chapter thirty-

two

                Eric held Sky on his lap as she told him about being fired. “I am sorry Sky, but I can’t understand why you would be so upset. You can work at the center and still write your book and help people and teach people and not have to deal with Reynolds and his kind, spewing his hate and making his threats.”

                “But I loved being a teacher,” she said.

                “And you will still be a teacher lover, you will be teaching humans and vampires how to live together and understand one another,” said Eric.”And you were fretting over the fact you would have so little time to give the center.”

                “I know,” she said.

                “The fates have freed you up lover,” he said. He stroked her hair away from her face. “I have a short meeting at Fangtasia. Why don’t you stay here, relax, take a hot bath and drink some of that nice wine I brought home for you and I’ll come home and we can put on some music and dance and we can make love and relax. Things are going to get quiet until after the New Year. Then things will be amped up. We have our wedding in ten days and then we have our Christmas gathering here at the house. And then we have Bill and Rachel’s wedding at the New Year. We have our hands full.”

                “We do,” she said.

                “So finish things up, get some help for you to move your things out and just wash your hands of them,” he said.

                Bill drank a TrueBlood while he listened to Rachel tell him about Sky. “I imagine Eric is telling her to just look at the bright side that she can work full time for the center.”

                “True,” said Rachel.

                “The house looks lovely sweetheart. And thank you for putting up so many of my pictures, but you don’t have to,” said Bill.

                “I am sorry, they must make you sad,” she said.

                “No, it will sound harsh but even though I know who they are and what they meant to me, they aren’t as important to me as they once were. They have been long gone,” said Bill. “You are my future.”

                “I know, but I like them. If they don’t trouble you, can I keep them out?” she asked. Bill smiled.

                “You may,” he said.  “But I want you to know; there are no ghosts between me and you.”

                “I know,” she said.

                “I have a meeting at Fangtasia and I want to stop at the call center.  I will be home soon though. Relax and wait for me?” he asked.

                “I will,” she said.  “Be careful and try not to get ambushed out there.”

                “I will,” he said.

                Eric was on speakerphone in his office. Stan Davis was reporting what he knew coming from De Castro. “Well,” he said in his slow Texas drawl, “From what I can see, De Castro is in Nevada, brooding over the fact so many of his vampires are missing in all points of our kingdoms and he is mad because Christian Baruch has done something outside his purview.”

                “Yes, he is well out of his purview. De Castro may want me dead but Christian tried to jump the gun so he could get his cold dead hands on my kingdom,” said Eric.

                “Are we still meeting this Spring?” asked Stan.

                “Yes,” he said. “In fact I have the paperwork of your kingdom and several others.”

                “Well done Eric,” said Stan. “Barry Bellboy wishes to send his regards, he just learned of Sookie Stackhouse’s death.”

                “Tell him thank you,” said Eric. “Is he accompanying you to the spring meeting?”

                “Yes,” said Stan. “Are your wives accompanying Bill and yourself?”

                “They are,” said Eric. “De Castro will think it is strange if they don’t.”

                “I have decided to take the plunge too,” said the nerdy vampire. “She is an accountant.”

                “Well done,” said Eric. “She will be an excellent partner. She will help you with your kingdom.”

                “You know, De Castro thinks you have Sookie Stackhouse hidden somewhere in one of the smaller kingdoms, somewhere there are fewer of our kind.”

                “Sookie is dead and gone,” said Eric.

                “Are you sure?” said Stan.

                “I am sure,” said Eric.

                “Tell me, does the future Mrs. Northman have any special skills? Telepathy, psychic, anything like that?”

                “No,” said Eric. “She is completely human, and completely mine.”

                “Just be careful with her,” said Stan. “De Castro suspects yours and Bill’s every turn and he will be interested in not only you but your women.”

                “It would be what I would do if I were him,” he said.

                “Be well Eric, see you at the wedding,” said Stan.

                “See you there,” said Eric. He hung up and dialed Isaiah Boone. Of all the kingdoms, he was the most nervous of the monarchs, though Eric could not see why. He did have a lucrative kingdom but nothing to be nervous about. When the phone was answered, he asked to speak to Isaiah.

