chapter eight

“This can’t be happening, Niall took all the Fae back to Faery forever,” she said, beginning to back up. “And I don’t know you.”

“You and I met in your woods Sookie, you brought me home and fed me. It was Yule, don’t you remember?” he said.

“No, I don’t…I don’t remember you…”she stopped and stared at him. He looked back at her. Her eyes began to widen and she shook her head. “No, that’s impossible.”

“You brought me home because you thought I was a werewolf and I was in trouble with a pack, and you gave me soup and you let me have a shower and we made love,” he said. “But, the truth is, your great grandfather, my prince, gave me to you as a Yule gift so you would not feel so alone and he worked a spell to make the event fade from your memory. And I have cared about you since that time and I have watched over you and I know this is a shock, but please…don’t be afraid.”

“Get away from me,” she said. “Don’t come around here anymore, I don’t want to know you.”

“Please Sookie, I never meant you any harm,” he said.

“Why didn’t you go back to Faery?” she asked.

“Because I didn’t want to leave you, I wanted to stay near you, so I could maybe know you,” he said. “I heard the call to gather in your back yard, but I could not leave, so I ignored the call.”

“Are there any more of you here?” she asked.

“There may be, maybe one or two who married humans and have lost most of their fae selves and they didn’t want to leave,” said Preston. “I know of one fae who is the godmother to someone and she did not want to leave her charge.”

“And you tricked me to get in my bed,” she said.

“No, I mean, yes, I did, but I did it for your great grandfather. He told me humans had different ideas about sexuality and he said you would need a reason to allow your compassion to come out and be open to the love and pleasure I had to give,” he said.

“So my great grandfather pimped you out to me,” she said, her anger growing.

“No, it was not like that. He knew you were hurting because you lost your lover, the vampire who lives near you, and then I saw you go through a relationship with the weretiger and then you were with the old vampire and I remember seeing you in the library and you didn’t go to the romance novels anymore, you went to the mystery novels. You looked so sad, so I thought you were alone again,” said Preston. He reached for her but she stepped away. He put his hands up. “I’m sorry, I won’t trouble you again.”

“Wait…wait…come inside the bar, I’ll get you a Rolling Rock,” she said.

“When do I get to come in?” asked Bill, standing there, his hands on her shoulders.

“Next time,” she said. “Is that okay?”

“Perfectly,” he said. He leaned forward and she lifted her face to him and he pressed his lips to hers. She opened her mouth a fraction and he kissed her deeper, his cool tongue tickling briefly against hers. She reached up and put her arms on his shoulders and he put his on her hips. They kissed like that, slowly and then he gently pulled away. His fangs came down a little. “Sorry.”

“Can I see them?” she said. “I mean, I guess I should see them, right, so I am not startled.” He smiled and his fangs extended all the way.

“Okay?” he asked.

“Uh huh,” she said. He curled his lip slightly and they retracted.

“If it helps, they slide out during times of pleasure as well as feeding and anger,” he said.

“It’s all good,” she said. She kissed him once more. “Good night Bill.”

“Can I come and see you tomorrow night?” he asked.

“Sure, I would love it if you would pick me up and take me to your house, I would love to see it,” she said.

“I will see you tomorrow night,” he said. He leaned down and kissed her again and opened her garden gate and she went through. She turned to look at him when she was on her porch and then turned to her door and let herself in. He turned and walked back toward his car. That is when he saw the dark car parked there. “Damn.”

“And you are sure it was Latesta?” asked Eric. Bill nodded. “You may want to stay away from your friend, we don’t want to give him anymore leverage than he already has.”

“I was afraid this would happen,” said Bill.

“I have heard from our source,” continued Eric. “They say there is to be more anti- vampire activity and we should be very alert.”

“Does the source know where the resistance is coming from?” asked Bill.

“No,” said Pam. “And we really have to do something about Sookie.”

“Sookie is no longer my concern,” said Eric.

“Eric, she has to be protected,” said Pam. “She saved us when the Pyramid exploded, that is why Tom Latesta is so interested in her.”

