Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy 2009! Sorry for the extreme delay in posting this chapter; it won't happen again. I've had hoards of family members staying at my house and no time to myself until today. I appreciate (very much) the many pm's I received asking me to post again.

Also, I would like to tell the fanfic writers whom I usually review, that as of tomorrow I will try to catch up on all your stories. Eric Dreamer, Mal, Nox and more than a few others: your reviews are coming right up. I can't wait to get back into everyone's stories!

Cheers, MiddayD

Chapter 19

"I've tasted your blood, when it was tainted by the maenad" Pam started to say while walking into Felipe's suite holding a pile of clothes "I've tasted your tears, and now I've had the misfortune of accidentally tasting your vomit. Honestly Sookie, when are you going to let me get a sample of the good stuff?" She finished, running a fingernail over my neck and grinning.

"Never" Eric replied for me with a small laugh "Sookie's blood is mine alone."

"It's my blood and I'm not dinner." I pouted, and took the pile of clothes to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me a little harder than I intended. Clearly the vamp blood I just drank had immediately increased my strength. I wasn't bothered by that fact. It seemed likely that I needed all the strength I could get. Felipe would be rising any moment, and we'd also have to deal with the Nevada vampires tonight. If somehow Preston managed to placate them for the remainder of the night, then we'd have to deal with them tomorrow.

I suddenly realized I could still hear Pam and Eric talking in the other room. Was my hearing improving as well?

"Master" I heard Pam say "how are we going to explain the dagger to Preston?"

I turned on the taps to brush my teeth and also to drown out the noise. I wasn't going to listen in on other people's conversations just because I could. After a long teeth cleaning, I unfolded the top item in the pile of clothes Pam had brought for me. It was a tight white button down blouse. Pam often dressed like a suburban mom so the shirt fit her image perfectly. The next item, to my surprise, was a short, plaid pleated skirt. I simply couldn't imagine her wearing it and very briefly wondered if she was into role playing. The schoolgirl look was certainly a classic fantasy. Disgusted with myself for letting my mind wander to Pam's sexual tastes, I shook the image from my head and got dressed. Eric would hardly be able to contain himself after seeing me in such an outfit, and I had to admit that I relished the thought. Applying a little mousse to my damp hair and some lip gloss, I opened the door to the bathroom and emerged to see Pam waiting expectantly.

"I thought so." Pam said with a wicked grin, while looking me over.

"What?" I asked.

"You look" she started to say, before Eric interrupted.

"Like a particularly fond fantasy of mine." Eric said, and the glint in his eyes was unmistakable. He kissed me possessively, and then turned to look at Pam. "Why have you done this Pam?" He asked her, interested.

"To remind other vampires of why Sookie is so important to you, master." Pam said simply.

I was about to argue, but she cut me off.

"I know there are many…reasons. I just thought that a little extra emphasis on your assets would prove helpful." She winked, and I actually had to laugh.

"You are using my lover's body as a distraction?" Eric seemed amused and irritated at the same time.

"I thought it would take the edge of Preston's annoyance at having to clean up the political mess she has caused." Pam said.

I felt like reminding her that I was the one who was kidnapped, but there was no point. Pam was mirroring Eric's pragmatism and really, she didn't have the same social niceties as human women. She was learning a great deal though, I thought.

"Well I suppose I'll just take that as a compliment." I said, resigned. I then walked over to the table on top of which I had laid Niall's dagger. I picked it up, and noticed it was spotlessly clean. That's strange. I thought to myself. I just stabbed a vampire with this, and no one in this room would have been able to touch it to clean it off.

Noticing my confusion, Eric walked over to me. I showed him the blade and he too, marveled at its shining silver.

"If I had to guess" he started to say "I'd imagine that this weapon's magical properties prevent it from being tarnished. You saw Victor disintegrate from a stab wound to the back. Maybe enemy flesh can't come in contact with it or else dissolve entirely. I've heard of similar weapons in legend, but I've never seen one. This is true fae craftsmanship, and worth much more than you could imagine." Eric said, obviously fascinated and more than a little disturbed.

I suddenly heard the sound of movement from across the room and realized Felipe must have woken up. Instantly, Pam turned around and darted to the couch preparing to attack if necessary. Eric stayed at my side as Felipe got into a sitting position and shook his head as though coming out of a daze.

"That was a very foolish thing you did, human." Felipe said with pure hatred lacing his every syllable. "You killed a powerful vampire unprovoked. You will be punished for this, most severely." He said, and grabbed Pam's arm before she could react and bit, drinking from her as though his life ha-ha depended on it.