                “Hello Eric,” said the king of Kentucky. He was a descendent of Daniel Boone but that was where his connection to the brave character of history ended.

                “Your majesty,” said Eric. “I am just making contact with my fellow rulers, thanking them in advance of attending my nuptials.”

                “De Castro called me, he wants to know where his vampires went. I have to tell you I am more than a little nervous,” he said.

                “Isaiah, there is nothing to worry about. We are cleaning house. Once we get things finished this spring we will be able to relax and go to work building our kingdoms up, getting a grip of our lives,” said Eric.

                “I have hired the Britlingen,” said Isaiah. Eric rolled his eyes.

                “I hope you are not telling that little fact around. It would cue De Castro there was something up,” said Eric.

                “No,” said Isaiah. Boone would never admit it but he was fairly terrified of Eric Northman. “I have told only you.”

                “That is fine then. When all this is over, you should send some humans to Bon Temps and take a look at this outreach situation, I think it will become quite lucrative when it is open.”

                “I will,” he said. “Your wife to be got my money?”

                “Yes, and it was a very generous gift,” said Eric. Bill walked into his office. “I wish you a good evening, Isaiah and I can’t wait to see you at the wedding.”

                “Good evening to you too Eric,” said the king and hung up. Eric did the same.

                “I see you have made a full recovery,” said Eric.

                “You as well,” said Bill. “How is Sky?”

                “She is very well,” said Eric, his fangs running out with pleasure at the thought of the woman waiting for him at his house. “And Rachel?”

                “She is fine as well. She told me about Sky being terminated from her position.”

                “I am not completely unhappy with that situation, particularly because I am going to kill that verminous bastard who did all he could to make her time there uncomfortable,” said Eric. “I am sure he was the motivator to get her fired from her position.”

                “Very likely. If you are going to make a move against him, you may want to do it while we are in New Orleans,” suggested Bill.

                “No, I want to take care of it personally,” said Eric.

                “Of course,” said Bill. “Anything else?”

                “I need someone to stand up with me at the altar for the wedding,” said Eric. “You and I are at a new junction of our association with one another. I trust you with the safety of my family, and my interests. Would you stand up with me?”

                “Of course,” said Bill.

                “Thank you,” said Eric. “Who is standing up for you?”

                “I have decided to ask Sam to stand up for me,” he said.

                “Excellent choice,” said Eric. “We should touch bases with our two natured associates.”

                “We should,” said Bill.

                “I have the feeling the two natured in Louisiana should be on guard, if the King of Nevada can’t get to me, I think they will go after the others in the kingdom,” said Eric.

                “Do you think he will have that sort of reach?” asked Bill.

                “I think either him or the Fellowship and their branch, Take Back the Night. Those humans who assaulted Sky, they were released by Hugo Ayres.”

                “Hugo Ayres. I wonder, Eric, do you think he is that loyal to De Castro?”

                “I do not, nor any other vampire monarch,” said Eric. “I think any move against us while we are dealing with De Castro will be orchestrated by Ayres. His own king may not even know what he is up to.”

                “By staying silent, we can protect Louisiana and let Ayres bring down Nevada if he can,” said Bill.

                “He will not be bringing down Nevada, he is bringing down Oklahoma,” said Eric.

                “Why?” asked Bill.

                “That I have not figured out,” said Eric.

                “When you learn, let me know,” said Bill.

                “Of course,” said Eric. “Good evening Bill, send Rachel my best regards.”

                “I will, send Sky mine,” he said.

                Bill drove home, thinking about Rachel and his life. Then he began to think about Eric and how he was changing. There were times Eric was still an ass, but at the same time, he respected Eric and he wondered if it was because Sookie was gone he could appreciate Eric more. He and Eric never spoke of Sookie. She was the sore place between them and Bill preferred working with Eric in a more affable mood than playing 20 questions with the Viking about his relationship with Sookie.