“Latesta is interested in her because she not only saved us, she volunteered to be a do gooder instead of letting her survival instinct kick in,” said Eric, dismissively.

“Eric…” Pam began.

“Leave it,” said Eric. “Sookie is on her own. What do we hear from Nevada?”

“Nevada is feigning disinterest,” said Maxwell Lee. “But we are on the edge of some ground breaking political advances in the human government for our world, and the two natured.”

“As if I care about the two natured,” said Eric.

“I don’t think we have that sort of luxury anymore,” said Maxwell Lee.

“I agree,” said Bill. “So, Nevada is more or less lying low until congress votes on these new vampire rights bills?”

“Apparently,” said Maxwell Lee.

“Keep everyone on their toes,” said Eric. “Everyone should be alert. We should call a meeting of the area vampires, see what they have observed.”

Preston had talked to Sookie for about an hour. She felt strange about him, though he assured her he was not in the least embarrassed to be her Yule gift. Of course he understood about humans he wanted more than anything to assure her if anything, he was honored to be considered good enough to be her lover that night.

When Sookie did her shut down work for the night, she thought about Preston. Did she trust him? Should she? That answered her personal wonderings about what she was seeing when she saw something that did not seem quite human to her. Some of the fae opted to stay in the human world. Of course now they were trapped in this world and their fae selves would fade away and they would live like humans. Was that what she was seeing when she would catch things from the corners of her eyes?

She knew Hooligans was still locked up tight, since Claude and all the other fae were now back in Faerie. What would happen to it? Poor JB, just when he had a way to make some extra money and build his self esteem in a way that really appealed to him, it disappeared.

By the time Sookie made it home she was ready to collapse. She parked in the back and looked around before she opened her door. She had made it to her backdoor when she heard someone say her name. She whirled around and saw a big figure come out of the shadows.

“Hey Miss Sookie!” said the voice. She recognized it immediately. It was Bubba.

“Hey there Bubba, what are you doing here in Bon Temps?”

“Bill asked me come and work for him, I am watching over your place,” he said.

“Well, it’s real nice to have you, but why? Is there some sort of trouble?” she asked carefully.

“I don’t know, he just said that he wanted me in the area and that when I don’t have other stuff to do, I was to watch your place,” he said. “I like doin’ this Miss Sookie, I sure miss you when I am gone.”

“Well, I miss you too,” said Sookie. “You want a blood? I have a couple of bottles if you want.”

“That would be real fine, Miss Sookie, but Bill says I ain’t supposed to bother you,” he said.

“It’s no bother, Bubba. Just wait right there and I will get you the blood,” she said. She went into the house. She had two bottles left so she went and heated one and gave Bubba the other still cold. He took the warm one and swigged a little back and held the other in his hand.

“Thankyouver’much,” he muttered in that way that reminded Sookie who he once was.

“Well, I am going to bed now,” she said. “You have a good evening.”

“Don’t you trouble yourself about a thing, Miss Sookie, I’m TCB,” he said.

“TCB?” she asked.

“Taking care of business,” he said.

Sookie finally got in the bed and just before she closed her eyes, she thought about Preston and his beautiful turquoise eyes.

The next morning, Rachel went to the store to make some calls and go through her inventory. She needed some more tea blossoms. She needed to order more candles and she looked through the garden book and picked out a couple new plants for the yoga room. She walked through the store and wished she had a shower area. She loved the place in Baton Rouge; it had a full facility with showers and a sauna. That would be great.

She stepped out of the office and heard a voice. She looked up and it was Sky, leaning out of her window. “Hey, how was your date?” she asked.

“Pretty good,” she said. “I was walking over to the sheriff’s office to pick up my police report, want to go to lunch after I get back?”

“Sure,” she said. “Just give me a shout when you get back.”

