Sorry not sorry for the excessive anger ahead.
Song lyrics for this chapter: I Walk The Line by Johnny Cash
Eric's eyes flew open as soon as the early September sun fell below the horizon, but when the intoxicating scent of the North Sea and other early human memories danced through his brain, he smiled softly and lowered his lids back down.
Grace. Waking up next to her was like nothing else.
He turned his head and nestled his face into her brunette locks, inhaling deeply to savor her. Yet she remained still, caught in the middle of a new sleep pattern like a nurse transitioning off the night shift back to the day shift. Eric's lips began to caress her neck, worshipping the blood pumping underneath her skin; his nose followed shortly after to get his fill of her before he had to shower and wash off any trace of her scent. Gods, he wanted to fuck her. Right then. He'd arrived too late the night before to be given a chance.
However, Grace didn't completely rise to his bait. She whimpered and moaned softly … and remained asleep to his dismay, vaguely aware of his intentions but too tired to have the energy to reciprocate.
He ceased his seduction; while the vampire was turned on by many dark things, somnophilia wasn't one of them. Not with her, not when she and her red wig gave him so much pleasure when he was the only focus. Instead, Eric stayed next to her and basked in her presence for a bit longer before he had to be at his club. He should have popped back to the nest to check on things before getting there but dragged his feet. Because it was a show night. And watching the cabaret morph into something different without Grace hadn't been easy, even six months after she'd left. He would always associate her with the Fangtasia stage and Eric felt it even more acutely after she expressed how much she missed it in her recent voice note.
He hugged her tighter and nestled into her neck again - listening to her steady heartbeat and drifting off into a fantasy world that only she could bring about - before his phone finally beeped, signaling it was time to go. Eric ignored it but ultimately made himself face the music after some time. He took one last heavy inhale as a keepsake before he pulled away and rose from the bed. He glanced at her again, a smile tugging at his lips when she snored sharply and sprawled out now that he'd given her more room.
He would have much rather stayed beside her for several more hours (even if she was peacefully asleep the whole time), but Eric knew the rules. He forced himself to go above ground, shower and dress in his usual badass black attire. But before he walked out the door, the vampire crept back into the basement and snuck another look at his mate. She hadn't moved - still dead asleep, naked and tucked beneath the animal furs. A sight he would never tire of.
He commanded himself to burn her from his thoughts as soon as he landed on the pavement outside Fangtasia; he would need to hold his composure. Eric grimaced, pushed the employee door open and strode towards his office, making the wandering staff avoid running into him instead of the other way around. Pam showed up when he walked into the club's mission control room.
"Late again," she teased, holding out a blood bag. Eric rolled his eyes, snatched the bag, plopped into his chair, kicked his feet on the desk and took a deep sip.
"Anything to report?"
"Nothing you don't already know."
"Good," he smirked. He loved a well-oiled machine.
Vincenzo's voice wandered down the hallway, further highlighting their efficiency. "Doors are open!"
"Be on that throne of yours in an hour," Pam drawled.
She sped out of the room to deal with other logistics and left Eric to catch up on any Authority business. He woke up his computer, pursued the company bulletin for any recent Louisiana decrees (only one note about upping the number of years punishment for witches), finished the rest of the blood bag, spot checked Pam's work on the company financials and eventually logged on to a private Sheriff's forum to read the latest infractions and gossip to cure his boredom (Gods, Florida really did have the wildest humans). All was quiet on the front and nothing was out of the ordinary … until a particular vampire scent hit him, making alarm bells go off in his head.
Bill.
He was unexpectedly outside.
Eric zipped to the front doors, quickly followed by Pam and Vincenzo, who had left their posts. The blood family stood their ground in front of the entrance as a uniformed driver opened the door to a black Cadillac XTS limo; Bill and a petite blonde human climbed out from the back seat. He was dressed in a sharp black suit and she looked eerily like Sookie in her cutesy yellow fit and flare dress. She even said hello with the same strong Southern drawl and the alarm bells got louder.
It'd been over a year since the fairy had gone missing and his King had never stepped out with anyone who resembled her. In fact, he rarely talked about Sookie at all. So if Bill brought the little human look-a-like with him to Fangtasia - where Eric had routinely pulled the love of his life into deeper schemes - then this was not some casual visit. Bill had plans, it seemed. Plans that likely weren't good for the Sheriff.
