chapter twenty-

five

Sam and Luna were laughing at Jason telling a story about something he and Hoyt did one time out on the parish road involving a wasp nest and a lunch pail. Rachel watched Andy holding the baby. She studied the baby and had to confess she saw nothing of Bill in her sweet baby face, but it was enough to satisfy Bill she was part of his blood, enough so he had a small picture of the baby in a silver toned frame on the fireplace mantle.

“How you like livin’ in Bill’s house?” asked Jason.

“Well, we definitely need conditioned air, but it is better than being in that tiny rental,” said Sam. “We are going to be calling all you all to come and be at our paint party.”

“How is work on your house Jason?” asked Andy.

“Oh man, it is looking so good. Me and Michele have decided to go with the natural floors, just sand and wax them and we have the colors picked out. Keeping it plain, keeping it simple,” said Jason.

“Well, give us a call and we will come out and help you paint,” said Sam. “No sense you and Michele painting all that on your own.”

“Calvin and them are coming out. It is a part of our community thing,” said Jason.

“You should talk to Calvin and have him join you at the outreach center. I know the health department has been out there and the school board. We can help him get those people off his back,” said Luna.

“Well, you know Calvin, don’t like no hand outs, fears the human government,” said Jason. “But I’ll talk to him. Especially if you got people that can help Hot Shot do their home school. Those kids, they have troubles enough without everyone pickin’ on them. Panthers come into their shift earlier and they shift when they get mad.”

“Tell Calvin to come and see us and we can set them up with a teacher to come from the Board of Education and do home schooling, it is easy done,” said Luna.

“Luna, have you ever had opportunity to work with vampires?” asked Sky.

“Only in passing, some Texas vampires wanted to set up something like we had, but I don’t know, they didn’t get real far. Vampires don’t do that outreach thing,” said Luna.

“True enough. If vampires wanted to have an outreach type thing, what would one have to do?” asked Sky. “I spoke to a vampire who was really keen on it.”

“You have to have a counselor/social worker on board, preferably vampires, you need legal counsel, Desmond Cataliades actually takes care of our legal stuff, and you have to apply as a not for profit. Easy done,” said Luna. “You can copy any charter that matches your goals, or make it match, outline the services you want to offer. I can bring that stuff to work and you could come by the bar and pick it up.”

“That would be wonderful,” said Sky.

“Rachel, I love that salve,” said Luna. “I have been using that stuff Sam brought home, on my feet, and that stuff is fantastic.”

“Which was it?” she asked.

“The mint stuff, wonderful, after working at the bar, it does a fantastic job with my instep,” she said.

“I keep trying to get her to take time off,” said Sam. “Is Bill coming tonight?”

“He is,” said Rachel. “I am getting a new shipment of that in about two weeks, a lady in New Orleans makes it.”

“Well, it’s wonderful,” she said. “Let’s eat, I am starving.”

They were cleaning up the food and fluffing out blankets to get ready for the fireworks. The sun was going down and everyone was trying to not notice that Rachel and Sky were watching the last glow of the sun disappear. “They won’t miss anything,” said Andy. “We got to have the parade first.”

“Andy Bellefleur, I don’t know how Bud Dearborn could give those Take Back the Night people a permit to march in the parade,” said Sam. “If he hates us so much, why would he still be driving out for his chicken strips and fries?”

“I have no idea,” said Andy. “The parish council wants me to run for sheriff, but I don’t know if I will or not.”

“I would vote for you,” said Sam.

“I would too,” said Luna.

“I don’t know as Halliegh really wants me to,” said Andy.

“Bon Temp ain’t New Orleans,” said Jason.

“I don’t like the risks he takes as it is,” said Halliegh, cradling the baby on her chest.

“Alright, alright, don’t get upset,” said Andy. “I ain’t decided anything yet.”

“If we are going to get a place on the sidewalk, we better go and get it,” said Sky.

The parade was a small but enthusiastic affair and Bill was the first to arrive with sundown. He parked on the grass behind Rachel’s car and got out and joined her. “What did I miss?”

“Miss Bon Temps,” said Rachel, kissing him.

“Impossible, you are Miss Bon Temps,” he said. Sky began looking for Eric. She had hoped he would fly, but apparently he was driving. Pam and India showed up. Pam was dressed in a blue shirt, red Capri pants and white tennis shoes.

