All three had caught them by surprise, which pissed Sookie off. What compounded that ire was the fight between the three that caused damage to Sookie's foyer. Luckily, it was mostly furniture that was easily replaced, but that wasn't the point.
"Who the fuck are you three, and what the fuck do you want?" All three stepped back at the sight of the ball of light building in her right hand.
"Miss Brigant, I'm sorry about…" Isabel started.
"I truly do not care to hear any apologies from you or anyone else. The only thing I want is for you to remove yourselves from my property. If you want to speak to me, book a fucking appointment." Sookie bellowed. She didn't have to repeat herself; the glowing ball of light was enough to have all three scrambling to get out. They knew there wasn't a damn thing anyone could have done had Sookie killed them.
Her light diminished as soon as she could no longer hear them. "How the fuck did all three catch off guard?" Victor didn't send Heidi or anyone else up ahead.
"Alcide, we expected to keep the appointment Furman made. Isabel, that came out of the blue. I think it's safe to say she is here for Hugo. She claimed you had something of hers. Madden said he was invited." Holly said succinctly.
"So de Castro took the bait. Excellent." She knew he would, but seeing her dreams come to fruition was nice. "Hugo…"
"Fuck no." The lawyer blurted.
"Well, that answers that." Sookie chuckled.
"I can deal with that." Eric offered.
"And I can deal with Alcide." Tray offered.
She nodded in agreement, looking around. "They are already on their tails," Tray muttered.
"You are worth every cent," Sookie murmured with pride, referring to the brilliance of having shifters on her staff. "Send them straight up to my office. I want to know what they learn before making any calls," Sookie instructed.
"Bakari, you have a call to make." She informed the were. "Eric, should I call de Castro or just leave it."
"Call him and show him little respect, but simultaneously offer encouragement for the takeover. It wouldn't hurt to give the impression that you have seen part of their plan due to your gift. His number two embarrassed himself, and de Castro needs to feel that embarrassed. When he calls Madden back, he should have him sweating. It must look like we expect to meet with Madden soon." He advised.
"I'm certainly going to enjoy that call." Sookie chuckled.
"I think they should pay for the damage. A thousand dollars each would do." Tray added.
"I concur," Eric groused before leaving. He was not in the best of moods. Less than fifteen minutes ago, his evening had been looking rather enjoyable. Now, he had to deal with a belligerent vampire who felt entitled to a human that was no longer hers.
Isabel had clearly come in a car, as her scent had disappeared by the guest car park. Luna's scent, though, he easily picked up and followed the bat. Eric smiled to himself as he took off into the sky. Half an hour later, he landed on a branch of a large oak tree. Isabel Beaumont had pulled into the Northern Skies car park, a luxury hotel owned by Eric. "How convenient," he murmured as he dropped down from the branch.
Isabel was still in the foyer, attempting to find a light-tight room to book when she felt Eric's presence behind her. Her shoulders dropped, and her defeated sigh said it all. She had come into his area without informing him. Visiting vampires, especially those not invited by anyone, had to check in with the staff immediately upon arrival. Worse, she had started a fight in Susannah Brigant's offices, demanding a human that was no longer hers.
"Miss Beaumont will not need a room." Eric gripped her arm, matching her out of the hotel. Barely out the door, he took off into the night sky and landed on the hotel roof.
"I thought he was dead, then I saw him at Rhodes. One minute, I could still feel my blood in him; next, it was gone. I realized then I loved him." She pleaded.
"The human does not love you. He only cared for the pleasure he got from having sex with you. He cared for nothing else." Trying to soften a blow he knew could not be softened, he kept the anger out of his voice. "First of all, the human no longer belongs to you. A deal was struck."
"Not by me," Isabel growled.
"I do not care," Eric muttered in a bored tone. "The human wants nothing to do with you. He had your blood spelled out of his body. What does that tell you?" Eric took to the skies. "If you are here when the sun rises, you will be no more. Stan would care little of your disappearance when he learns the truth of your presence here. Your actions at Miss Brigant's office after a deal was struck alone would be enough to warrant your death. Oh, and Miss Brigant will be expecting a check for a thousand dollars from you for the broken furniture." Eric did not wait for a response as he disappeared into the night sky. Isabel was not stupid; she knew the truth of his words and would be on her way back to Area 6.
"Look, I've got nothing to say to you. I want to speak to her and her alone." Alcide blustered.
"That is not going to happen," Tray replied unconcerned.
"We lost members of our pack because another pack wanted Shreveport. She could have helped." Alcide argued.
"Do you have a contract with her I'm unaware of?" His arrogance was infuriating. If you want her help, you call and book an appointment to discuss a contract, which you might not get after your actions tonight. Before you even call, a check or cash for a thousand dollars for the damage is in order. She doesn't owe you a thing, or are you entitled to a damn thing from her. Acting as though she does will only serve to earn you her ire." Tray was practically growling at this point. "Oh Herveaux, I will not forget I called to meet, and you refused that meet." With that, he ended the call.
"Felipe, if this is how you run Nevada, then do us both a favor and stay the fuck there." Sookie barked. "Your number two showed up while another vampire and a were not in my employ were present causing a fuss. As luck would have it, the vampire would keep her mouth shut because she wasn't supposed to be here either. The were is in a fight for territory and could care less about Victor or know who he is. That Felipe was down to sheer luck. Victor Madden is a fucking idiot who owes me for the damage he caused to my property. That is who you saw fit to send. Not a good fucking start." Sookie found her rage easy to summon; she hated the pair.
