A/N: Some of you really went out of your way to leave me some kind words and I appreciate it more than I can say! I love hearing from you. Since I don't want to spoil anything, I won't answer your questions directly but I will say this: things are about to get difficult. Trust me anyway.

Chipndalegal: lol at "emo Bill' and its neat watching you go through the chapters like that.

Bowlingforvampires: thank you.

Chapter 32

We sat in the sand for a few minutes after that, silently breathing in the ocean air and letting the surf just barely reach our feet. The palm trees which lined this small section of beach sheltered us a little, and hid us away from the other people further down enjoying the night as well.

I then realized that right now, in this moment, I felt the edges of happiness; of how it could be. Even amidst all the tumult of our vacation to Hawaii I knew I felt safe with Eric, content, but also totally alive. It was as though all the things I still had to resolve just melted away with the sinking sand. The only thing that existed was now.

I could tell that Eric was wishing things were this simple always.

Yet, I knew in my heart that he would never be happy if they were. A life hidden away in some corner of the world free of politics might be okay for a month, or a year, or even ten years, but contented existence isn't enough for someone who has lived a thousand years and Eric was born a Viking. The desire to see the world, and have adventures, and conquests, and battles, was so deeply ingrained in him that it could never be erased. Some memories, it seemed, no matter how long since lived, are such a part of you that nothing can take them away.

And then, just as quickly as our moment had come, it passed.

Brushing a stray strand of hair from my face, Eric said: "we need to get back. There's much to do and little time to do it."

"I know, let's go" I said, standing up and brushing the sand from my dress.

Eric then stood up by my side and put one hand gently on my neck. The other, he placed on my lower back. He pulled me in tightly, securing me to him. After the gentlest of kisses, he said: "hold on tight" and took to the sky.

When we arrived back at the hotel, the concierge approached us right away indicating he had a message.

"Miss Stackhouse" he said "the King has requested that I escort you to his rooms at once."

"If I may?" I asked, leaning in to touch his arm. I wasn't going to let another of Felipe's spies catch me unawares.

The concierge, whose name tag read 'James,' must have been privy to my telepathy and expecting this. He didn't flinch at the contact and simply nodded.

"Can I trust you James?" I asked quietly, and then shut out the other noises in the lobby around me to listen to his thoughts.

…seems nice enough. The vampire she's with is much more my type. Yum. I hope she gets on with it because the King sounded urgent. I wonder if I should offer her companion my blood. He's definitely the Viking everyone keeps talking about. I can't wait to tell George when I get off work…

His thoughts ran together and seemed to flit from subject to subject but I didn't believe he had any malicious intent. It was kind of amusing listening to him, actually, because he stood stock still and mannerly like a concierge should while his mind indicated a more playful personality.

I stepped back from him and nodded at Eric.

"James" Eric said "ensure that my bonded arrives at the king's quarters immediately. Do not stop; do not talk to anyone else." He hadn't said it threateningly, but you would have to be foolish or stupid or both not to understand the subtext.

The concierge's eyes widened a little but he promised that he would.

"Dear one" he leaned in and whispered "I will join you directly. I sense that Pamela strongly desires a word. Remember your gift if you have need of it." He squeezed my hand and then promptly walked towards the elevator.

Did he mean my telepathy? Or was he referring to the dagger strapped to my thigh? I prayed there would be no cause for the latter.

I was safe with Preston, right? What did he even want to meet about?

James escorted me to an ornate elevator door which required a special security card and password. He explained that it was the King's private elevator and was the only one which opened directly to his room. He also chattered on about the various private or high security areas that it accessed. Whether he was telling me this because he figured I could simply pluck it from his head I wasn't sure. But I sincerely hoped he wasn't foolish enough to tell just anyone this kind of information. Where vampires were concerned, a human who talks too much is a huge liability.

The elevator came to a sudden stop and Preston's voice sounded over the intercom.

"Rigby" He questioned "is Miss Stackhouse with you?"

"Yes, Majesty" I replied for the concierge I now knew to be James Rigby.

"Excellent, you may proceed" he said, and the elevator started again.

If I weren't so impressed with the fact that Preston could somehow control the elevator on his end I would have laughed at the paranoia of vampires. Time and time again, though, their self-preservation tactics seemed to be the only thing keeping them alive. Or dead, as it were.

When we finally reached Preston's floor, James slid back a small piece of steel revealing a spot for his thumbprint. Immediately, a small green light flashed and the doors opened. James ushered me into an elegant foyer and then retreated back to the elevator.

I was alone with a King.

