55

Amelia and the Old Lady

As always, I want to thank each and every one of you for sticking around and reading my story. I know it's been a while since an update, but I will complete this story. Things at work are starting to calm down a bit. My caseload is still excessive but hopefully, things will get better. If everyone does their part and wears their masks and protects their fellow man/woman/child, my caseload will decrease in no time. I hope that y'all enjoy this chapter and continue to keep coming back because I'm going to keep writing.

Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews, continuing to stick around and read, and making this story and me a favorite. All of you are the absolute best!

After the fight, Eric and I came home. Well, I came home. He walked me inside before he going to Fangtasia to meet with the others. Though he knew that a sane person wouldn't break into his home, he wanted to make sure it was safe. My dear, sweet Eric couldn't bear the thought of something happening to me. He offered to have me come along with him to the meeting, but I declined. It had been a long night, and I didn't want it to be any longer. Too much had happened, and I needed to think about what happened and why it happened. If I'm going to be honest, I didn't want to be by myself. I did want to have someone to talk to about what happened. I'd have liked for it to have been Eric, but he has business to take care of. That's okay. I could sit back and take care of myself and my needs.

I was tired and bloody. I needed a long, hot shower and a good night's sleep. And a meal. I was starving! How hungry was I? I was hungry enough for a steak with grilled onions and mushrooms with a baked potato and for dessert … a great big bowl of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup … warm chocolate syrup. And after my shower, that's what I had for a late, late, late dinner and dessert. And it was so delicious. I never knew that fighting and outstanding sex could make anyone so hungry! Now I understand why Gran and grandpa had big breakfasts after their nightly trysts. Grandpa would eat a dozen eggs and a half a pack of bacon, but I digress.

After cleaning up my mess, I had nothing else to do. I had no one to talk to. Gran and grandpa are in hiding. Pam isn't Pam anymore. Thalia is with Eric. Salome is with Bill in New Orleans. Yes. I said Salome. That's how lonely I am. Jake, Trey, and Alcide were patrolling the grounds. I wanted to hang out with the Weres but that wasn't allowed. Eric said that the Weres can't do their jobs chatting it up with me, and I get that. After what Selah told us about my mother, Eric wasn't about to leave me alone or let a good conversation get in the way of my safety. Like I said, no one would be crazy enough to breaking into his home. Just a little company wouldn't have hurt but according to Eric, it's too much. I needed to be protected. "You'll be fine and safe here. I will be home by four in the morning. You won't be alone for too much longer."

"I guess," I replied. I looked at my watch and sighed. "It's almost three in the morning. I really have no choice but to stay inside. There's nowhere for me to go. There's no one for me to see. And this is your home. I know that I will be safe here. Who's going to come to a vampire's home this late at night? They know that you're still awake. They're not going to be silly enough to come here and try anything. You'll be home in another hour." I waggled my eyebrows at him. "Come on, Eric. I'm going to be fine." I even threw in a sweet smile for just a bit more leverage. It didn't work.

"No," he said.

He wasn't taking any chances with my life. He doesn't care that she doesn't know where he lives. He doesn't care that she is my mother. He said that if she steps one foot onto his property, he wanted her maimed to the point to where she can't move on her own. And yes. He gave those orders in front of me. He wanted me to know that he meant business. He wanted me to know that if she comes anywhere near me, he was going to hurt her. From the look in his eyes, he wanted to kill her, but he couldn't do that. He was going to let her live long enough to give him the information we need. Oh, yeah. He said that too.

I know that I should've wanted to say something, but I didn't say anything. What was there to say … that she is my mom? That won't make a bit of difference to Eric. I'm absolutely certain that's not going to matter. Should I say that we should give her a chance to redeem herself? Nope. She wants me kidnapped and held prisoner. She wants my life to no longer by my own. She doesn't care what happens to me. She didn't care about what would happen with daddy, Gran, and grandpa. She doesn't care what could happen to Jason. Why should I care about what happens to her? I couldn't go against Eric and to be honest, I had no such plans to do so. Whatever happens to her, she brought it on herself. Is that fair? Am I wrong in how I feel? Trying to form any type of relationship with my mom is never going to happen. It's not worth it, and I'm not willing to lose who I am just to have a relationship with someone that obviously hates me. I'm okay with not having her in my life. I wouldn't be losing anything, anyway. You can't lose something you've never had.