"Miss Brigant, Victor has already informed me of his ill-conceived arrival. I realize we have not made a good impression, and for that, you will receive the sincerest of apologies from him should you allow it." Sookie found de Castro's refusal to apologize himself amusing, as though he hadn't sent Victor himself.
"I will allow it; I have a two-hour window free from midnight in two nights' time. Inform Madden it would be wise for him to remain inconspicuous because if his behavior earlier this evening was anything to go by, I assure you you will receive no support from me. I like what I have seen so far of your plans." The sudden intake of breath on the phone had Bakari smirking. Eric had called it.
"I can assure you, Miss Brigant, that our plans for Louisiana will be in the state's best interest. I can't say I blame you for wanting better rulership. Your queen, when needed the most, has been absent, which is frankly unacceptable." De Castro practically crowed.
"Honestly, anything is better than what we have right now. Even the A.P is on my case to get things moving, and that should tell you all you need to know." Sookie threw in, knowing Pythia could care less. Again, de Castro did little to hide his reaction to the news.
Bakari was calling his dad before Sookie ended the call with de Castro. "Dad, I have Miss Brigant here for you." He handed the phone over.
"Mr. Fofana, things are moving faster than we anticipated. Madden showed up here tonight without notice. I'm afraid you have to speed things up on your end." Sookie said apologetically.
"That is actually not an issue, it would come as no surprise that we are eager to rid ourselves of Felipe. Forty of California's vampires are already positioned in and around key figures." Sookie smiled a mile wide as did Bakari.
"Mr. Fofana, I cannot tell you how elated I am to have you as an alley." There were several chuckles on his end.
"No, it is I who is elated. Thanks to you, we will no longer be under his foot. Freedom, Miss Brigant, is like the very air we breathe." Sookie could not agree more.
"I have set up a meeting for two nights time. Madden, though, will not make that meeting. I will call de Castro and tell him that his number two failed to show up. I believe you will know when to strike."
"We will. I can assure you, any attempts made by Felipe to get to Louisiana will be in vain."
"I wouldn't worry about that. If de Castrohe attempts to make the trip, he will do so quietly, which will make taking him out all
the easier. I do, after all, know a vampire capable of flying."
"Letting him get on a plane will suit us better then." Mr. Fofana chuckled.
Sookie nodded in agreement. She hadn't thought of that until Mr. Fofana brought the possibility of de Castro flying to Louisiana. "We will speak soon. Good evening." Sookie ended the call with a wide smile.
"You know your father will expect you to join the pack after this is all said and done."
"Nah, I make too money working for you. Money he also benefits from. He will ask, but he will respect my decision. Above all else, I love working for you, and do not see that changing anytime soon." Bakari admitted.
"Good to know," Sookie mumbled as she picked up the receiver to make another call.
"Hello, Sookie." Sophie-Anne's greeting sounded genuinely cheerful.
"Ready to be front and center of the rebuild of New Orleans?"
"More than you know. Thank you, Sookie."
"You are welcome. And if I see Andre on TV getting just about every bit of him dirty, I will owe you one," Sookie offered.
"You have a deal." Sophie-Anne giggled.
Sookie was in the foyer waiting for him. The broken furniture had been cleared away. "I can be certain she's returning to Dallas," Eric mumbled. "Luna is keeping an eye on her, if she is still in Louisiana by morning, send someone to stake her. I will deal with whatever fallout comes, if one comes. I doubt Stan would want to lose your service by making a big deal out of it." He said, knowing Isabel would not be in the state by morning, but then, when it came to Hugo, who knew what she would do? "So, it's the plan a go. "Madden may have caught them by surprise, but they had a plan for just that.
"Madden is staying on his private plane. He has two other vampires with him. Who they are, we do not know yet." Sookie muttered nonchalantly, which had Eric smiling.
"But you can guess who they are." She'd already deduced it was a likely scenario.
"Of course I can. Niall and Fintan have offered to teleport them straight into our detention suit. Laf and Jesus are creating scents that will lead any investigation away from us. Frankly, the little I caught of the stench was enough to have me gagging. I've known decomposed bodies to smell better." Sookie heaved just at the thought of it.
"Necromancers are known to smell like rotting corpses. That is a rather ingenious diversion." Eric praised. "I take it you set up a date with de Castro. Yes, for two nights time, long enough to give us room to deal with any setbacks, but not long enough for Madden to fly back to Nevada." Eric nodded in agreement. "Your plan to have Sophie-Anne stay absent worked very well. De Castro put great emphasis on her absence. He sounded quite proud of himself, as though the state was already his." Sookie shook her head incredulously.
Do you want to inform Pam?" His smile was downright infectious.
"No, but an invite tomorrow night should do." I'm sure she would not hesitate to drive a stake through Madden now that she has met Miriam.
"You know we are surrounded by people who lack an iota of patience. Jason engineered a meeting with Michele mere hours after we arrived from Rhodes. Pam, mere hours after you confirmed Miriam would be her bonded. Tray smells like the witch." Eric mumbled. "It took you three years to show any sort of attraction to me. I spent all that time thinking I was losing my edge." He teased.
"I doubt that very much." Sookie giggled. "Come on, let me show you just how attracted I am to you."
"That is an acceptable plan for the evening." He muttered seriously, but as always, his emotions betrayed him.