Eric POV

I didn't like letting Sookie go with the breather but I didn't have much choice. Preston had requested her presence only. Given the extreme lengths he had gone to on our behalf I figured he was deserving of my trust. But I would still go to her as soon as I spoke with Pam.

I knew my child was in distress. I had tasked her with contacting my eldest, Karin, and to find a way to get in touch with her grandsire on my behalf. It had been, most thankfully, a long time since I had seen Appius and I didn't relish the thought of our reunion. He had closed off the bond a long time ago which was a great relief but made it impossible for me to locate him. All I knew was that he still lived. Occasionally I received word that he had been seen in Istanbul, or Prague, or, most recently, Oklahoma. His presence in America unnerved me greatly.

His silence even more so.

By now I had reached my room, and found both Pam and Bill pacing the hallway in front of the door so I unlocked it and they followed me in. I could feel my child's agitation so I gestured for her to speak first. Compton would have to wait.

"My sister bids me offer you her congratulations" Pam said formally "and assures me she will be in attendance at your coronation. She also insists upon travelling immediately to Shreveport."

I contemplated this. There was still much for me to take care of in Hawaii, but then again I had also promised Sookie we would return home so she could help in the effort to locate Merlotte. Her insistence to repeatedly put herself in harm's way irritated me greatly. Furthermore, one shifter's fate was extremely low on my list of priorities. If Karin would be in Shreveport it would give me a more adequate reason to supply Preston with for my imminent departure.

I told Pam to continue.

"I'm afraid that I also have some rather troubling news, Master" Pam said anxiously.

I noticed her tense up considerably. Even Bill seemed uncomfortable. Did he know something?

"Apparently Ocella has sired an uncontrollable child" she said slowly "Alexei Romanov."

I wouldn't have been more surprised if she had told me he had sired Beyoncé.

"That is troubling news indeed, particularly for the boy" I said somberly, memories of the years after my Turning flooding my mind "but I do not see how it pertains to our current situation. I wanted only to inform him of my impending Kingship."

"I think you will find it pertains to the situation a great deal" Bill interjected.

"Please enlighten me as to how" I replied.

"You know more than anyone that Appius Livius Ocella is one of the most powerful and experienced vampires in existence, and cruel. The other Royals fear and despise him. With your elevated position, he will be at an even greater advantage. The other monarchs will be extremely uneasy about this" Bill said.

"That would be true regardless of the Romanov boy" I argued.

"Yes, but a high profile vampire such as Alexei Romanov, if he cannot be controlled, will be insurmountably bad for vampire-human relations. This could also threaten your position as king. If you do not wish to be battling endlessly to maintain your position-

"That I did not even particularly want" I interrupted.

"You will need a strong alliance. Or you will need to…Ocella will need to…die." Bill stated, his face ashen.

By now Pam's anxiety had reached an almost palpable level.

"What aren't you telling me? Speak!" I demanded, staring at my child.

"My sister says she has heard from friends in Oklahoma's court that Alexei is reckless, Eric, mad. That Appius grows desperate. I'll admit that the idea of my grandsire in a desperate position frightens me." Pam finished.

"It should" I admitted "but how is it possible that I am only discovering this now?" I asked in frustration "and why has Karin not contacted me directly about this?" I finished.

"She assumed you already knew, Master" Pam said.

"This is why I fucking hate politics!" I roared "I simply do not have the desire to gossip endlessly with other Sheriffs or Royals. I stay out of it completely and run my area. And because of this, I somehow do not discover I have a half-mad Romanov as brother of my blood! I'm not even officially King and already I must worry about defending my position."

"Is it possible, Eric, that Appius simply didn't wish for you to know? It could be that he has forbidden others of speaking about Alexei." Pam suggested "a threat from him would not be taken lightly" she concluded.

"Even if that were true, something like this shouldn't have been able to be kept secret from me. I will need to employ spies, it seems. Something I've always been loath to do."

I then turned and walked towards Bill so that I was inches away from him.

"Please tell me that Stan Davis supports my claim" I said "tell me that you did what was asked."

"Wholeheartedly, Majesty" Bill said, not without a hint of sarcasm.

"At last, some good news" I said "and now I must go. Bill, make the necessary arrangements for all of us to return to Shreveport tomorrow night. Pam, I want you to call Fangtasia and bring everyone up to speed. Make sure you speak with Thalia, too. Inform her that I have a special task for her when I return."

Bill and Pam promptly left to attend to their duties.

I sat on the edge of the bed for a second to collect myself and feel for Sookie in the bond. She was surprised, and, aroused (?) but completely unharmed. I found myself to be much more curious about her meeting with Preston than interested in my own clusterfuck of new problems.

I headed for the King's suite.