Sheriff Dearborn was not a happy person. He was getting the distinct feeling he was getting too old for the job. Times were changing too fast and there was too much to deal with, particularly with the vampires coming out and wanting equal rights. He had just received a state issued message Bon Temps now had a vampire population sufficient enough to require at least two light tight, vampire proof cells. How in the hell could he do that? Bon Temps was not a wealthy place like New Orleans or Baton Rouge and how the hell would he arrest a vampire anyhow? He didn’t have the silver cuffs or leg irons to secure them, even if he could catch them. This would mean he would have to hire a vampire deputy. And that would cost a pretty penny. He looked at the file that held the police report on that lady’s store that had the rock thrown through the window by one of those Take Back the Night people. Maybe he would see if he could ask for extra taxes from businesses that catered to fangers. That would be an idea. Of course he could see some of those ACLU people and the AVL breathing down his neck.

His eyes flickered to the door when Rachel came through. She was such a pretty little thing, he hated to see her getting involved with vampires. She was sweet, like Sookie Stackhouse, before she started datin’ that Bill Compton and getting all in that mess. And she got Adele killed.

Adele…He had loved Adele. He loved her since she was a young woman. He wished he’d been brave enough to court her but he was shy and not real good looking, though he was more attractive than Stackhouse at least. But he had been shy. That did not stop the fact he loved her and seeing her there on her kitchen floor and that damned perversion of nature, that Bill Compton there, acting like he was a friend to Adele and then putting his hands on Sookie, it made him shiver. Sookie said she approved of Bill but he bet that was pure desperation on Adele’s part, what with Sookie being strange.

“Hello Sheriff, did Detective Bellefleur get my police report finished?” she asked.

“He did,” said Sheriff Dearborn. “Miss Westnight, you may want to rethink your involvement with vampires. Whenever we do anything that allows them access to normal things, human things, it confuses both them and us. They just ain’t human.”

“Human or not, they are among us, we have to make a way for us to coexist, they are a part of our society now, and there is no reason to exclude them,” she said.

“There are folks who don’t feel that way,” he said. “And this means further trouble for people like you. I have to say, future troubles you might have might possibly be considered a situation where you knew what you were getting into and have been warned.”

“And what does that mean Sheriff? That if I needed the police, they would come but grudgingly because I have been warned by you and deserve to have vandalism and violence done to me and my property because I do not exclude a certain group of society?”

“Not at all, Miss Westnight. It is against the law to deny police protection to you, but don’t expect a lot of sympathy from me,” he said. He sat the folder in front of her. She picked it up.

“Thank you for the warning Sheriff Dearborn. I will keep it in mind,” she said. Rachel turned on her heel and walked out. She walked back to her store and saw Sky waiting for her outside.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“Small mindedness is fine for the average citizen but when an elected official basically tells you he will only do what the law requires and nothing more because of who you do business with, it is enough to make you want to split nails in two,” she said. “Let’s go by my house and get my car.” Sky followed Rachel to her house and around the back to get her little mini-coop. They got in. Sky held her tongue while Rachel drove them through town. “I thought we would go to Merlotte’s.”

“That sounds great,” said Sky. “So what else did the Sheriff say to you?”

 “Just, he said I deserve everything I get for letting vampires come and get massages and acupuncture and meditate. Why does this matter? I have not had one complaint about the vampires we have employed and the vampires who join us for our activities,” she said.

“It is like this everywhere,” said Sky. “There are always going to be people who are afraid of anything that is different. The vampires have only been out for a short time, they will have to work hard to gain acceptance, just like any other group.”

“I just…” she said.

“Have you told your family you are seeing a vampire yet?” asked Sky.

“No, because we only just got started. Why would I want to tell them something yet when we have not gotten that far,” she said.

Sheriff Dearborn listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. “Yeah, she was just here, picked up the police report.” He listened. “No, she did not take my warning to heart.” He looked up at the window. “Yeah, she is working with Bill Compton. Of course he is her contact with the AVL and he is making a regular circuit to the chamber of commerce meetings and he has bought some property out on the highway, that old telemarketing place.” He paused. “I don’t know what he intends to do with it. Yes, I will call if I hear anything.”

Merlotte’s was busy but not too bad. The girls sat down and India brought them a menu and took their drink orders for iced tea. Rachel felt a little better. She had let it all out on the drive over. She studied the menu. “I think I will go for a po’baby and a cup of chowder.”

