laughed in a long time. The look of guiltiness that was on Amelia's face was priceless. A cunning smile appeared on her face. "I almost ate the plate. That's how good it was."

They laughed even harder.

Amelia stared at the faeries as they laughed. Their laughter must've been contagious because she began to laugh with them. And if felt good.

After a few minutes, Claudette stood up from the couch. "Well, it's been real, ladies but I have to go. The caterers are going to meet me at the mausoleum at 2:00. Arayleaha is overseeing the decorations."

Sookie frowned. "I thought that you were doing that."

"I was," Claudette confirmed. "But Arayleaha said that I'm too forceful and I anger quickly when things don't go my way. She said that I make the people nervous." She shrugged her shoulders. "So, she and Marco are handling that end. Alcide, Tristan, and Kellan are taking care of the security detail."

"So things are going good?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah," Claudette answered. "They're going great." She began to laugh. "I never realized how cheap Arayleaha is until she started helping me with this project. It's quite comical. Oh," she shouted. "After the meeting, Eric has a surprise set up for you and those closest to us. We've been working on this since we came here. But I don't know if we'll be able to do it tonight."

"Why?" Sookie asked as she struggled to slide to the edge of her seat. "I love surprises; especially if my husband is the one planning the surprise for me."

"I don't think you'll last that long," Claudette answered.

"You're huge," Amelia said. "But not that huge," she quickly added.

Cocking her head to the side, Sookie asked, "Do you guys think that everyone's going to be able to tell? I was thinking that if I wore a flowing gown, no one would be able to tell … not until after Eric and I present ourselves to our peers."

With her hands on her hips, Claudette said, "If you wear a dark color maybe they won't be able to tell. I think black is going to be your best bet if you want to keep it hidden until after the presentation."

"I don't like wearing black," Sookie said. She looked at Amelia and asked, "It's so drab and dark. I could do navy blue or purple. Maybe I can wear white. What do you think, Amelia? Can I wear white and get away with it or should I wear black?"

Amelia sighed and said, "I agree with Claudette. Your stomach's too big to hide behind a white gown. I think that black will hide it better."

Grunting, Sookie tried standing up but when that didn't work, Claudette took her by her hands and pulled her up from the couch. "Thanks, Cousin," Sookie said. "I guess I need to go shopping for a black gown. I have nothing that's black but I don't want to go shopping. I don't feel like shopping." She ran her hand over her belly. "I don't think that it's at all possible for me to enjoy myself shopping in this condition. My feet will start to hurt. I'll bet I'll have to pee every two steps. What am I to do?" she asked as she sighed.

Claudette rolled her eyes. She knew what Sookie was getting at but she wasn't going to volunteer.

Sookie sighed again. "Boy," she said. "I guess I'm going to have to wear something else. I have a peach gown but it's probably not going to hide my baby belly. After all, peach is a light color."

Claudette said nothing.

Amelia looked on; amusement consuming her bright, brown eyes.

"But I guess it'll have to do," Sookie said. "What do you think, Claudette?"

"I think that you're a shameless bitch. That's what I think," Claudette answered.

Sookie smiled as she pulled her cousin into her arms. "Thank you," she said. "You're the greatest. And when you get my dress, make sure you get me a pair of black flats. I cannot do heels. Can you imagine me in heels at this juncture of my pregnancy? Splat!" she said as she giggled. She released Claudette from her hug and said, "My purse is in the den. You can get my credit card on your way out." She then flopped down onto the couch and propped her feet upon the table. "And buy yourself anything that you want and I do mean anything … except for anything too expensive." She closed her eyes as she continued to caress her baby belly.

"You really make me sick," Claudette said. "You know that, right?"

"I know," Sookie said as she settled into her special little grove in the couch. "But it doesn't matter because I love you to the moon and back again. You make me happy and you make me smile."

"You bitch," Claudette said as she leaned down and kissed Sookie's cheek.

"I love you too, my dearest cousin." She opened her eyes and looked at Claudette. Her eyes were filled with love and adoration.

She gave Sookie the finger and blew her a kiss before she popped away.

Amelia looked at the empty space and then at Sookie. "Do you think she's going to go?"

"Absolutely," Sookie said as she turned to look at Amelia. "We do this. What you just saw is the relationship that we've always had. She's my best friend … outside of my husband. She's the sister that I never had. In time, you'll see. We'll have the same type of relationship because that's what we do." She touched Amelia's leg and said, "You're going to fit right in with us."

"Do you mean that?" Amelia asked. "You're not just saying that because I'm alone."

"I mean every word," she answered. "I hope that you meant it when you said that you liked staying home and resting in a nice bed because for as long as you want, this is your home. We are your home." She took Amelia's hand into hers. "It's a lonely world when you have nothing or no one else. You don't have to be lonely. We will take care of you. We love you."

Amelia's gaze was focused on the sofa cushion. "You don't have to do this because of what happened to me. It's not your fault."

"No, it's not," she agreed. "But if I put you out into a world where you're all alone, it would be my fault. Look, Amelia," Sookie began. "I want you here. I love having you here. We can keep each other company. We can become girlfriends. We can shop, hangout, and whatever else there is for us to do. You, Claudette and I could be the three musketeers but in the end, it's your choice. You can stay if you want to. We'd love to have you."

When she looked up at Sookie she had the widest grin on her face. "Thank you," she said.

Patting Amelia's leg, Sookie said, "Now stand up so that you can help me up. I can't do this alone."

Amelia laughed as she helped Sookie up from the couch. She looked at Sookie's smiling face and she knew without a doubt that this is where she belongs.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Copley was arraigned today," Sookie called from the bathroom. "He and that other murderer. It was sweet justice."