Or Grace. It was hard to ignore the parallels standing right in front of him and Eric's heart sank, giving way for the angry beast inside him to wake up after being dormant for months. A distressing shiver followed; it ran down his spine and escaped through his soul bond before he could contain it. He knew it woke Grace up because he felt her reach out across their connection and via the buzz from his phone. But he clamped down on his emotions. He had to keep his guard up if Bill was coming for her.
He thought about immediately sending someone to take her to the Arkansas safehouse while the King was still at Fangtasia. For while their trip was much needed for both of their sanities, Eric had restocked the cabin on purpose. He'd honestly forgotten about the place - he only used it a handful of times before the Great Revelation to hide out when humans got too close to discovering his and Pam's nature - and it was perfect in case something like this ever happened.
But that directive was too reactive; hiding her might not be the best solution. He didn't even know what Bill wanted quite yet.
"Your majesty," he greeted with a fake smile to find out. "What do we owe the pleasure?"
"I'm here to see the cabaret. Isn't that obvious?" the King guffawed, looking over at his date to get a reaction. A few vampires in line started nudging each other and whispering amongst themselves.
"You don't have tickets," Pam said through her teeth. "And we're sold out."
"I'm your King," he sneered. "I don't need them."
Pam opened her mouth to insult him, but Eric cut in after quickly playing chess in his head to remain steps ahead. The cabaret had a reputation for being exclusive these days and there was no way Bill didn't know that. He was intentionally squeezing him in front of a crowd of vampire subjects since rejecting the monarch's request would be considered an insult. And he also knew it would rattle their logistics; his status awarded him the best seat in the house, which had already been sold off. Eric couldn't just kick his highest paying customer out and steal their table, especially since that individual was a wealthy human named Florence Edwards, who brought in more money than Leon ever did due to her family's endless trust fund.
This was a direct challenge from Bill but there was one way to get around it, albeit entirely degrading. It was likely what the King was shooting for and Eric knew he had to take the option because this was not the moment to push him. It was still too early to strike back; something bigger was coming. He could feel it.
"Right this way, your highness," the Sheriff said.
His second-in-command sent her confusion over their bond but Eric ignored it, turning on his heel instead. He led Bill inside and through the seated crowd - more whispers and incredulous comments being uttered as they got closer to the dais - and clamped down on his fury, disgust and contempt before grandiosely sweeping his arm.
"Best seat in the house."
Pam blasted him with anger and he let her see a slice of his own displeasure so she would understand how much he absolutely fucking hated offering Bill his throne. She looked at his outwardly masked demeanor in contrast to what he felt inside and understood they were now playing a game. Telepathy was still only a power for fairies, but after years of being together, they had learned to communicate without resorting to old Swedish when things were too dire.
"She can take mine," his progeny said with a sickly sweet smile.
"So very kind of you, Pamela," Bill grinned. The King gestured for his date to sit and took his precious time to settle on Eric's throne. More people in the audience started to notice since no one had seen someone other than the Sheriff sit there. Once seated, Bill crossed his legs and waved to them with a satisfied smirk as if to say, 'Yes, surprise, it's me!'
Like a sneaky little fuck.
The crowd burst into louder comments and Bill turned towards his human companion to strike up a casual conversation to pass the time until the show started. Eric, meanwhile, stood on the platform behind the throne and Pam silently stewed next to him. His eyes scanned the tables to pretend to look for threats against his King, but his thoughts never strayed from the task at hand. He played out different scenarios and attack strategies to prepare for anything since he still couldn't tell what the younger vampire wanted to force down his throat that night.
The lights finally dimmed, signaling the start of the show. The crowd's commentary quieted to a low whisper, but they roared with approval when Louis walked out, a spotlight following him as he made his way down the new T stage design that extended into the audience.
"Welcome, welcome folks! To the famous Fangtasia cabaret!" he greeted with a heavy dose of theatrical flourish. The vampires and humans in attendance clapped and hollered, providing a cover for the band leader to glance around the room and lock eyes with Vincenzo, Pam and Eric to signal he was on high alert like the rest of them. "My name is Louis and I'll be your host for the evening. But before we get into it, I understand we have a special guest tonight. Everyone, please give a hand for King Bill Compton!"
Bill reveled in the attention and his ego swelled; Eric stepped back into the shadows to further conceal his disdain in front of everyone.