                When vampires came out, Bill had not been that excited about it. Mainstreaming was a nice idea, but he really didn’t care about being out in the open until his queen, having heard about Sookie, sent him to investigate her simply because he was from there. Bill still did not know if his last living relative was murdered to make way for him, but it was likely. After he and Sookie broke up he still had little desire to mainstream completely but he ended up doing so. It was really a lucky thing because that is when he met Rachel. She was the subject of all his hopes and dreams for the future. He loved her with a passion he had never felt for anyone else in his vampire life and only since his wife Caroline in his human life, surpassing even Sookie.

                He pulled up to the gate and used the remote to open the gate and drove through. It closed and locked behind him. He pulled into the sheltered carport and got out and went up to the side door that opened to the kitchen. He walked in and found Rachel sitting on a cushion in front of the fire waiting for him. He emptied his pockets into the little bowl on the island in the kitchen and walked over to the coat and boot bench and took off his shoes and padded over to Rachel, who had watched him as he walked around the kitchen. He walked into the living room and lowered himself down on the floor and leaned forward and kissed her.

                “How are you this evening?” he asked, brushing his lips on hers, tasting the sweet wine she had been drinking.

                “I felt you coming home in the bond,” she said. “I was waiting for you.”

                “You were? What were you waiting for,” he said, running his hand over her thigh and down to her calf.

                “I was waiting for you to come home and pull me into your arms and hold me,” she said. Bill settled closer to her and slid his arm around her. He pulled her against him. She smelled like sweet roses and sandalwood soap and something spicier.

                “Like this,” he asked, his lips still brushing hers.

                “Uh huh,” she said. She kissed his lips gently. Her heart was beating so hard she was making him a little dizzy. “You taste of the night and all the promises of the dark.” He pulled her tighter against him and kissed her hard. Her hands went to his shirt and unbuttoned it and pulled it open and he helped her. She slid off her silk robe and revealed herself to be naked. She reached for his belt and unbuckled it and unbuttoned his pants and he stretched out and slid them off with his underwear and socks. She pushed him down and he laid there and let her look at him. Rachel thought Bill was beautiful. There were no scars on him and his pale skin caught the firelight and turned him golden. She put her hand in the middle of his chest and ran her hand down to his belly.

                Bill watched her, watching her face as she touched him. She took him in her hand and stroked him gently but firmly, squeezing her hand as she moved it. Bill closed his eyes with the pleasure. Her warm hand on his cool skin. If his coolness troubled her she never said. She then leaned down and put her mouth on him and he gasped a little. Her lips and mouth were hotter than her hand and he felt dizzy again with the pleasure. His fingers stroked her hair gently as she kissed him, pulling him deeper inside her mouth. He settled flatter on his back and his hips flexed a little toward her. He felt her hand slide between his thighs and cup his scrotum, gently testing their weight and applying pressure. He hissed a little with the wave of pleasure and his fangs extended and he let his breath out slowly. He decided to try something. He sent the pleasure he was feeling back to her and this caused an amazing reaction in her. She moaned a little and increased her movements and he turned and opened her thighs. He pressed his lips on her flower, the folds of her sex wet and sweetly spicy to him. He carefully suckled at her pearl, the little pink nub that was sensitive to his touch. Her little hips began to move and he kept up the pressure and suction and she disengaged from him and moaned in her orgasm. He quickly moved her around on her back and settled between her legs. She put her hand on him again and rubbed him against her and he pushed forward.

                Rachel had only been with three men besides Bill and he was the largest man she had ever been with. The first time she made love with him, she hoped he would be gentle and he was. Even when they were playful and rough with each other he was careful. He was moving against her now, and she was moving with him. He was watching her face and her body. He went to her breast as he moved inside her and he sucked at her chocolate nipples. He sucked and pulled hard at the tender flesh and she came, screaming out, her hands digging into his shoulders and as she came, she did another turn and sent her pleasure back down the bond to Bill. He thrust hard and sat up and pulled her up on his thighs and snugged himself deeply inside her again.

                Rachel put her feet on the rug and pushed herself up and began to bounce a little against him. The fire was heating her skin along with the passion and there was a bare sheen of sweat on her skin and Bill licked a little off her shoulder, tasting salt and her pheromones and her skin. She was tightening around him again as she began to come again and he was pulling her against him harder and he was looking at her deeply into her pewter colored eyes.