In one night I had seen two vampires drinking from one another, which was a very rare thing. Pam and Victor were now bonded, to a certain degree anyway, and it was a terrifying thought. If Felipe didn't kill her, would Eric? Pam could very quickly become a liability if her connection to De Castro proved to be a strong one. I quickly glanced at Eric, who looked both appalled and completely shocked. For once, it seemed like he didn't know what to do. Pam was now limped over Felipe; if he didn't stop she would die. The dagger once again pulsed in my hand. It seemed to radiate its own energy and drove me to act. The blood I had taken from Eric in the shower moments before gave me new speed, and strength, and perhaps a little more bloodlust than I'd like to admit. Without thinking twice, I ran to the couch and noticed that he had been using a hand to steady Pam's wrist to his mouth. I sliced it clean off. The scream which came from his mouth could have shattered glass. Pam fell to the floor with a dull thud, and Eric appeared at my side immediately. Felipe's arm had crumbled all the way to his elbow from having come in contact with the blade. Had I stabbed him anywhere more vital, he would have disintegrated like Victor. The pain had knocked him out again, and the smell coming from his flesh was wretched. I grabbed my stomach as a second wave of nausea hit me, trying to keep it at bay.

"Sookie, Pam is very nearly dead, but I understand if you can't do it." Eric said cryptically, picking her up and laying her gently on the bed.

"What are you talking about, Eric?" I asked, walking towards him in confusion.

"She needs blood or she will die. Preston will be here in minutes, I do not know who is coming with him. For the sake of politics, and appearances, it would be better if it came from you. I cannot give her my own, you must understand why. If Preston comes in and finds you trying to save her, it will ensure your protection. You have a silver weapon. You have killed a vampire and wounded a king. Preston likes you and he is my friend. But his hands would be tied; he would have to punish you and then I would have to kill him. This is the only way." Eric said sadly, and I felt his extreme misery permeate the bond.

Whether it was leftover adrenaline from my recent actions, or simply because I knew what Eric said was true, I don't know. As soon as Eric stopped talking, though, I took the dagger and pierced a tiny hole in my wrist and dripped it over Pam's mouth. She was unconscious, but her lips parted for my blood. Within seconds, her neck arched to accommodate my wrist and she was sucking from my arm passionately. I saw her eyes flutter, and she woke up. Her expression was one of astonishment, but she continued to drink from me, albeit more gently. I looked up at Eric and noticed that his fangs had run down completely. His arousal quickly became evident through his pants, but I could still feel his conflicting emotions. He was incredibly turned on, and also wild with anger and pain.

At that moment, the door burst open and Bill rushed in accompanied by Preston and two guards. Preston briefly took in the situation and commanded the guards to leave. Slamming the door behind them, he came over to me and pulled my arm from Pam's mouth. He then bit his lip a little and leaned over to kiss her. After a moment of intense kissing, they broke apart. Pam was haggard looking, though flushed. She would be fine. For what seemed like an eternity, no one spoke. Preston paced around and seemed on the verge of speaking and kept changing his mind. Finally, to my utter amazement, Bill broke the silence.

"Victor is dead and Felipe is gravely injured. We need to decide what to tell the Nevada vampires." He said flatly, and went to De Castro's fridge. Presumably our display had awakened some of his waning hunger; he reached for a True Blood and drank it without bothering to heat it up.

"Obviously" Preston said to Bill with some annoyance "and unless you have a suggestion as to what that might be, you should stop talking." At that moment, Preston's expression changed completely. He walked towards Felipe, stunned. It was like he noticed his wound for the first time and didn't know what to make of it.

"Someone will tell me exactly what happened here" he said, turning to face me "and I think it will be Sookie" he finished, expectantly.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. It occurred to me that I had no way of explaining it without sounding stupid. I could hardly say the dagger made me do it. Thankfully, Eric spoke for me.

"There is much to discuss, Your Majesty. Sookie is exhausted. She was abducted by Felipe and just now, as you saw, she has given her blood to Pam. Please allow her to rest. I will explain everything to you and I would rather do so privately. Perhaps Pam, Bill, Sookie and your guards could return to my room? You and I ought to be alone." Eric said humbly, and I could detect anxiety in his voice. He was feeding Preston's vanity by making it sound like only the two of them should discuss what happened. It was clever, and it worked.

"Of course" Preston said, and dismissed the rest of us regally. He gave Pam a small smile as she got up to walk away. "I will order us some blood, Viking, we are both…rather worked up. By the looks of Felipe, he will be unconscious for the remainder of the night. We will stay here for the time being regardless."

That was the last thing I heard before I closed the door. Eric will be with you soon, so stop worrying. I thought to myself, and walked away.

"I would comment on the irony of being fed your blood a mere hour after joking about it, but perhaps another time would be better?" Pam smiled at me with immense satisfaction. She was learning social niceties very quickly indeed.

TBC