"Happy to be here! I've heard so much about your show, I had to experience it first hand," the King called out, even though Louis hadn't invited a response.
"And we're honored, your highness," the band leader smoothed over. He adapted the night's script to Bill's surprise attendance. "Do you know what to expect then?"
"I have an idea," he answered. "But you're going to tell me to throw it out the window, aren't you? And expect the unexpected?"
The crowd chuckled and Louis' lips curled into a playful smile before he took a slight bow of respect.
"Very good, your majesty. Very good." He turned to the rest of the audience, drawing them back in. "He's completely right. We aim to please you here at Fangtasia. And we've put together quite the show for y'all tonight. Music, acrobatics, dancing, humor, sex …" His smile turned into a smirk as a woman near the front gasped. He improvised again. "Oh no, darlin', we're not doing live porn here. No, no! Just some burlesque." The tables roared with laughter. "But focus on me, I'll make sure to give you a good time. I make pretty womens jump and shout, you know. Cuz I'm the Hoochie Coochie man!"
The band recognized his scripted queue and started up "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" by Muddy Waters to kick off the show. Louis belted out the lyrics and slunk down the stage to join them, tucked off to the side. They'd slimmed down their presence - only piano, drums, bass, guitar and harmonica - to allow more room for the new performers on stage. Performers that were supposed to replace Grace, Eric reminded himself. Who he had to protect at all costs.
Music may not have been the main attraction anymore, but the raunchy blues song still got the crowd warmed up and enjoying themselves. Louis ended the number with a shout and the Sheriff barely heard his witty banter introducing the first act, his thoughts too consumed by his resumed scenario planning.
He had to be prepared. He couldn't let Bill win.
The blood red velvet stage curtains opened to reveal a female vampire and male human standing on opposite sides of a balance beam. They were dressed in sleek, skin tight black outfits and their attraction to each other was noticeable to everyone except Eric, who was still in his own head. The guitar started a slow melody and Louis' hum (much like Johnny Cash's original recording) floated throughout the room.
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you're mine, I walk the line
The crowd gasped and cheered as the female vampire effortlessly flipped and vaulted into the air over her partner. She landed right on the line of the balance beam and lovingly hugged him from behind, setting the narrative for the act. But Eric didn't care about their display. It was that goddamn word - mine - that called to the beast and grabbed its attention.
He wasn't strong enough to fight it; he was instantly transported back to that October night when she'd first graced the Fangtasia stage. He remembered how she commanded the audience and used the same words to put a spell on him. Because you're mine. She'd shocked him to his core and brought him back to life.
The performers continued to tumble back and forth and the crowd cheered in awe of their skill, especially when the vampire lifted her burly human in the air as if he weighed nothing. Eric's beast rumbled and began to rattle its cage after Louis took the next verse and sang his trigger once more.
As sure as night is dark and day is light
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I've known proves that it's right
Because you're mine, I walk the line
Grace was on the stage again, this time for their New Year's show. Her impeccable dress shimmered in the bright lights and her soul followed, enveloping her in a field of red and calling out to his own. He was back in her first residence, pinning her against the wall, kissing her intoxicating lips, gripping her plump flesh, tasting her, fuck the way she tasted, Gods -
The beast slammed into the cage bars; his fist balled up at his side. He hadn't said the words, but she was his. Even then.
Because you're mine, I walk the line
The memories and feelings became more intense every time Louis finished a verse with that closing line. He lost himself in their conversation after her transition, when he'd finally claimed her and she'd came so beautifully while riding out the effects of his blood. Then they were on their failed first date, where he pounded her over and over, repeating that fucking word.
Mine, mine, mine. The monster roared into the abyss.
Louis fluttered his last note in the air; the couple did their final tumbling pass and ended in a tender embrace. Everyone applauded enthusiastically and his sanity began to kick back in when Grace pushed a comforting feeling across their bond. Shit, he hadn't meant for her to feel anything. He quickly shoved the beast into a corner and unclenched his hand - just in time to conceal his true feelings before Bill turned around and gave him a pointed smirk.
Oh, the motherfucker. This was another one of the King's planned tortures for the evening; he wanted him to sweat while waiting for the other shoe to drop. But Eric wouldn't give him any satisfaction anymore. He couldn't show weakness, he had to stay strong for Grace.