“Hey Pam,” said Rachel and Sky at the same time.

“Hey yourself. Eric should be here in a second,” she said with confidence. The Bon Temps High School band was assassinating John Phillip Sousa in a way only high school bands could. Everyone shouted and clapped promiscuously. The JROTC and the local boy scouts were passing when Eric appeared. He put his arms around Sky and kissed her cheek.

“Sorry I am late dearest,” he said.

“You’re fine,” she said. He squeezed her to him and she savored his coolness in the muggy night.  They watched the VFW and the Ladies Auxiliary march by and Bill snatched a thrown piece of candy from mid air to give to Rachel. The Descendants of the Glorious Dead were on the back of the float being hauled by Hoyt Fortenberry in a city truck. The oldsters were all sitting on hay bales covered in bunting. They all waved as the band segued into Dixie. Sam reached over and patted Bill briefly on the back. Sam was a vet too, having served in the army, but Bill was a true confederate. He remembered the talk he gave some nearly four years ago. Bill smiled his closed mouth smile but it slid off his face when he saw the next marchers. The Take Back the Night group. They were dressed in black. One of them was carrying a ‘One Good Vampire’ sign. There was another sign, ‘Don’t forget to spay and neuter your animals’ and had a picture of a man and woman with dog collars and leashes, obviously meant to represent two natured. Luna pressed herself against Sam and shuddered. One of them noticed Sam and shouted something and something came sailing toward them. Eric reached out and caught it. It was a baby jar with some sort of fluid in it. He held it to his nose and then pulled it back.

“Acid,” said Eric. Andy frowned and pushed Halliegh to stand away with the baby and withdrew his service revolver from his hip holster. He walked into the slow marching crowd and grabbed the one who threw the jar. He had leather gloves on.

“Come on asshole you are under arrest for attempted assault and battery,” said Andy, pulling him out of the parade amid shouts of protest. Sky and Rachel felt themselves being gently but firmly pushed to the ground when there were three shots fired.

The next thing anyone knew was there was pandemonium. Sam and Jason pulled the girls to the shelter and told them to stay right there and Halliegh was holding the baby, crying Andy’s name. Bill and Eric were already there, Eric had the shooter by the scruff of the neck and Bill was squatting by Andy.

“Lie still Andy, you have been shot,” said Bill. “Call an ambulance, Sam.” Sam pulled out his phone and called 911.

“Am I dying?” he asked.

“No,” said Bill. He leaned lower. “I can give you blood.” Andy looked up at him. Bill looked confidently and Andy nodded. He stretched his arm a bit to expose his wrist and bit into it and put his wrist against Andy’s mouth. He began to drink and stopped a minute later.

“Is that enough?” he asked.

“It will do the job,” said Bill. “You have to go to the hospital to have the bullets out but that will stabilize you.”

“Eric has the man who shot you,” said Sam.

“Don’t let him kill him,” said Andy. “Bill, if anything happens to me, you will take care of Halliegh and Caroline won’t you?”

“Don’t worry about them,” he said. Kevin and Kenya appeared. Bill stood up and told them Andy was stable, he’d had a little blood and he told them what happened. Kevin took the man in custody. Bill went on to say the man in custody had thrown a jar of acid at Sam Merlotte and Eric caught it. Eric handed it over. Kenya looked at him, a little uncomfortable, but nodded her gratitude. The ambulance came and took Andy and Halliegh and the baby to the hospital. Jason, Bill, Sam and Eric went back to their girls.

“Do you want to stay?” asked Sam.

“Hell yeah, if we leave, they win,” said Luna. “Eric, you and Bill want a TrueBlood? They are warm.”

“Sure,” said Bill. They settled on the blankets and Rachel went over where Luna was and she handed her the bloods. Rachel took them and handed one to Sky and she brought Bill his. He was stretched out on the blanket. He took her hand and handed her down on the blanket. Eric was sitting on the edge of the picnic table, Sky standing between his legs. He took the blood and kissed her and took a sip. The first explosions began and they watched but some little bit of sweetness had been taken from the day.

Rachel was clinging to Bill, holding tightly to him, desperate. They were making love when suddenly she broke out in tears. “Rachel, no sweetheart, did I hurt you?”

“No,” she said. “That was so terrible.”He slid away from her and pulled her against him.