“That sounds good,” said Sky. “I will have the same.” She closed the menu and looked at Rachel. “Okay girl, how was your date with a vampire?”

“He was a wonderful date,” she said. “He was very different from dating a human guy because he was not automatically on the make, but there was something about him that was so…he was so arousing and …”

“Did you?” she asked.

“No, no….So, you took Eric back to Fangtasia, what do you think of him?” asked Rachel. They stopped for a moment as Holly brought them their iced teas.

“He was a real asshole,” said Sky. “Okay, he is really nice looking and all that, but his personality really turned me off.”

“Bill told me a little about that,” said Rachel.

“Oh yeah?” asked Sky.

“Yeah, apparently he just broke up with his human lover, and Bill says he used to date her too. My receptionist Sally told me Bill used to date Sookie Stackhouse and then she dated, and I quote, ‘The most beautiful dead guy’ she ever laid eyes on. I bet it was Eric,” she said.

“Well, that means he is on the rebound and I want nothing to do with him,” said Sky. “I don’t want a lot of baggage, being a vampire is enough, a lovelorn vampire is too much to deal with.”

Tom Latesta squinted against the Nevada sun as he deplaned. He walked through the security area and went to get his bag. He looked around. There was a man with a sign, T. Latesta. He walked up to him. “I’m Tom Latesta.”

“Hugo Ayres,” said the lawyer. “Let’s get you settled in your hotel and we can have a drink and chat.” Latesta walked along side of the lawyer. He hated the cocky way he walked and his overpriced suit. It screamed ‘bought and paid for’. They went outside and got into the limousine and Latesta was relieved to feel the cool of the conditioned air. Las Vegas was a strange place for vampires to live, it was hot and bright and everything had a watery baked feel to it, like mirages on black top.  He watched the gaudy scenery go by him. Vegas could dress itself any way it wanted, it still reminded him of a whore still asleep there after the frat party, all smeary and sticky and used. “First time in Vegas?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I can’t say I am impressed.”

                “Yeah, it leaves little to be desired, but it is lucrative,” said Ayres.

                “What time do I meet this vampire?” he asked.

                “Sundown,” said Ayres. “About 8ish. DeCastro likes to have his meal before he does business.”

                “You like being this vamp’s boy?” asked Latesta. Ayres snorted.               

                “Don’t get superior on me, you are just a handshake away from being the vamp’s boy as well,” said Ayres. “But I want you to meet some people, some people who can help us.”

                “The sooner the better,” said Latesta. “And I have made contact with some local people back in Louisiana. They have begun with the health food shop.”

                “Small potatoes,” he said. “We need to know more.”

                “I can tell you we may have a bargaining chip, an ace in the hole. Compton has a new blood bag,” he said. “The woman who runs the health food store.”

                “Compton won’t risk anything for a fangbanger,” said Ayres.

                “She isn’t, she is a respectable business woman,” said Latesta. “He seems to be courting her rather than just getting a feed and fuck.”

                “We will have to wait and see, but we are ready for more obvious action,” he said.

                “Compton is buying an old telemarketing call center,” said Latesta. “Just got that this morning.”

                “He is the creator of the North American Vampire registry,” said Ayres. “But that is interesting news. Anything on Northman?”

                “I have heard there is going to be a big vamp meeting at his place tonight with all the local vamps. He was driven to Fangtasia by a woman last night, I have not figured out who she is yet. Maybe just his blood bag,” he said. “From what I can get he has not been around Sookie Stackhouse in a long while, and she is just working everyday and not going near any vampires except for one occasion when Northman’s business partner went to see her. Other than that, no contact.”

                “DeCastro will like hearing that,” said Ayres.

                The sun goes down a little earlier in Louisiana than it does in Las Vegas but the woman in Eric’s office could care less. Right now she was coming like a freight train and taking a pounding from a Mack truck as Eric stood behind her as she knelt on his leather couch. His hips worked like a jackhammer and his mouth was latched onto her like a magnet to a piece of iron as he had her. They came simultaneously and he unlatched himself.  He held on to her for a few seconds and then stood up straight and did up the fly of his leather pants, tucking in the tee shirt he had put on. He slapped her on the ass. “Get dressed,” he said.