The Sheriff forced himself to hold it together for the rest of the cabaret, not even letting his deep anger return when Bill turned to his date and uttered some discouraging remarks after one of the final numbers. Something about too much tits and ass. Pam, on the other hand, broke when his puppet human agreed and grumbled in old Swedish that the King had no taste and should have never been allowed past the main doors. Eric agreed but kept his mouth shut and pretended to be looking for any threats while knowing full well the biggest one was in front of him.
Louis closed the show as he always did by encouraging the audience to cheer for the performers and band members to thank them. Everyone except for Bill and his date got to their feet in a standing ovation and the excited energy persisted as the house lights came up. The crowd began the slow process of gathering themselves to leave, but the King was in no hurry, his eyes darting across the room in an attempt to judge their reactions to the show. Pam prodded Eric through their bond to ask what they should do next, but the Viking remained in place. Bill clearly wanted to drive the evening's events, so he waited for the next challenge.
He'd play his game.
For now.
"Well," the younger vampire finally said, "That was a mighty eventful evening. Pamela, would you entertain Margaret here? I need to speak with your maker about something."
The real reason he must have come. Eric sent Pam a warning signal not to fuck anything up and she held her tongue as she guided Sookie's twin off the dais towards the bar. He then motioned for Bill to follow him to his office. The two vampires remained silent until the door closed, shutting them off from the rest of the world.
"Nice little show you got here," Bill began, touching Eric's desk nonchalantly. "No other Sheriff has been as successful with my mainstreaming event decree. You really have a following, especially now that getting a ticket is harder. But I must say, I don't quite see all the appeal. There are some thrills, I suppose and I won't deny, that Louis character is very entertaining … but it's nothing special."
The beast reared again and Eric tugged on its chain to keep it in line. He couldn't lose his head. But fuck, he was done waiting for the trap to present itself. He'd taken enough disrespect for one evening.
"Get to the point, Bill," he sneered.
"Oh, have you not caught on yet? Here I was thinking you were smart," the King laughed. "I've decided to make your cabaret the entertainment for Behrouz's visit to New Orleans next month. It will all be under my creative direction. But you'll still eat the cost."
That was the reason for his visit? An ancient vampire from the old world - like Godric, so famous that all you had to do was drop his first name and people knew who you were talking about - was passing through their state and Bill wanted to peacock around to impress him. No, this couldn't be everything. Hell, it was the worst form of torture yet, but it didn't explain his date.
"Are you punishing me for being too good at my job?"
"This isn't a punishment; it's an honor. A gift to celebrate his friendship."
"Excuse me if I don't feel the same. I'm about to lose a lot of money."
"I don't care," Bill smirked. "You're doing my show only, no other performances at your club in October. By command of your King."
Shit, even more money lost now that he wouldn't have his crown jewel of Fangtasia revenue. Bill's lips curled even further and told Eric he wasn't done twisting the knife. The Viking's jaw clenched.
"Now, as I said, I'm directing. And I'm making some changes from tonight. You will drop the circus acts and burlesque and bring back the original rendition. Louis and the Fangtasia band … including Grace."
Louder alarm bells screeched in his head. No. No, no, no. Her name wasn't allowed to pass through Bill's lips. His willpower kept an iron grip on his facial expressions, but the animal inside him slammed against the cage bars and violently snapped its teeth.
Bill, meanwhile, had a crazed look on his face and acted like a predator closing on its latest kill.
"You see, before I decided to commandeer your ship, I inquired about the audience's reception to it. To understand if your show would even be worthy of my name. And you know what I found? Everyone told me it was better when she was in it. Every single person, isn't that funny? Apparently, she made it special. No one could tell me exactly why, only that she was a true star. So I want her to be there; our esteemed guest deserves the best. And if I want her, I can simply take her."
And there it was, the thing they'd been dancing around all night. He knew this was the final challenge because Bill used the exact same words Eric had said about bringing Sookie to Dallas. Except this time, he wasn't asking first out of respect. He was demanding. The King had sniffed out some leverage while indulging in his paranoia about being attacked and this was his revenge for revealing his true intentions to Sookie. Just as Eric feared he might do all those months ago.
His worst nightmare.
But the Viking was done just taking it. He had to fight, he couldn't let him near her. Near what was his. He hadn't claimed someone in decades and his loyalty and protectiveness came out in full force. He choked his angry beast to strangle it into submission and heard Grace's voice floating around his head, reminding him of her approved excuse.