                “Yes, sweetheart, take me with you,” he said. “Make me come with you.” She bucked against him and flooded the bond again with pleasure and they both came together, crying out. Bill pulled her tightly against him and held her. “I love you.”

                “I love you too Bill,” she said, a tear sliding down her face. He leaned forward and kissed her tear.

                “Are you okay?” he asked.

                “Uh huh,” she said. “You just make me so happy.”

                “You make me happy too,” he said.

                Sky was in the tub when Eric came home. He came in and stood at the door of the bathroom and looked at her, well what he could see of her in the layer of soap bubbles. “Hey there babe.”

                “Well hello, what have we here?” he said, his eyes looking lusty at her shapely leg resting on the side of the tub.

                “Just having a bath, relaxing,” she said. “Drinking some of that expensive wine you brought home.”

                “How many glasses have you had?” he asked.

                “A couple,” she said. He came and stood by the tub. He was barefooted, wearing a pair of jeans she loved to see him wear because they cupped the curve of his ass so sweetly. She brought her leg up and snugged her toes into the zipper flap of his jeans.

                “Bold little wench aren’t you?” he said, smiling, his big hand cupping the heel of her foot.

                “Only for you,” she said. “Take your clothes off.”

                “Bossy too,” he said.

                “Go on, do as I say, out there you are the king. In here, in our house, I am the queen of you.”

                “Oh, you think so?” he said laughing.

                “Uh huh,” she said. “And right now, I want you naked.” Hum…Eric suspected there were more than a couple of glasses of wine involved. He smiled at her, his fangs extending.

                “Yes, milady, “he bowed and began to slowly undress. Her eyes were greedy for him as he pulled off his shirt, exposing his perfect pale body, sprinkled with golden hair that made a lovely light pattern on his chest and down his belly around his navel and leading down his happy trail.  “See anything you like?”

                “Definitely,” she said. He unsnapped his jeans and pulled the zipper and slid out of his jeans. He stood there in a pair of boxer briefs that were obscenely stretched.

                “Is that naked enough for you?” he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

                “No, all of it,” she said. “I want to see all of you.” He slid his fingers into the waistband of his underwear and slid them down slowly. A smile, what Eric called her hungry gator smile, spread across her face and her green eyes twinkled like a feisty kitten.

                “Naked enough?” he said.

                “Now get into the tub with me,” she said. She sat up and pulled her knees up to her chest. He got in and sat down about half way the length of the tub and grabbed her ankles and pulled her astride him. His hard penis was between them, pressing against his belly but snugged against her tender parts.  “Who said you could do that?”

                “I am preparing a takeover milady. I am about to invade your territory, and snatch up all your treasures for myself,” he said. He smiled at her little bathing cap. “You look like an innocent pilgrim or milk maid in your little bonnet.”

                “You don’t look innocent of anything,” she said. “You are up to no good.”

                “Whatever I am up to,” he said, flexing his hips. “I promise you it is all good.” He bent his head to kiss her. He tasted the wine on her lips and the desire on her breath. He leaned back and she was on top of him.

                “Your hair is getting wet and soapy,” she said.

                “I don’t care,” he said pulling her little cap off and his eyes followed her curls tumbling down over her shoulders. He put his fingers in her hair and pulled her down for another kiss. She slid her hand between them and she stroked him under the water.  “Hummmm, I like that.”

                “Do you Eric?” she whispered. “Do you like it when I touch you like that?”

                “I love it when you touch me,” he said. She squeezed him and he put his head back and moaned deep in his chest. “You make me crazy for you.”

                “Not as crazy as I am for you,” she said. “I want you inside me.”

                “Take me lover,” he said. “You are the one on top.” She pulled him a little straighter under the water and gently lowered herself onto him. His hands went to her hips and he settled her all the way down over him. “Too much?”

                “Just right,” she said. She began to rock against him, and he could feel the smooth tissues of her tightening and giving around him with her movements. She ground herself against him, her little pink button seeking friction with him. He ran his fingertips over her and gently pressed against the hard little nub and she shivered against him.