“Shhhh, don’t cry, I know it was scary, but we are fine, even Andy will be fine,” said Bill.

“Those terrible signs and those ugly people, spewing their hate,” said Rachel. “And Sam and Luna, that sign…and Luna is pregnant.”

“I know,” said Bill. “But, think of what a lovely day you had and the nice talk you had with your parents. Not everyone is like that Rachel.”

“I have these terrible dreams about people getting you and staking you, and I pull back the blankets and they are bloody, like in that terrible poster. I would die if anything happened to you,” she said. She held him hard against her.”Whatever happens, not matter what you have to do, you come home to me Bill Compton. Do you understand me?”

“Rachel, don’t worry about me, I have existed a long time. So has Eric. Between the two of us, we can keep each other up and walking around,” he said. “I have everything in the world to exist for. I have you. I love you, Rachel.” She pulled him back down toward her. She was demanding, pushing and pulling him. She rose up to meet his body and pressed herself hard against him. When they were about to reach the end, Rachel pressed his head down to her neck and she urged him to bite her. Giving Bill her body, her blood, was her act of rebellion and the feel of his fangs in her skin and his cool tongue licking her blood was a victory.

Sky was running her fingers over his back, following the slight tracings of scars. Eric was relaxed, enjoying the light tickling of her touch. “Where did you get these?” she asked.

“Wars, hunting large prey animals,” he turned over and raised his arm and showed her a scar that ran under his arm and stopped just short of his nipple. “That, I got from a woman.”

“What did you do to her?” asked Sky.

“She caught me having sex with her older sister,” he said. “She was a lovely thing.”

“Only you would admit to having a scar like that,” said Sky, running her finger over it to his nipple. She tweaked the hard pink nub. “Was she worth it?”

“Definitely, she was very accomplished,” said Eric. He flicked her long hair away from her breasts and rubbed her nipple. “Not as good as you though.”

“Liar,” she said. She stroked his hair back and palmed his cheek. “Eric?”

“Yes lover,” he said.

“How do you feel when things like tonight happen?” she asked.

“I don’t feel anything. People in the time when I was first made hated me. Then I became a myth, a bogie man to scare small children and lusty girls and women, then I was a misunderstood pop icon with legions of girls in black leather and white make up on their faces. Then I became a reality, but a monster. Nothing has really changed. I am a taboo, a sexual fetish, a monster. Just because I am out in the open and I can say I am a vampire and I have some claim to a few superficial rights and protections don’t change anything for any of us with fangs,” he finished.

“We know so little about you,” she said.

“We did that on purpose,” said Eric.

“I know,” she said. “Are you ever afraid?”

“Only of losing you,” he said. He pulled her to him and kissed her, pushing her against the bed.

After the Fourth of July, the days and weeks sped by like cars on a highway. Eric and Bill were spending more time together, consolidating their allies. They knew De Castro would stay silent only so long and time was running out. When Rachel had her birthday at the end of August, he presented her with a lovely antique diamond in a platinum band and they announced their engagement.  Eric and Sky were progressing and she was looking forward to the beginning of school. It would begin just after Labor Day.

In mid September, friends of Pam were receiving their invitation to the making ceremony for India. It was being held in Baton Rouge at the home of the sheriff of area two.  They made reservations at the Blood Rose, an exclusive hotel made in an old plantation with no expense spared. It had all that old world French colonial, Louisiana charm you could stand. Rachel was actually ready to have a short vacation. The store had been really busy.

Pam feted India with an elaborate dinner with all her favorite foods. She loved the low country Louisiana fare her mother and grandmother had prepared. Eric treated the vampire guests with bottles of Royalty and bottles of the newest synthetic blood, Imperial. After the meal, the humans grouped together with India and the vampires grouped together. In the world Sky understood about social hierarchy Eric was approached as one would approach the Chief Executive. He never told her about his business, he told her there were things he eventually have to tell her, but the longer he could keep this secret, even from her, the safer they would all be. She suspected he meant not only her, but the vampires and other supernaturals in Louisiana.

India was excited. She regaled everyone with all the details she had seen to before the ceremony down to having her body waxed and an ugly tattoo removed and new one done on the small of her back, a stylized v in red with vines and roses done in black in the small of her back. Then she revealed she and Pam were to be married. This was a shocking revelation to Sky and Rachel.