"I wouldn't recommend that your highness," Eric said through his teeth.
"Why?" Bill pounced. He was elated his rival was finally pushing back. "Do I smell a secret? Tell me why she's special, Eric. Why she really left the stage."
He would never.
"She's an addict. That's why we fired her. She was too much of a … liability. And you don't want something to go wrong in front of Behrouz. It would make you look bad."
His King laughed and surprised him by going even further.
"But she's clean now, isn't she?" Bill sneered. He reached into the breast pocket of his dark suit and pulled out a few glossy pictures of Grace buying groceries and filling up her Jeep with gas. "My day man found out she's still in Shreveport, living near Cross Lake in a property owned by an offshore shell company that I can't trace. Your excuse doesn't hold, Northman. Face it, you've lost."
Fuck.
FUCK.
The pictures had been with the King all evening right under his nose; he'd meticulously planned to be as unrelenting as possible. And it was clear there was no way the Sheriff could get out of it when his opponent held all the cards and was constantly two steps ahead, all by design. Bill had managed to outflank him before when he'd buried him alongside Russell and he was doing it again. FUCK. No one got the best of Eric Northman once, let alone twice. No one. And when he was this close to Grace … shit, how could Eric have missed this, he'd failed her, fuck, NO, Bill couldn't be this close to her, he just couldn't -
His restraint finally snapped, his powerful blood boiling with rage. That was it, he was going to fucking kill him. The shithead would die by his hand; Grace's soothing push couldn't even dissuade him otherwise.
But Eric was no Longshadow. Despite the King pressing his berserk button, he wouldn't give his position away so quickly and attack in a fit of rage so Bill could immediately stake him. He'd learned to play the long game from over a thousand years of hunting Russell; he may have lost the battle that night but could still win the war. Trying to outwit Bill when everything was clearly stacked against him was futile, but that didn't mean he couldn't lob a dig at him to get under his skin. Letting him know this wasn't the end and he could still come out on top, just as he'd escaped the concrete prison and demolished him in front of Sookie.
"My my, does someone have a crush?" Eric said, a sly smile on his lips. His charming mask slipped into place to cover his rage at the thought of the younger vampire embracing his lover. "Stalking and manipulation isn't the way to a woman's heart, William. You should know that already … since you tried with Sookie and failed in the end. I made sure of that."
The barb took hold; all he had to do was say her name and the King was fuming.
"Grace will be on that stage in New Orleans," Bill growled. "And I'm going to find out why she's so special. Mark my words. I know you're involved somehow and I will take what's yours."
With that, he stormed out of the office to collect his human, leaving Eric alone with his raving, angry beast. It violently thrashed in its cage and Grace and Pam felt its ferocity, sending fearful signals back to him simultaneously. He tore his emergency blood bags from underneath his desk and finished one in a flash, doing everything he could to hold on while the King was still in the building. He paced back and forth and dutifully waited for his second-in-command to appear, but very much wanted to throw furniture and destroy his entire office.
"What the fuck has he done?" Pam asked, appearing after the coast was clear.
"He is forcing Grace back into the spotlight," Eric spat in old Swedish. His progeny stiffened when her maker downed another bag in one fell swoop. "And he knows where she lives. Tell the others and meet there without arousing suspicion. Stagger yourselves."
"Meet where he has eyes on her already? He could see all of us there."
"I doubt he has true eyes. He never tripped the property's security system. She is safe there. We need to strategize together and I am not moving her. Or repeating myself."
"Eric, this is not a good idea -"
"MAKE IT HAPPEN, PAMELA!" he finally exploded, entirely out of fucks from all the audacity he'd experienced that evening. He couldn't tolerate it from his progeny as well. He grabbed a stack of papers and threw them across the room as he swept out of the office. He had to see Grace, he had to know she was ok, she was his, Bill couldn't take her, he wouldn't let him, not in a million fucking years -
The statements continued to cycle throughout his thoughts, leaving him unable to focus on anything else as he shot off like a bullet out of a gun towards her house. He landed in her driveway but didn't race in immediately; instead, he zipped across the property and searched for bugs of any kind. He had to know how Bill had traced her there. He didn't find anything until he got to her Jeep and craned his head underneath the body. There, tucked away near the front right wheel, was a small tracking device.
MotherFUCKER.