                “Come on,” he whispered, watching her. He put his other hand on her sweet berry nipple and rolled it gently between his finger and thumb and she began to move faster. “That’s it lover, show me, show me lover,” he said, his eyes on her face as he began to flex his hips to her. She put her hands up and pulled her hair away from her neck and she screamed out, her body milking him inside so hard he had to catch his breath. When she calmed, he stood up with her, wet and soapy and her legs wrapped around him, he still buried deep inside her. He stepped out of the tub and walked them into the shower and he turned on the water. He programmed the water to be the perfect temperature and he pressed her against the wall of the shower, his hips moving like a piston into her. She was coming again and he went faster. Her arms were around him and she put her lips against his shoulder. “Yes, Sky, now, when you come.” She came and she bit hard into him. He held her still and he felt his blood going inside her, her tongue licking his skin and he let her down, sliding himself out of her. He rinsed her off and she rinsed him off. He turned off the water and they both came out and toweled each other dry.  She was on her knees before him when she took him again, this time with her mouth. She was voracious and relentless and he gasped at the pull of her mouth and her naughty tongue dancing over him. When he could take it no more, he grabbed her and kissed her and pushed her to the bed.

                When she felt the bed behind her knees, she scrambled up into the bed and patted the mattress between her thighs. Eric smiled, he loved to make her come this way then feed a little from her in her inner thigh. Sometimes the suction of his mouth on his bite and the play of his tongue over the little wounds made her come again. He crawled up to her, like a jungle cat, and she fairly squirmed with the thought of what he would do next. He growled at her, a primal bestial growl. “Ooooo…Are you gonna bite me?” Eric nodded. Sky began to back away from him, turning in their big bed. “Are you going to catch me?” she asked. He nodded at her. She scampered off the bed just as he reached for her and he turned to track her as she circled the end of the bed slowly.  He came off the bed and crouched down in his hunting posture.

                “I smell you lover, you are so sweet,” he said.

                “Come and get me,” she said. Eric came after her and she jumped on the bed. He laughed, a delighted sound.  Eric slithered onto the bed and she squatted down. He grabbed her ankle and pulled her to him.

                “Now what lover?” he said. “What are you going to do now?”

                “If you bite me, I will bite you back,” she said.

                “Promise?” he said, nuzzling her. “You smell like love and sex and everything good.” He leaned down and caught one of her nipples between his teeth. She yelped a little with surprise and he laid himself down on her, his weight pinning her to the mattress. He moved down her body and planted his mouth in the red curls of her secret. He plundered her with his tongue and he made her come and scream. He licked her, taking in all of her juices and then licked her inner thigh. He looked up at her and kissed her and smiled. She was watching him. He kissed her again and then bit down. He cupped his palm over her and she thrust against it and she came again, and he felt her quiver in his hand. He sucked the blood there and then licked the wounds clean. He moved up to her and kissed her and slid into her at the same time. He felt her wrap her legs around him and he pulled himself up above her and moved. He was taking deep hard strokes and she was moving with him. She was as wild, almost savage and he loved the fire of her desire and her lust. She put her hands on each side of him, above his hips and pulled him into her. He let go, all restraint and all pleasure was freely flowing through her into him and back out. She was coming again, as strong as a storm on the sea and she was going to make him come. It was going to be more than a release; it was going to be tactical nuke. He was moving faster now and he threw himself upon her, his fingers were digging into her shoulders for leverage. She bit him again and he growled and they both came. He shouted her name and collapsed on her. She sucked his shoulder until the wounds healed and she tightened her hold on him.

                “I love you so much Eric,” she said. “Don’t you dare make me a widow.”

                “I swear it,” he said. He raised his head to look at her. “I love you too. I didn’t want to love you like this, but I do.”

                “I know,” she said. “But I am glad you do.”

                “Everything I do, I do to keep you safe and make a world for the both of us to live in,” he said.  He kissed her gently, lovingly and she kissed him back. He slid away from her and they lay there in their bed in front of the fire. She tangled herself against him. He put his arm around her and kissed her head. “Are you okay?”

                “Uh huh,” she said.

                “You are going to be sore in the morning,” he said. “You should let me heal you.”