Anyway, I'm at home now. Alone. Full and satiated but alone. I could've gone to bed, but I wanted to stay up and wait for Eric. I could've watched TV but, I piddled around the house and explored a bit. It didn't dawn on me that Eric's home was as large as it is. It's a modest home by vampire standards but the rooms … my goodness. My grandparents' home could fit in here, and it's a regular home! Eric's hidey hole, if you can call it that, is behind the fridge, and it's the length of the house, and I haven't investigated the rooms in his sanctuary.

So, to give myself something to do, I decided to explore. My plan was to start upstairs. There was so much to see … especially the library. He has a freaking library in his home! I discovered Eric's library, and it was massive. And I was in heaven. It was filled with so many books. So many first editions. Emily Dickenson. Virginia Woolf. Leo Tolstoy. F. Scott Fitzgerald. So, I chose Virginia Woolf. Mrs. Dalloway. A sad and wonderful story. With my choice in hand, I went downstairs and rested on the black, leather couch and settled into reading one of the greatest stories I've ever read.

I'd made it to chapter three when a nervous mind interrupted me. I sat up and wondered who the woman was. I wasn't expecting anyone … especially not at three in the morning. Jake and Alcide know not to knock on the door at this hour. They were told that any issues should be directed to Eric. I'm only to be contacted if I'm in direct danger and we need to leave immediately. They know to call me and to let me know that I need to leave. No one would see me leave because I'm to leave through Eric's room. Undetected, and I'm to make my way to Fangtasia. That's the plan.

They're supposed to give the illusion that no one's home. No one knows where I am. No one but my grandparents … and the faery side of my family. I'm sure Grandpa and Gran wouldn't come here at this time. They're either sleeping or … doing what they always do, having sex. I know that the Weres would have never let any uninvited guests approach Eric's house. They must not be close by or … I grabbed my cell phone and called Jake. I didn't get an answer. I called Alcide's number, and you guessed it. I didn't get an answer. I could've called Eric, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't allow him to walk into a trap, especially if I didn't know what was going on. Appius could've set this up. Too big of a risk. For this, I was on my own.

As I said, it was a woman. A young woman, and she was rehearsing what she was going to say to me and it was weird. She was repeating 'Get her to stay inside' over again in her head. Her thoughts were strong and so was she, but she wasn't up for what was going on. She didn't like it. What was happening goes against everything she was raised to believe. Her mom would be so disappointed in her. She didn't want to be here, but she had no other choice. She was afraid of what could happen to her.

'I should've fucking said no, but I don't want to lose my coven. I've earned my place here. This isn't right,' the young woman said in her mind.

She knocked again. Lightly this time. Very lightly.

I silently approached the front door but said nothing. I was soon peeking through the peephole and staring at the stranger that was standing at the door. She was quite beautiful. Small face. Beautiful brown, almond shaped, curious eyes. She was petite but didn't look like the type that would let anyone boss her around. Not normally. She looked over her shoulder towards a car that was parked across the street. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "She must be sleeping," she called out. "It makes perfect sense since it's three in the fucking morning." She shook her head. "We don't have do this. It's not our fight. You could've said no. You can still say no."

"That was and is not an option! Her car is in the fucking driveway," the woman yelled as she ignored the woman's sound and safe advice. "She's there, so knock on the fucking door!"

The young woman shook her head. "No one's answering." For a brief moment, she paused before speaking again, repeating her earlier sentiment. "We have a choice, Octavia. We don't have to do this."

The young woman was wrong. Her only choice was to get me outside.

"Knock again," the voice called out … Octavia ordered. She was angry and forceful. I could only imagine what would happen to the woman if she defied the old lady.

The young woman turned towards the door. She closed her eyes before knocking. I don't want to do this, but she did it anyway. She knocked lightly once more. Again, I didn't answer. The girl placed her hand to door mumbled something. She looked at the door and smiled.

I know you're there. I know that you can hear me. My name is Amelia Broadway. There's a vampire that has taken over our coven. His name is Appius Ocella. He wants you so that he can take control of your vampire, Eric the Northman. He already has his child."

Excitedly, I asked, " You've seen Pam? Where is she? Is she okay?"

Amelia shook her head no. "She's catatonic. She doesn't speak unless he allows it. She doesn't move unless he allows it. She's being kept in a closet that only Appius can open."

I closed my eyes. "Did Octavia put a spell on her?"

Amelia didn't answer. She turned in the direction of Octavia once more. "She's not answering the door, Octavia."

"Again," Octavia yelled.

Amelia returned to me. "She did. Though you're safe here, as an extra precaution, don't answer the door to anyone that's with the woman in the car behind me. She hates the vampire race and any opportunity she can get to destroy them; she will take it. She's crafty. She will try to trick you. Look at her and remember that face."