He saw red and the beast roared, slammed against its cage again and warped one of the bars, providing an opening for it to get loose. His anger flooded out through his entire being and Eric swiftly ran into the house. Grace was sitting in the living room - facing the door and waiting for him, nursing a cup of tea - and he didn't bother with the niceties or explanations. He tackled her, knocked her mug and its steaming contents all over the couch, ignored her muffled cries and pressed her against the pillows. His lips voraciously attacked and devoured her. He couldn't lose her, he wouldn't lose her, she was his, MINE, he had to hold onto her forever, Bill couldn't take her, he'd kill him, KILL him -
"Eric," she panted between his aggressive, possessive kisses. "What's -"
He rumbled and bit her lower lip, cutting her off from saying anything else. She moaned and her heart raced as she got caught up in his passion. It fueled him even higher. He needed to have her, especially since he hadn't the night before, he had to taste all of her dammit, her taste, her TASTE. The vampire lost control as his fangs dropped and he buried them in her neck.
"Eric!" she gasped, torn between pleasure and pain.
The flavor and aroma of her blood drove him even crazier and he gorged himself. The earlier blood bags weren't enough, he needed more blood, BLOOD, his feral urges ordered it. He didn't register her arousal turn into fear; she protested meekly and tried to shove him off. But he didn't budge, still taking his fill of her essence with no sign of stopping. Her scent, her skin, her spice, MINE -
"ERIC!" she screeched, using her powers to throw him across the room and pin him to the wall. He growled in between pants, thrashing against her hold on him. She clutched her neck to put pressure on her wound and looked at him with wide eyes. "What the FUCK?"
He couldn't lose Grace, he wanted to hurt Bill (what had his maker Lorena said? I would just love to rip you open and wear your ribcage as a hat, yes, that), he couldn't lose her -
Something zipped into the house, triggering Eric to snap his jaws protectively. But it was only Vincenzo, the first to arrive. He looked at the situation, raced to the fridge and put three bags in the Sheriff's hands.
"Blood," he encouraged the beast. "Drink."
Eric tore open the first bag and poured it down his throat, red liquid spilling down his chin and chest. He didn't notice Vincenzo healing Grace's bite, the color draining from her face once his third-in-command explained what he knew or Louis' arrival. White noise was ringing in his ears and all he could think about was blood, more blood, more BLOOD -
He punctured the second bag and squeezed it, forcing another stream of red to shoot into his mouth. His thoughts began to have more structure as the beast took its fill, but he kept cycling on ways to murder his King. He could tear his head off like he should have done with Sophie-Anne, he could stake him and walk into Fangtasia covered in his guts to send a message, he could force him into the sunlight now that Sookie's blood couldn't save him … all of those methods were risky and could lead back to him, but the fucker had to die.
A hand grabbed his chin and got his attention; Pam stared back at him, her expression stern.
"Are you going to behave now and tell us what's happening?" his progeny scolded. Eric scowled but nodded. She released her hold and Grace sang a few syllables to let him of him as well. But he still felt her uneasiness through the bond as he tossed the two empty bags aside and focused on the third. Eric sliced it open and slowly sipped it to show restraint.
Pam tutted before crossing her arms. "We don't have long before someone notices we're all gone. What. Did. Bill. Do?"
A silence passed over them. Eric took another gulp and the blood (especially hers) began to do its job. The beast moved back into the cage; his anger began to simmer, which gave room for the master strategist to emerge. He had to plan, he couldn't let Bill win. Pure rage wouldn't fix this. And he had to fix this.
"Behrouz is visiting New Orleans next month. He wants Grace and Fangtasia cabaret to be the entertainment."
"Who the hell is Behrouz?" Grace asked.
"Shit, darlin'. He's a big deal, an ancient vamp," Louis answered. "No wonder Bill wants to throw a party."
"Fuck," the siren muttered under her breath, running a hand through her hair.
"Does he know what she is?" his progeny asked.
"No. But he knows she's special from the audience's reactions. He's named himself creative director and is using the show to smoke her out."
"Fuck," Grace repeated, beginning to pace. Pam's eyes narrowed.
"He did not just take my job."
"And he knows where she lives?" Vincenzo prodded. "Nothing came up on our system -"
"His day man took pictures of her around town. The tracking device under her car led them here."
Grace swore again, knowing her part since she'd refused a day tail. His third-in-command's face froze as he processed the crack in their security that he and his boss had both missed. He moved to take care of it.