                She turned and sat down and rummaged in her purse and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. “Not in my office if you please,” he said. She frowned at him and stuffed them back in her purse. She pulled up her black spandex breast band and grabbed her black pleather hot pants that were around her ankles and yanked them up.

                “See you around, baby,” she said, reaching up to stroke his face. He slapped her hand away and she frowned at him and said asshole under her breath. He smiled, a grim smile. She had been the first woman she had sex with since the Queen of Oklahoma. Pam came in a few minutes later.

                “Who was that?” she asked.

                “Someone who was not Sookie,” he said. “Are they here?”

                “Everyone is present and accounted for,” she said. Eric walked by her.

                “Let’s go and join them then,” he said.

                Maxwell Lee and Charity, a New Orleans vampire who was a refugee after Katrina and stayed, Chico, radio personality Connie Nichols, also known as Connie the Corpse, Booth Crimmons, who had been Gervaise’ second, now fully recovered from the injuries he sustained at the bombing of the Pyramid hotel were sitting at a table in the front of the bar. Bill, Indira, Thalia, and Eric’s foster child Dustin Collier, who had been feeding off the teenage daughter of Eric and Bill’s insurance man, Greg Aubert, were standing at the bar. Diantha Cataliades was a surprising member of the group.  Eric looked at Pam and she shrugged her shoulders. There was flat screen monitor and a laptop on the lip of the throne area where Eric sat. Via Skype were Farrell and Isabel. Gerald, Pam’s nest mate was sitting at the laptop. Rubio and Palomino were standing to the side, near the tee shirt table.

                “Thank you for coming,” said Eric. “Diantha, to what do we owe this honor?”

                “Desmondsentme,” she said quickly. Eric nodded.

                “It is good that you have come,” said Eric. He would need all the help he could get. “I called this meeting to discuss two things, the troubles with DeCastro and the new legislation being voted into law which concerns us. Maxwell, this is your area of expertise.” Eric leaned against the dancing stage and folded his arms across his chest. Maxwell Lee was dark and tall and slender and wore a three piece suit constantly. He looked exactly what he was, an accountant.

                “As you may or may not know, there are several laws coming down the pike which will further define our citizenship in this country. First of all, there is the law concerning land ownership. In the past we have had to have compliant humans actually be the owners of our homes and businesses. The law coming up for a vote in a few months will actually make it legal for us to hold the deeds on our properties. This will change our taxes of course, but at least it protects our property and we can gift the land in the form of transfers and wills should you decide to meet the sun or you are given the true death. The next big thing is the legalization of human and vampire marriage. Now we have had some support from the gay community for our cause. If and when we get it, we should extend the same courtesy. The next thing is the amendment to the voter’s laws. This will allow voting centers to be open til 4 am to allow vampires to vote. Before you had to go before a judge and explain why you could not vote the regular way and why you had to be permitted to use an absentee ballot,” he explained.

                “And believe me, that is a difficult process to get through,” said Bill.

                “The next one on the list that is quite controversial is the maker’s laws. It basically states that any adult human suffering from a fatal disease can put themselves under the care of a vampire to be turned without approval of the human’s family. This bill is called the Miriam Bill in honor of our Pam’s late deceased companion and lover,” there was a polite spate of clapping and Pam looked away for a second to keep from crying. “And then there is the freedom of reproduction act. This was a vampire law tacked onto a two natured law draft that would encourage a two natured couple to abort the first child of their union for a tax incentive.  It would make it difficult for vampires to procreate with a willing human deemed worthy of the eternal kiss, as they would have to pay $100,000 for a maker’s fee. The counter law for this is Bill 486, and this declares this law a form of eugenics and similar to the laws enforced by Adolf Hitler, yadda, yadda, yadda. So, take some time, look at the laws and get busy talking to people and getting support for the laws that are on our side and protest for the laws that are not.” Maxwell Lee stepped back.