“See, the way we figured it, Pam and I will be married and that would contravene the rule about the maker and child having to part ways,” said India. This was of huge interest to Sky who was working on her textbook. Eric expressed some mild doubts of whether vampires would like so detailed a text about them, but she still wrote it with a mind toward publishing. On nights he stayed with her at her apartment, he read the textbooks she had learned from and the subsequent texts that came along that she used sporadically. He also read through the off print book she was putting together, adding and subtracting from it as new information was updated. She was always surprised when she found a scrap of paper with his cramped handwriting, telling her what was good or bad about a particular article.

“How is Kenya getting along about this?” asked Rachel.

“She is accepting it. She always knew I was gay, but my decision to be a vampire set better with her after she talked to Bill. He explained this was very different from when he was made and how I would keep my humanity far more and far longer than vampires like Eric and himself who were forced. Plus, Kenya liked the way he took care of Andy,” said India. Andy had been in the hospital for a time, and Bill made sure Halliegh and the baby didn’t need anything while he was down, even sending Danny Prideaux to run errands for her and he and Kennedy watching Caroline when she went to visit him in the hospital. Halliegh had brought Bill a small album of pictures of the Bellefleurs and especially of the baby. One evening, when Bill was visiting Andy, the baby toddled over to him and sat in his lap and he held her contentedly and the child finally fell asleep in his arms. Kenya stopped in about then and saw the toddler asleep in Bill’s lap, her head on his dead chest and Kenya decided if the baby trusted Bill, then her family should trust India at least.  “She even helped me announce it at the family reunion and announced that if anyone said anything against me she would turn her back on the family and you know how much they idolize her, even when she told them she was with Kevin.”

Soon they were all traveling to the house where India was going to say goodbye to her living life and embracing the life of the night. Vampires never do anything half way and a making ceremony was one of great formality. The men wore suits, the women wore evening dresses except for the two women who were going to be bundled together by Eric. Pam and India were dressed in matching penior sets. There was some giggling and awkwardness as Eric tucked the two women in. Eric leaned down and pecked India on the cheek and he leaned down and kissed Pam warmly and embraced her. Of all his children, she was the child he loved the most. He settled the blankets around them and joined Sky.

Whenever vampires gather to perform some ceremony, the atmosphere takes on a strange static feel. They seem collectively excited, and not just being happy, Sky could feel just how excited Eric was as he pulled her against him. They watched as the two women kissed and then Pam bared her fangs and bit down into India’s jugular. India pulled Pam’s arms tighter around her and Pam’s hand went to her chest, feeling when her heart slowed to nearly stopping and then bit into her wrist and put the wounds to India’s mouth. She took in Pam’s blood, and Pam’s eyes were ecstatic, half lidded. Vampires and were turned on and they nuzzled their human companions and some even engaged in long bouts of tonsil juggling kissing.  Finally, India stopped and seemed to pass out and Pam pulled her down on the bed with her and cuddled her against her body. Attendants drew the heavy velvet bed curtains around the bed.

“Do we sit up all night with them?” asked Rachel.

“No, we go and have a party and then the next night, both of them are wakened and India will be fed for the first time. She will drink both human and synthetic blood,” said Bill, leading her out of the room.

“Why was everyone so turned on?” she whispered.

“Because we were,” said Bill. “It is exciting for us when a vampire is made, sort of like overseeing the conception.”

“Ah,” she said. “So, are you still turned on?” she whispered. Bill nodded, nuzzling her neck.

“I want to be inside you,” he whispered, kissing her neck. He leaned away a little to look at her. She blushed.

“I would like that too,” she said.

“We will stay a little while and then say good night,” he said. “Want to dance?” She nodded.

Eric was already dancing with Sky. She was looking up into his face. “How do you feel about Bill and Rachel announcing their engagement?”

“I think it is great. Rachel is very excited. She and Bill are going to see her parents for Thanksgiving,” said Sky.

“And how do you feel about marriage?” asked Eric.

“Well, I respect the institution. I would rather stay single than marry and then divorce over and over again. I mate for life,” she said.

“I believe in mating for life too,” said Eric. “Do you think you would like to be my mate?”

“I am your mate,” she said.

“You misunderstand me, would you mate with me for life?” asked Eric.

“Are you asking me to marry you?” she asked. He nodded.