"Don't," Eric commanded darkly. Vincenzo stopped in his tracks. "We keep it there."
"Why the hell would we do that?" his mate snapped.
"We'll show him you have nothing to hide. Keep driving around town."
"Does he know you own this place?" Louis said, a bit jumpy.
"He ran into our shell company, nothing more. But he suspects and wants to pin this on me," Eric glared. He took another drink from the bag to get his next sentence out. "To get back at me for Sookie … and take what's mine."
Never. He would never let him. Never.
"FUCK!" Grace yelled sharply, further unraveling into hysteria. Her exasperation and bitterness were shooting over the bond, the anger she'd kept at bay appearing as it did in July. She kicked the side of the couch.
"Hey, hey! Calm down, we'll get out of this," Louis jumped in. He then turned to Eric. "Right? You've got a plan, that's why you called us here?"
"Yes. We're going to kill Bill."
Eric stayed firm in that even as he got a better grip on reality. Pam's lips burst into a satisfied grin, Vincenzo nodded in agreement, Louis let out a low whistle and Grace whipped around to stare at her mate in horror.
"No. Absolutely not. You can't -"
"This ain't your fight, sweetheart," Pam cut in.
"Of course it is! It's literally about me -"
"Bill's had it coming and I, for one, can't wait to end him."
"You were serious," Louis mumbled. "We're actually going to kill a King, Christ."
"Not the first one we've gone after," Pam retorted.
"A similarity to my side of the family," Vincenzo added. "We protect our blood at all costs. And I'll do it again now."
"Is anyone listening to me?"
"But you," Pam challenged, pointing a finger at Louis. "Are you in or out?"
The band leader paused; his eyes never left Grace as she began to pace again, mumbling more obscenities to herself. Eric ran his tongue over his teeth and grunted, hoping to speed up his answer. They didn't have all the time in the world. Louis got the hint.
"In," he said determinedly.
"Well, I'm not in!" Grace protested. "We're not doing this!"
Eric knew there were other ways to hurt the King. He could take away the current thing he loved - his title - and let him wander around the earth as a lowly bottom feeder. Living but robbed of his happiness. Yet, Bill had crossed a line that night. He'd pushed him too far by humiliating him and threatening what was his. Eric swiftly downed the rest of the blood bag.
"Bill won't stop until he has you. This takes him out of the game for good."
"And what will happen when the Authority finds out, huh? You're not paying for my mistakes, I used my powers and broke the law, I did it -"
"They won't find out."
"And how exactly will you ensure that boss?" she taunted.
The beast inside him stayed in its cage but snapped its jaws in response, not appreciating her white hot anger prodding it after it had its fill. The empty blood bag crinkled under his vice grip … but one association was made with another as he unclenched his hand and looked at the thing he'd been drawn to all evening in a new light. Yes, yes, that would be something; if he twisted things in his favor and slipped under the radar, he could work the long con plan -
"We serve tainted blood at the show." The bag fell to the floor. "To everyone at the head table. He'll drink it if we all do."
This time, Pam was the one to protest. "You gotta be shitting me! Do you have a death wish when going after all your rivals? First handcuffing yourself to Russell, now poisoning yourself alongside Bill -"
"NO!" Grace's chest flushed underneath her black nightgown. "This won't fix it, you can't, Eric, stop, no -"
"Behrouz and I are old enough to survive a potent dose. Bill won't." Pam crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. "And no one will suspect those who were attacked."
"Who do we pin it on?" Vincenzo asked. A slow smirk spread across Eric's face as the gears turned, his brain returning to his computer errands earlier in the night.
"Witches. He's been obsessing with them enough, hasn't he?"
"So you're going to start a war," his progeny spat.
"We're already heading that direction, I'm just lighting the fuse for my own gain."
Grace began to hyperventilate and their bond throbbed. She was fearful and outraged; he could hear her wild heart pounding and smell the sweat on her palms. Now that his beast had settled into its cage (although to be clear, it was still alive and well), he found space to comfort his mate. He zipped over, put his hands on her arms to steady her and looked her in the eyes.
"Lover, you need to trust me."
She swatted him away.
"You're not listening."
"This is vampire business, you are to stay out of it while we handle it."