She moved to the right so that I could get a good look at the woman.

The first thing I noticed was the car. It was a navy-blue Chevy Impala … very old one. Like several rusty spots on the sides old. The left front headlight was broken. The trunk looked to be slightly ajar. And the driver, she was an older, black lady. She had white hair and a hard face. She looked as if she could barely see over the steering wheel and to be at least eighty years old.

Amelia knocked again. Harder this time. She then looked back at the woman and shrugged her shoulders. She was facing the door once again.

Her name is Octavia Fant. She's the leader of our coven. She claims to not want to be here, but she's lying. She hates the vampires but loves the properties of their blood. The older the blood, the better. I'm here because she couldn't approach the house. There are spells here that keep the people that mean you and the vampire harm away. Don't worry. The spell can only be removed by the one that placed it. They're extraordinarily strong. Being at home will keep you safe but if you go out, that's when you'll have the problems.

You must be careful when you go out. They will be watching you. Following you. Trying their hardest to befriend you. Keep your guards with you at all times. They will keep you safe, and you're both going to be safe here. That's why I'm here. Out of everyone in our coven, I was the only one that could approach your home. I mean you no harm. I give you my word, and my word is good. I don't want to be here. I am so sorry. Call me later so that we can talk. You need to know what you're up against. I'm so sorry that I did this … that I had to do this. I'm usually a kind and honest person … at least I try to be. She looked disappointed in herself.

She knocked again as she rattled off her phone number.

I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote it down. She's from New Orleans. She's not a Bon Temp or Shreveport native. I could tell instantly because she didn't have that home grown accent.

I leaned closer to the door and asked, "Where are my friends? The Weres that are supposed to be here? They're supposed to be guarding us. Where are they?"

Amelia looked over her shoulder once more. "I'll knock once more and if no one comes to the door, we're leaving, and I mean it. I didn't want to do this stupid shit." And for good measure, "You shouldn't want to do it either."

The old lady frowned and nodded. She waved her hand at Amelia as she knocked again. They're safe. There were others dispatched to make them check the grounds before we arrived.

"How did you know to speak to me telepathically?"

We all know that you're a telepath. The vampire has warned us all about what you can do. You're considered the prize for one vampire, but you're the means to an end for another. I'm not the type of witch that would harm innocent people. Please, be safe. They're not playing around.

I moved closer to the door. "If you're the only one that could approach the house, she's going to know that you don't want to hurt us. How's that going to work for you?"

I don't know. She has to go back to Appius to let him know that I'm the only one that could approach the house. He's going to tell me what to do from there. It's his plan.

I sighed. "Thanks for telling me."

"She's not answering!" Amelia yelled.

"Come," the woman yelled back.

"Wait," I said. "Who's the other vampire?"

Madden. Victor Madden.

He is an asshole. And finally dead.

Call me, Amelia said before leaving. I will be waiting to hear from you. It's important … especially if you and your vampire want to live, because someone is going to die. I surely don't want it to be you or Eric.

The young woman was soon running across the yard.

I stood at the door and watched as Amelia and Octavia drove away. Once they were out of sight, I called Jake. He answered on the first ring. "Someone was here."

"On my way," he answered. And seconds later, he was but just before entering the house, he inhaled the air. There was a frown on his face. A look of curiosity replaced the frown. "Who was here?"

"Octavia Fant and Amelia Broadway."

Jake walked past me and into the living room and flopped down on the couch. He rested his arms on his legs as he leaned forward. I could almost feel the life drain out of him. He rubbed his hand across his eyes before looking at me, and I pitied him. He looked broken. Devastated.

I went into the kitchen and grabbed him a beer. Taking a coaster from the stack in the center of the coffee table, I placed the beer in front of him. I sat next to him and waited. I watched him as he grabbed the beer and twisted the top off with ease and inhaled it.

"Another?"

"Please," he replied.

I grabbed the box.

I think we sat in silence for only a few minutes but it felt like an hour. He'd chugged down three of the beers and then an additional two. "I love her," he said when he finally decided to speak.

"Who?" I asked.

"Amelia," he said. He looked at me and smiled. "She's my woman." Jake leaned back on the couch before resting an arm across his forehead. With his eyes closed, he said, "I met her at this bar in New Orleans about a year ago. She is the weirdest woman I'd ever met. She doesn't know fear. She doesn't know a stranger. She walked through the bar and talked to everyone she met. She smiled. She laughed. And in that moment, I knew." He smiled. "I knew that she was the one when she approached me." He laughed as he sat up. "While I was sitting at the bar, she said 'You've been staring at me all night. Are you going to hit on me or what?'." I could see the tears glistening in his eyes. "I've been with her since that night."