“At least think about it. I have been thinking about it for a while now,” he said.

“Oh…” she said.

“I want you to come and live with me,” said Eric.

“Eric..” said Sky. Moving to Shreveport would give her a long morning drive and long night drive.

“I know it is an imposition. What if we looked for a property in Ruston, in the middle?” he suggested. “We could look together.”

“You have lived in your house for a very long time. Would you want to do that?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“Can we talk about it?” she asked.

“I would like that,” he said.  He pulled her against him and kissed her.

On their way home, Sky was looking out the window. “I love that old building,” she said.

“What building are you talking about?” asked Eric.

“Back there,” she said. “It used to be a cotton warehouse. I have seen people convert those sort of buildings into houses.” Eric suddenly pulled over into a store parking lot and turned around. He pulled back onto the road and headed back toward the building. Sky pointed it out to him and he pulled in. He drove up the access road, pitted with dips and potholes and drove around to the side of the building. It over looked a small wetlands but was clear and not too close to the road. His eyes were already looking envisioning stone walls and wrought iron gates. He got out and came around the car and handed her out. “We can’t look at it now, it is probably locked and there are no lights.”

“You can come back and look at it in the day,” he said. He led her to the building. He looked around at the area around the building. Ironweed and other tough, mean plants indigenous to the Deep South were creeping up and breaking up the asphalt, surrounded the building. He went up to the double doors. They were wooden but covered with steel plates and where there were once handles was a chain with a pad lock. He let go of Sky’s hand and put one of his hands on the lock and tightened his hand around it. Sky heard the steel pop like a walnut. He opened his hand, the pieces of the lock lay in his palm, and he threw the pieces into the grass. He slid the stiff unused doors back and took Sky’s hand back and led her in.

The two stood there and she looked around. “I can’t see anything, can you tell anything about it?” Eric went to the side of the door and flicked a switch. The lights came on, creating pools of light. Rats and bugs scurried away. A swamp owl flapped away sounding like a flock and found an exit through a broken window. The windows were huge and went from the twenty- five foot ceiling to about three feet from the floor. The walls were at least three feet thick because there was a foot and a half of window sill around the window. Eric looked at her and he could already see her imagination working by the look on her face.

“It is a good strong structure,” he said. “It would take a lot of work, but I know you could make us a wonderful home and it is very nearly in the middle of both of our places of work. You can make two floors, lay out the rooms however you like. It looks like about 3000 feet of space.”

“This could take a long time before we finish it,” said Sky.

“Actually, I was thinking about six weeks,” said Eric.

“You are nuts, this is a yearlong project,” she said. “Plus the time it would take to just do the paperwork to buy it.” Eric pulled out his phone.

“I can have the building in three days, two if you tell me now,” Eric looked at her.  “I am going to tell you something, but you can’t tell anyone, not even Rachel. De Castro wants to me to become the regent of Louisiana. I considered sending you away, for your safety. But if I can fortify a place and make it safe for you, you could stay here.”

“I beg your pardon?” she said. “Send me away.”

“Yes, and I want no fight from you red headed woman.” Eric had begun calling her that when they would argue. She was stubborn.

“Regent? You know he is setting you up. How long have you known?” she asked.

“Since we buried Bubba,” said Eric. “He asked me at his commitment.”

“You knew since June?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I could not tell you because it was dangerous for you to know. Now I want to move fast and I can’t keep it from you anymore.” Sky looked at him and then looked at the building.

“Six weeks?” she asked.

“Even less if Alcide Herveaux gets a couple of other contractors to help him,” said Eric. “Otherwise, I have to make plans for your safety.” He went to her. “Sky, listen to me, we can make this a safe place. This would be my base of operations, you would be able to stay here and be safe, even if you could not work. I know, you want to and need to work, but there may be days you would not be able to. Or we can do the last resort.”

“The last resort?” she asked.

“I can glamour you so you don’t remember me and you will be put somewhere safe and you would be given a new life, without me. I would not even be a memory,” he said. Sky slapped him. He stood there. He did not feel pain except in his heart.

“Don’t you ever tell me you would do that to me, don’t you ever do that,” she said. “You promise me Eric Northman, you will never do that, you swear it on the Blood, you will never do that.”

“Do you want this?” he asked. Sky looked around.

“The building?” she asked.

“No, me and everything that comes with me?” he asked.