                “If you touch me down there I will want you again,” she said. “I’ll be okay.”

                “Are you sure?” he asked.

                “I am sure,” she said.

                “How many more days do you have before you are finished at school?”

                “Everyone turns in their final assignments for me Thursday by email. Some have already turned them in. I have a dozen or so left. I can put a sign on my classroom telling them to do their lab work, and just be there for my office hours. I have one set at night for a couple of hours.”

                “I can be with you for those,” he said. “Can you pack your office  during these hours?”

                “Yes, I can even start bringing things home. I can take my microwave to the center to have in the little lunchroom there. But I can go home and be finished that last evening there,” she said.

                “I am sorry about this lover, but write it up and let me put it with all my documentation,” said Eric. “One more nail in De Castro’s coffin.”

                “What is happening this spring?” she asked.

                “I can’t tell you yet,” he said. “But I promise to tell you as soon as I can. Go and get yourself some aspirin and water and B12, you are going to have a hangover tomorrow.”

                “Think so?” she asked.

                “I had your blood tonight and you have been drinking, you will have a hangover,” he said. She raised up and kissed him. She slid from the bed and went into the bathroom and cleaned up and went downstairs. Eric got up and went into the bathroom and picked up his pants and dug out his cell phone. He called Alcide. “I need a couple of wolves to come and help Sky. They fired her from her school and she has until the end of the semester on Thursday to get out. She will want to move some things.”

                “Yeah, Emilio told me. He was going to be there tomorrow anyway,” he said.

                “Good,” said Eric. “And thank you.”

                “Not a problem,” said Alcide. Eric looked around. There was water in the floor and his clothes were there. He quickly cleaned everything up and emptied his pants pockets of keys, phone and wallet and dropped his clothes into the hamper. Pam would be amused at his domesticity. He went back to bed and was waiting there when Sky came back with a bottled water and some aspirin and B12. She got in bed with him. He raised his arm to his mouth and bit down.

                “Take the blood and put it on yourself lover, I don’t want you to be sore,” he said. She smeared his blood on her fingertips and slid her fingers down to herself and rubbed his blood on her. It was soothing already. “I am sorry if I was not careful.”

                “Shhhh, I wanted you, it was life affirming,” she said. He laughed.

                “That is a funny thing to say to someone who is supposedly dead,” he said.

                “You might be supposedly dead but your dick doesn’t know it,” she said. He laughed louder. “I love to hear you laugh.” She jumped up again and went into the bathroom and got her hairbrush. “Turn around and let me brush your hair.” He scooted to the center of the bed. “Did you clean up the bathroom?”

                “Yes, please don’t tell anyone, you will ruin my reputation,” he said.

                “It will be our little secret,” she said, carefully brushing out his hair working out the tangles. “Do you know any stories?”

                “Stories?” he asked.

                “Yeah, folk tales or you could tell me a story of your life. Some adventure,” she said.

                “Sky, you may not like the life I have lived, I was not a nice man to know in my life,” said Eric.

                “I know you lived a vampire’s life, you still do, I won’t judge you,” she said.

                “I will have think about what stories I want to tell you,” he said.  “I never want to look at your face and see fear there or disgust.”

                “Okay,” she said. She brushed his hair and ran her hands through it and it began to dry. It shined like gold between her fingers.

                “I have a story,” he said. “It is about Sookie. It was something I helped her to do before I was even her lover.”

                “Okay, that is cool,” she said.

                “There was a maenad in town, named Calisto and she was after tribute from me and one night, she caught Sookie on the road.” Eric turned and told her the story about how Sookie was attacked and how later, she went to look for the people who killed her friend, Lafayette. He described the lycra outfit he wore and how Pam had helped him stretch it over his body and then laughed at him. He talked about how Calisto had reappeared and tried to drive everyone crazy and succeeded except for a couple of humans and Bill and Eric and Sookie.

                “So there is more out there than just vampires and weres and shifters and fairies?” she said.

                “There is,” he said. “A wild world of the supernatural.”

                “Are all of them like the maenad?” asked Sky.