He sighed before continuing. "She's a witch. She's practicing with this coven in New Orleans. She is proud of that coven," he assured me with a nod. "She's almost a full-fledged practicing witch. I think that she should've been one already because she's so amazing. She's so talented. She's cast spells that others can't even imagine doing. She learned that from her mother. Now, her mom's an excellent witch. Hell, she's great, but Amelia. My Amelia. She's … she's just so …" He winked at me and said, "I don't have the words. That's how amazing she is."

"What's stopping her?"

"Octavia," he said as he rolled his eyes. "Amelia is great at her spells and chanting. She's made a couple of mistakes. She didn't mean to turn that guy into a cat." He pointed at me and said, "She made up for that already. He was only a cat for a few days, you know. No harm. No foul. She came home terribly upset because she has to wait another three weeks before she can be a practicing witch on her own. Octavia … I don't like her. I don't trust her."

I scooted closer to Jake and asked, "Did something happen?"

"Yeah," he answered. "I just don't know what. Amelia came home a few nights ago, and I knew that something was wrong. She cried in my arms most of the night." He began to shake his head. "No matter how much I asked what was bothering her, she wouldn't tell me. She said that if she did, I'd be in danger."

I handed Jake the paper with Amelia's phone number on it. "She told me to write this down."

He frowned. "Why did she give you her phone number?"

"She wants me to call her."

"Why?"

"Octavia's working with the vampire that has Pam, I'm assuming. His name is Appius Ocella," I said. "She said that the vampire that's taken over their coven wants me so that he can have power over Eric. From what I get from her, Victor Madden was in on it. Appius wants me so that he can get Eric to fall in line. Victor wanted me so that he can have some power, I guess. A telepath must be a very exciting and rare asset to any supernatural community."

Jake looked at me with pleading eyes. "She's a good woman, Sookie. She would never do this if she wasn't being forced."

And I let him know that he was right about his 'woman'. "I know. She warned me, and she didn't have to warn me of anything. And because I trust you, I'll take you at your word." I reached over and placed my hand atop Jake's. "You can't have anything to do with this … with me and Amelia. If they realize that you're a guard here, they're going to use you against her or her against you. You know that right?"

He nodded.

"Octavia has met you."

Again, he nodded. "They had a celebration a few weeks ago at their hangout when Amelia was able to turn that cat guy back into a human. We met for a few minutes. She glanced at me and that was it. I don't know if she would recognize me if she saw me again but there's no guarantee she won't." He sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.

And then I had a brilliant idea. "I want to meet Amelia. Is there any way that you can bring her here tomorrow?"

Jake frowned and nodded. "If we can sneak and get her here, I can do it." A slow smile appeared on his face. "We could use the plan to get you out of here undetected to get her in here in undetected."

"I'll wait for Eric to get home and let him know what happened with Amelia and get some input from him," I added.

"Yeah," he said. His mind was going a mile a minute. "We can plan with Amelia to get Pam back home and kill that douche bag, Appius." He blushed. "Sorry for the language."

Laughing, I said, "It's cool. I have a brother, so I've heard almost every swear word ever created … and there are some that he'd made up." I shrugged and fanned off his apology. "Your idea is perfect, though. Your 'woman's' coven is our ticket in. We could get the upper hand … but only if Amelia will be safe."

"Most definitely," he instantly agreed. "You're talking to Eric tonight, right?"

"Sure am."

He shook his head no. "I have another idea. It's quicker, and we can start planning tonight. I can meet with Eric at the bar if he's not already left. You go to bed. Get some rest. We don't know what we'll be facing tomorrow. I'll talk with Amelia." He stood from the couch to leave. "We'll compare notes and work from there."

"Deal." We shook hands as we walked to the door. I patted Jake on the arm. "Be safe and be careful. We're being watched and if they know that you and Amelia are together, be extra careful. From what Amelia told me, they'll do anything to appease Octavia. I like having you around."

He smiled. "This isn't my first rodeo, Sookie. I've killed. I'm a Were. It's part of who I am, our culture and to keep us safe, I will kill again." He nodded as walked through the doors. "We'll work through this. I'm not going anywhere."

:

:

:

"What did you do, Eric?" Bill asked. "I told you not to do a fucking thing! You disobeyed an order from your king."

Shaking my head no, I said, "I don't ever recall you tell me that. You said …"

"Don't fucking interrupt me with you insubordination!"