                “That concludes the first part of this meeting, now the immediate problems we need to discuss. As you know, I am in trouble with our King. Felipe De Castro is planning something and we don’t know what that is yet, but Isabel and Farrell, our friends from the Kingdom of Texas and King Stan Davis’ top vampires can tell us what they have discovered,” said Eric.

                “We have not learned much. Our intelligence is a bit spotty, and as you can imagine, he is playing his cards close to the vest. We do know he has been meeting with humans. In fact, he is having a meeting tonight and our contact will reach out to us as soon as it is safe for them to do so,” said Isabel.

                “I have heard from some of De Castro’s people that his security team is still in full force,” said the cowboy. “They appear to be huge and they are strong. We suspect they are using vampire blood.”

                “Are they witches?” asked Bill. They had fought two natured witches using the blood before.

                “We don’t think so, they are something strange,” said Isabel.

                “If you hear anymore, let us know,” said Eric. “Bill and I have seen a human called Tom Latesta in Bon Temps. He is following us, in fact I would be surprised if he isn’t lurking around here tonight. Do not approach him.”

                “What are we supposed to do with Sookie Stackhouse, boss,” asked Indira.

                “Nothing, I have no contact with her and we are no longer concerned with her. Bill may be concerning himself with her, consult with him if you want to do guard duty, but remember, no matter what, you work for me, so if I summon you while you watch over her, abandon her. She is not my priority anymore.” He looked at Bill. Bill looked away, slightly disgusted with Eric. Pam rolled her eyes. “Is this clear?” Everyone mumbled they understood.

                “So what can I do for you Mr. DeCastro?” asked Latesta. The sun had just gone down and the king was up.

                “I want you to lead a series of attacks against vampire businesses and vampire friendly businesses in Northern Louisiana,” said De Castro. “Have you met anyone in the Take Back the Night movement in Bon Temps?”

                “No, why should I?” he lied. “And why would you want me to.”

                “I could care less about vampire equality and vampire rights and human vampire relationships. I have no desire to vote in your elections or petition my congressman or protest laws that cause some inequity in the lives of vampires. In fact the fewer human rights we have the less involvement we have with your government and can live and do business as we always have, under the table, in the shadows, behind closed doors,” said the King. “What I mainly want is to be the bane of the existences of vampires in Northern Louisiana but I want them to be unaware the troubles are from me. I want them to en masse pack up their few belongings and abandon the northern part of my territory, sowing salt in their wake. But most of all, I want Sookie Stackhouse.”

                “Why do you want her?” asked Latesta.

                “Come, Mr. Latesta, you know why I want her,” said the king. “She is a telepath.”

                “May I make a suggestion? One which may be of interest to you?” he asked.

                “You may make whatever suggestion you like,” said De Castro.

                “In private,” said Latesta. He looked up at the vampires in the room, bodyguards and assistants. De Castro sat down and thought for a second and then nodded his head slightly. Latesta watched as the vampires and humans left the room. Latesta moved closer to the king and leaned forward. De Castro did the same. He began to whisper.

                They heard De Castro laughing out in the hallway.

                The man sat in his chair, watching the numbers go up in his internet radio show as more and more tuned in. Anyone could get a radio show these days and what with his web site and forum he was the best thing to happen for VH8R, or Vamp Hate Radio, the main streaming provider. He had been kicked off Blogtalk radio after a couple of vampire lover groups complained. He immediately posted a blog about his being evicted and was contacted by VH8R and he was set up in four hours and back on the air.

                “So, now them pansy assed liberals are saying we gotta let them fanged bastards get married, own property. How the hell can they own property? They are dead, they can’t sign contracts, though our pussy government has allowed them to vote. The last time the dead voted in my town, the sheriff and two town councilmen went to prison for election fraud.” He laughed. “Yeah, and get this, even in my little town, they are going to be offering some of those godless, communist classes extolling the virtues of these monsters. And they are even giving people credit for these classes. Can you believe that? Here, mom and dads have been working hard, banking money for their children to get an education and they are going to offer classes teaching your kids these creatures as just as good as a human, just as good as a god fearing believer. Let’s take a call.” He opened a line and let the caller prattle on. His show ran for two hours.