                “No, some are good and helpful, like Diantha and her uncles and Dr. Ludwig,” said Eric. “Not that all of them are that friendly, but we get along in this world.” He laid down and pulled her to lie with him. She cuddled him again and he shivered with her warmth.

                “Are you cold?” she asked.

                “No,” he said. “I am loved, for the first time in a thousand years.”

                Rachel was up and gone to Wal-mart. She needed some Christmas lights and few groceries and some oranges and cloves for her pomanders. She had learned to make them in girl scouts and she always made them and hung them up around her house for Christmas. She parked and went in and grabbed a buggy. She went to get her lights and spotted some pretty silk ornaments decorated with beads and golden rick rack and a tassel. She grabbed several packages and some other smaller ornaments. She strolled by and saw a display with Christmas CDs and she looked at several. Some were just instrumental. She grabbed one with Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole and Perry Como, the sounds of her childhood. She picked out one with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing religious carols and the Three Tenors for Christmas. She made her way around to the electronics area and she picked some classical music and on a hunch picked out some jazz and light blues stuff for Bill. She had bought him a few things, some clothes and a pretty robe in burgundy silk and a pair of leather driving gloves. She had also ordered him a watch, a dress watch and had something engraved on the back. She had also bought her mom and dad some things. She still had no idea what to buy Eric, but she bought Sky a blouse and a pretty shawl. Rachel thought she looked like a gypsy. She passed by the jewelry counter. She looked around but she knew she would shop at a real jewelry store. There was no harm in looking around though.

                She went to the grocery area and grabbed a small bag of oranges and a bag of assorted shelled nuts and some grapes. She strolled the fish. Here she was in Louisiana and the local Wal Mart was selling Pacific Rim fish that were raised in cesspools. She shook her head. She would have to go to the fish market and get her shrimp and oysters and catfish. She wandered over to the meat, grabbed some lean beefsteaks and some boneless chicken breasts and some boudan sausage and breakfast sausage, and went for bread. Shopping soothed her, the mindless buying of food and drink.

                “Miss Westnight?” Rachel spun around. It was the man from Hot Shot. “Calvin Norris,” he said. “You are the one marrying Eric?”

                “No, I am the one marrying Bill,” she said.

                “That will work,” said Calvin. “I was out with my clan and we smelled a vampire around Hot Shot. You might let Bill know.”

                “I will. Was anyone hurt?” she asked.

                “No, but they were real close to the houses,” said Calvin. “We have crawled all over the houses and there wasn’t anything left around. No bombs or anything.”

                “Okay, thank you for telling me. Do you have anywhere you can go?”

                “Go?” he said.

                “What I mean is, do you have anywhere you  could send your children and women if you must,” she said. Calvin’s face relaxed.

                “No ma’am we don’t,” he said.

                “If things get bad, call me. Our center is not open yet and we have showers and a small kitchen and we have tumble pads that can be used as beds. Pack the kids and women up and bring them to the center. Just call me when you head out and I will meet them there,” she said.

                “That is real…generous…of you. I thank you. I have never had regular humans extend a hand to me, and I have never had a vampire do it either,” he said.

                “Well you have now,” said Rachel. “We are a help center. We can help you.”

                “Thank you,” he said, turning around. Suddenly he turned back. “I had a sweet spot for Sookie Stackhouse and I guess I still do. But you are a real good lady and Bill is a lucky vampire.”

                “Why thank you Mr. Norris,” she said.

                “Calvin ma’am,” he said.

                “I’m Rachel,” she said. “And be careful.”

                “We will.”

                Rachel finished her shopping, first going to grab a dozen or so fleece blankets and some pillows and sheets. She made her way to the check out. “Having a sleep over?” asked the check out girl.

                “Gee, I hope not, but I am a girl scout, so be prepared,” she said.

                “Amen,” she said.

                On her way home she stopped at the Center and unloaded the blankets and pillows and sheets and stowed them into a supply closet and went back out. She was getting into her car when she saw a dark sedan drive away at high speed. Dammit, damn them all. She slammed her car door and headed to her secure and gated home.