"If you would just fucking listen - this is my business too!" she cried out. "Don't you get it? We sirens don't respond well to traps and this is a trap to reveal my true nature. He's right to use the stage to smoke me out, I'm too strong now. I'm gonna respond as soon as I get up there, I can't help it. And killing him won't matter if someone else can sense my powers. What if what's-his-face - that ancient - recognizes siren abilities?"
After all the rapid fire back and forth, the room fell silent at an impasse. Eric was unsure how to handle this particular detail and gripped her arms tighter. Vincenzo's face hardened, Pam huffed and Grace released herself from Eric's hold. Her eyes blazed as she panted and stared him down. After a moment, Louis got to his feet with an idea.
"But could you use that to your advantage?" he asked gently. "You told me the crowd feeds you. If you can't stop your reaction, could you harness their attention to make them not realize what's happening?"
"What, you mean like make it my intention to keep them clueless?"
Eric's gears turned again, processing the possibility. She would be hiding in plain sight. Excellent.
"Yeah. Would it work? Bill seems to like me, I bet I could slip in a few songs, get the vibe right …"
"I've never - no, no. It would be too difficult, we're not doing this," Grace protested. "It's too dangerous."
"But it could work," Eric pressed. He let her feel his desperation to keep her safe. They had to do it if he could kill Bill and keep her out of the spotlight simultaneously.
"Theoretically? Yes, if I practiced a shit ton," she sassed. "But we're not doing this."
"Looks like it's our best option unless you come up with a better one," Pam retorted.
Grace's hands balled up into fists and she moved to launch into another tirade, but suddenly, his second-in-command's phone started blaring. She fished it out of her pocket and turned off the alarm.
"Party's over, we have to get back. Remember, stagger yourselves."
"Good, leave!" the siren yelled, still angry that they were all overruling her. Like a bird stuck in a cage. "All of you can get the fuck out of this house!"
Pam lifted a brow in response but breezed past her outburst and ran back to Fangtasia; Vincenzo sighed and followed shortly after. Grace was still fuming after Louis muttered something about stopping at home first before reuniting with the band. Her ire landed on Eric, who hadn't moved an inch. He couldn't leave her, he couldn't lose her. He needed to keep her safe at all costs. Fuck Fangtasia, Pam could handle it.
"You too," she said forcefully. He felt her deep temper over the bond; not the flaming outbursts but the red hot coals underneath. "I haven't forgiven you for biting me earlier. Never do that again."
"I'm sorry." And he truly meant it. Now that the dust was beginning to settle and it was just the two of them, he softened enough to let her see that side of him to drive the point home. Grace harumphed - blowing a few stray hairs out of her face - and crossed her arms over her chest. He felt her step towards accepting his apology, but her emotions were still running wild, her thoughts madly spinning in circles. As he had done earlier.
Eric grabbed her arms again and placed them at her sides. "It has to be this way. The plan will work. Trust me."
But those were the wrong words. They only added fuel to her fire, igniting the coals again.
"Was she worth it?" Grace flared, lifting her chin defiantly. "Sookie?"
Eric bristled, remembering her similar strategy the night of her overdose. For while they'd had reasonable chats about the fairy and his history with her, Grace knew this was a wound to stick her finger in when she wanted to get a rise out of him. But he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Sookie's blood was addictive, but she meant nothing to him. He'd told her that. Grace was all he would ever need, he couldn't lose her. She had to see that. He was doing this to protect her. He'd failed her by letting Bill slip by undetected and he would never let that happen again.
"No. If I'd have known it would lead to this, I never would have let her into my bar."
But to his dismay, the siren still held onto her position. She couldn't let go of her anger, not yet.
"Get out," she spat. "And don't come back here tonight."
She stormed out of the living room and slammed her bedroom door shut.
Author's note: KING BILL 'SURPRISE BITCH, YOU THOUGHT YOU'D SEEN THE LAST OF ME' COMPTON EVERYONE. If this was an episode of True Blood, "This Man" by Robert Cray or "Truth Doesn't Make a Noise" by The White Stripes would be playing in the credits right now. I had some considerable evil blues/roots rock energy while writing this bad boy.
And to give credit where credit is due, the finer details of this chapter came to me after I rewatched Breaking Bad. Originally Eric wasn't going to get this heated, but then I kept wrangling with the question "Why the HELL did he never kill Bill?" Thus, this plot line was born.
We're heading to New Orleans for the next chapter! Still shooting to update once a month, hopefully sooner. Please review, I love hearing from you! Did you see this coming? We're not done yet!