"You weren't speaking, Bill."

He was quiet for a few beats. "It doesn't matter! I was thinking of what I had to say, and you fucking interrupted my thoughts! I can't believe you killed Victor! Why the fuck do you think I was throwing the party?! He was the one that hired Quinn! This was my chance to show … to show my constituents that I am a no nonsense king! You took that opportunity from me! What did you do, Eric?"

With my feet propped up on my desk and my arms crossed behind my head, I said, "I killed Victor." I began shaking my head. "He didn't give me much of a choice. He was going to kill me and take Sookie. I couldn't let that happen."

Obviously, Bill wasn't interested in any of that. "Oh, you had a choice," he said. "You didn't have to go to his bar! You didn't have to even answer his fucking phone call! You had no right!"

"Forgive me, your highness," I replied. "I had every right to kill him. He threatened an asset of your kingdom. Do you not recall your edict? Do you not recall telling Salome, your second, to spread the word that Sookie Stackhouse isn't to be harmed in any way? That she should remain in your kingdom safe?" I shook my head in fake disbelief. "Did you mislead Miss. Stackhouse when you offered her your protection? Was it all a lie?"

I could hear Bill as he threw things around his office. I could hear glassing breaking. I could hear the splintering of his desk and chairs … such a shame too. They were such classic pieces. I could hear as he yelled at the tops of his lungs. I'd foiled his 'Coming to Sookie's Rescue' plan. I smiled at Thalia as she shook her head. "He's being quite the child, is he not?" she asked.

"Quite," I responded. "Bill. Are you there?"

"He is not done with his temper tantrum," Salome said as she took over the call. "He was to kill Victor himself and as you can very well hear, you have deviated our grand king from his grand plan. It had nothing to do with his constituents. It had everything to do with your human, isn't that right Bill?"

"Do not mock me!" Bill yelled. He slammed a few more things around and said, "And fuck you, Salome! I was supposed to prove to her that I can keep her just as safe as that fucking Eric Northman!"

"No one is mocking you, Bill," Salome stated. "Just get over it and let it go. Victor got was coming to him, and you won't be Sookie's hero. She has made it pretty clear that she is with Eric. It's done, Bill. Let it go. Think of the trouble of that Eric has saved you. Now, you only need to make a call to the council and all is well. Your edict had been declared, and Eric is in the clear. No red tape."

"I wanted to do it!" Bill yelled.

"It's done, Bill! You can't go back." To me, she said, "He'll get over soon enough. Tell me. Is Sookie safe and well?"

"She is."

"That is good to hear," she expressed. "Tell my friend that I'm glad to hear she's safe. You handle your business, and I will reach out to you tonight. I have dispatched some loyalists to Madden's bar and home to retrieve any and all documents pertaining to Sookie and you." Her voice sounded far away. "Cut it out, Bill!"

"No!" he yelled.

I could hear as her heels clicked across the floor and the door to Bill's office close behind her. "I know that she killed Victor."

I said nothing.

"We have spies everywhere, Eric."

Silence.

"I also have my own spies, and her secret will be safe with me."

"If there's nothing else," I replied.

"I will be there to meet with you tonight," she said. "We need to talk about Bon Temps."

"What do you mean?"

"What does she mean?" Thalia asked.

"Hello, Thalia," Salome replied. "It's never nice to hear from you."

Thalia gave the phone the finger.

"She feels the same," I assured Salome. "What's going on in Bon Temps."

Before she could answer me, Bill took the phone. "Salome and I will be in Shreveport tomorrow evening. You better be telling me the truth about what happened because God help you if you're not!"

I didn't get to answer. He hung up on me.

"He's still a fucking baby," Thalia shared. "His over-weaning ego is going to be the death of him."

I leaned forward before resting my elbows on the desk. "Bon Temps keeps coming up." I glanced up. "There's more than her mother that's going on in Bon Temps."

Thalia looked slightly amused. "The little town of humans? The little town that seems adverse to accepting anything different? That surprises me. They seem to be neck deep in what's going on with Appius and Victor."

I stood from my seat as I agreed. "I guess we'll find out when the good king Bill arrives tomorrow night."

"Kill me now," Thalia deadpanned as she rolled her eyes. She stood from the couch and proceeded to follow me out the door. "There's one thing I'll give him. He doesn't give up."

"He does not."

As we were leaving the bar, Jake was waiting for me by my car. Thalia and I approached him together. "You're supposed to be watching Sookie," I bellowed.

He nodded. "Alcide and Bassir are there. Appius has taken over a witch's coven. They've been to your house. We need to talk."