                Sky was packing boxes in her office. She put her books and magazines in a couple of boxes and then packed her files and notebooks in another. She stacked her degrees, her picture of her and Eric and a picture of Eric alone, leaning against the tree that once stood in the garden behind Whole Body. She put these things in a paper bag. There was a sniff at her door. She had heard this sound more than once today. “Professor Faulconer, this isn’t fair,” she said.

                “No, it isn’t,” she said. “But this is real and this is what my classes were about. The classes you sat in were meant to show you how not treat people who are different from you. You will go on and go to LSU and you will learn more, but never forget that school is a world that encloses you from the real world and you have to figure out how to apply everything you learn in the safety of a classroom to a world that is not so safe.”

                “Tell Mr. Northman I would have liked to have heard him speak to us in one of your classes,” she said. Sky smiled.

                “He will like hearing you say so,” she said. “As it is, I am not going anywhere, I will be working at the Northern Louisiana Center for Tolerance and you can stop by and see me any time.”

                “I will,” she said.

                “Take care of yourself Annabelle,” she said.

                “I will, you too, and Mr. Northman,” she said.

                Rachel had put up her artificial tree and put her new lights on it and was standing on a chair when Bill came down at sundown. He went to her and she leaned down and kissed him and he handed her down off the chair. “I am suing the town of Bon Temps.”

                “Oh?” he asked.

                “Yeah, they built the town too close to my ass,” she said. It took a minute to realize what she meant and he laughed.

                “I like you small,” he said.

                “Hey, I saw Calvin Norris today, he said he smelled a vampire out at Hot Shot,” she said.

                “Damn,” he muttered.

                “Yeah and I stopped at the center today to store some stuff and I saw that dark sedan around the place,” she said.  Bill muttered something under his breath Rachel suspected was the eff word. Bill did not use strong profanity often but when he did he was extremely angry.

                “I have to call Eric and we will head to Hot Shot,” said Bill.

                “I told Calvin that if he needed a safe place to put his women and children he could bring them to the center, but now I don’t know if I did the right thing if that Latesta is sniffing around,” she said.

                “If we have to do that, we will have extra security. Probably should have it anyway,” said Bill. “I have to call.”

                “Okay,” she said. He pulled her against him.

                “Your tree is pretty sweetheart,” he said. “It looks like the kinds of trees I had when I was human except for the lights.”

                “I’m glad you like it,” she said.

                “I’ll call you when I head home,” he said.

                “Okay,” she said.

                Sky was busy splitting the purple violets Rachel had shared with her. Her flowers had been burned up in the fire and she split the pink violets and put them both in the big pot. Eric walked down naked and sat down at the bar watching her. “Why are you tearing them up?”

                “I am splitting them for Rachel. She gave me the purples and the original plant burned up and I am sharing the pink violets I saved.”

                “That is lovely. You have to be gentle with them,” he said, putting his finger on the delicate little bloom. “How are you doing?”

                “I’m good,” she said. “I packed some of my office today, spoke to some angry students.”

                “No, I mean, how are you doing?” he asked.

                “Oh, well, I am doing just fine,” she said.

                “Want to come back to bed with me before I go to Fangtasia?” he asked.

                “Let me just finish potting my flowers and I’ll wash my hands and be right up,” she said. He leaned toward her, his big hands on the marble island and he kissed her.

                “I’ll be waiting,” he said and he sped upstairs. When he walked across his bedroom floor his phone rang. He picked it up. Bill. Shit. “Northman.”

                “Rachel spoke to Calvin Norris and he told her the panthers of Hot Shot smelled a vampire around their homes. I thought we should go and check it out, take Heidi and have her sniff around.”

                “Agreed, I will meet you at Hot Shot in a half hour with Heidi,” said Eric.

                “I will see you there,” said Bill and he hung up. Sky came into the room.

                “Lover, I have to take a rain check, Calvin Norris saw Rachel today and she said Calvin scented a vampire at Hot Shot. Bill and I are going to take Heidi to sniff around. I will go on to Fangtasia and be back in a couple of hours, no more than three. Will you wait up for me?”

                “I will wait up,” she said.

                “I am sorry lover,” he said. “I promise to make it up to you.”

                “You better,” she said. He leaned down and kissed her.