"Good," Eric answered. "I feel that he should pay with his life but that is not what Amelia wanted. What was his reaction?"

"Didn't get to see his face too much," she stated. "The coward wouldn't even look up as his charges were read out in the courtroom. Our only view was the top of his balding head. His cowardice and shame was more than obvious though. I was quite delighted. You and Amelia did a wonderful thing last night."

Eric shook his head no. "It wasn't me. It was all Amelia. It was her idea to meet with the chief and the detectives. She was very strong … very brave. Did she get to see him during his time of shame?"

Sookie nodded her head. "She did."

"Did she handle it well."

"Very well," she said to him.

"I knew that she would," Eric said.

Sookie emerged from the bathroom and stood in the doorway. "So, how do I look? Claudette picked it out. It's very beautiful, I think. It's elegant and classy. Do you like it?" she asked. "I'm not really into wearing too much black but Claudette and Amelia agreed that I needed to camouflage my belly. Claudette said that it's best that we keep the pregnancy quiet until the second half of the party. What do you think? Does it do its job?" She gave him a side view of her belly.

With loving eyes, he said, "You look beautiful. You always look beautiful."

"Flatterer," she said as she walked to where he was and hugged him. "Although you didn't actually answer my question, I'll take it that you can't really see my belly."

"You can't," he confirmed. "It's invisible to the naked eye."

As he straightened his tie, Sookie sat on the bed and slid her feet into her shoes. "I have something to ask you, my dearest. Do you have any concerns with Amelia staying with us for a while … you know, just until she's able to live on her own? She really has nowhere else to go and we're all that she has," she added.

He gave himself a final glance in the mirror before sitting on the bed with his wife. "It is her choice," he said. "I have no worries with the girl staying here. Let me ask you a question, lover. Is it she that wants to stay here or is it you that wants her to stay here?"

Resting her head on his shoulder, she said, "It's a little bit of both. After everything she's been through, I can't bear to have her out in the world on her own … not yet, anyway. Don't get me wrong," she added. "I know that she's going to be okay. I just want us to be there for her. I couldn't imagine going through what she's going through and then having to go through it alone."

Resting his head against Sookie's, Eric thought of what she'd said. He'd been through some of the vilest horrors of his life at the hands of his maker. He'd seen and done some atrocious and unspeakable things … things that he never believed he'd ever do … things that he never believed he'd ever see. Those things haunted him when he was finally released to be on his own. Mercifully, he didn't have to suffer through those memories along. He had Sal. He didn't want to have to imagine that an innocent such as Amelia would have to suffer anymore. He wouldn't allow it.

"She can stay with us for as long as she likes," he said as he lifted his head and stared down at her.

"Thank you," she said.

"Though I have no preference either way, are we going to make New Orleans our permanent home or will the girl live with us in Shreveport?"

She frowned. The thought had never occurred to her. She looked at him and shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter to me. We could move to California or even Antarctica. It wouldn't matter to me at all. Wherever you are; that's where I want to be," she declared.

He beamed at her as he leaned in for a kiss. "You are my sunshine."

"You are my forever." She placed her hand to his cheek as she gazed into his eyes. "I do love you."

As they deepened their kiss, the security latch to their bedroom door sounded. They looked up to see their favorite female vampire entering the room.

"I'm ready," Pam announced. "I'm so ready to get out of this fucking house," she added. "Please understand that I am grateful for your hospitality but this is just too much. You have a lovely home but come on. Staying in here … nonstop … 24/7 … that's too much for anyone to have to endure; especially for a people person like me."

That comment caused laughter to fill the room.

Pam seemed confused as to why her master and mistress were laughing at her. She was serious. She was ready to go. "I never meant to amuse the two of you with my comedic talents but I meant what I said. I am ready to go. I can feel the urgency of the public as they await my return. Pam Withdrawal is a real disorder. There is blood to be had and beautiful women for me to indulge on. I'm ready to go."

And ready she was. She looked magnificent in her pink peplum gown. The bodice was adorned with crystal beading. Her pearl and diamond accessories made her look even more beautiful. Her hair was done in a sweet hive style as curly tendrils decorated her already gorgeous face.

After the laughter had died down, Sookie jumped up from the bed. She placed her hand to her chest and said, "Your public will be so happy to see you tonight. Pam, you look absolutely stunning." She walked to her friend and hugged her as she kissed the vampiress' cheek.

Pam winced slightly causing Sookie to jump back away from her.

Looking devastated at the fact that she could've caused her Pam pain, Sookie said, "I'm sorry. I never meant to …"

A smirk appeared on Pam's face. "I was kidding."

"Asshole," Sookie said. "I am surrounded by assholes."

"Hmm," Eric said.

"Not you, baby," Sookie confirmed. "I'm speaking about Claudette and Pam."

"True." Eric laughed as he stood up from the bed. "Pam, you are stunning. It pleases me that you are able to join us tonight."

"Master," she replied. "I wouldn't miss this night for the world. You and Sookie have done what you've set out to do and I want to be there for and with you both. I have never been prouder in all of my existence." She went to Eric and kneeled before him; bearing her neck. "My life is yours to do with as you will."

He offered her his hand as to help her stand. "My will is that you live a long and prosperous life."

"I wish the same for you, Master," she replied.

"I've never seen two sappier vampires in all of my life," Sookie said.

As he laughed, Eric asked, "Shall we go?"

"Let's," Pam answered.

Grabbing her shawl and her clutch from the bed, Sookie said, "I can't wait to get there. Tonight, our every dream will come true."