“Nothing will move me from your side. I love you,” she said. “They would have to get through me to get to you and if that gives you half a second to take a tactical position and save yourself, then I will do it. From now on, you tell me everything that is going on, and Bill has to tell Rachel. She has to know what is going on.” Eric looked at her.

“Red headed woman,” he said. He pulled her against him hard and kissed her roughly.

“If you are going to buy this monstrosity, then you better do it,” she said. He smiled and called Cataliades and then Alcide Herveaux.

A couple of days later and the girls were chatting over lunch. It was a week before Halloween, and Sam and Luna had decorated Merlotte’s for the holiday with pumpkins and skeletons. Sky had been to the old warehouse and Alcide was there with another contractor friend. She sat down with them and drew a basic plan and they promised a professional drawing in 24 hours. Eric must be paying them a mint to get this busy so fast.

“So what are you and the sheriff doing for all hallowed’s,” asked Rachel.

“Fangtasia is having a costume party,” said Sky. “We are putting in an appearance then we are going home to play marauding Viking and helpless peasant girl.”

“How is the new place going?”

“It is just started. They are going to have to clean and fumigate first, but it has such potential,” said Sky. “What are you and Bill doing?”

“We are handing out candy. I always have bunch of trick or treaters so we are going to sit on the porch and hand out treats then go in watch horror movies, the old ones because Bill likes those best and then…get my treat…” she said, waggling her eyebrows. “So how is school?”

“Really good, I am glad to have classes start. You know, I have students all the time calling me and coming to my office and emailing me about vampires and their relationships with them. They ask about everything, diet, exercise, blood drinking, dating, family problems…I don’t know how to deal with them.”

“Yeah, I do too, the vampires are sending their human companions for supplements and creams and stuff and they ask questions too,” said Rachel. “You know, I think someone really needs to have like we were talking about, an outreach program.”

“My problem is I would want to help, but I work,” said Sky. “You do too.”

“Yeah,” said Rachel. “Bill says more vampires are moving to Louisiana from other kingdoms,” said Rachel. “Think it has something to do with what Bill and Eric are doing?” Bill told her everything they were having to do and why.

“Maybe. If there are folks who are not that happy, who are in trouble, maybe it has to do with that,” said Sky, unhappily.

“We just have to trust the both of them,” said Rachel. “We knew this would be no ordinary situation, we knew this would be tough.”

“We just have to get tougher. After lunch, I am going to stop by my apartment. Classes are cancelled for Halloween tomorrow and I need to pack a bag so I can stay in Shreveport tonight.  Is living with Bill easy?”

“Easy as pie,” she said. “Bill offered to get me a housekeeper but what would a house keeper do at my house? Wash my dish?”

“True enough,” she said. “I love your house though.”

“Thanks, your house is going to beautiful when it is finished, though I will eat Bill’s shorts if Eric has it all done in six weeks,” she said.

Sky pulled into her parking spot and frowned. A large BMW was parked by her parking space. It could only be her parents. She walked up and there they sat on her porch. “Hey mom, dad, you should have called me, I have to go back to work.”

“We came to talk to you, about your boyfriend,” said Davis Faulconer.

“Shit,” swore Sky under her breath.

Davis sat down in the little chair and her mother sat on the couch. Sky joined her there. “I have wanted to call you about this, but I have been busy getting ready for classes and working on my book.”

“Well, after a visit your mother and I had yesterday, we felt we had to come,” said Davis. Marcella nodded. She always despised the way her mother believed that every word from her husband’s mouth was holy writ.

“Look, let me tell you about Eric, he is really a good man, and he loves me. And I love him.”

“Did you know Northman is not even his real name? He has probably had so many names no one knows who he is,” said Davis.

“Dad, Eric was born human a thousand years ago. His dad was called Ulfrick and they would have just called him ‘son of Ulfrick’ in his time. He is a Norseman, so he just took the name Northman when surnames came into vogue,” she explained.

“Did you know he is some sort of underworld crime boss here in Northern Louisiana?” he asked.

“He is hardly a crime boss, he owns a bar and a few other businesses,” said Sky. “I know where this is going, you read that nasty tabloid book about him. None of it is true.”

“I knew when you started studying that shit you would get tangled up with those creatures,” said Richard.

“He isn’t even human, he doesn’t have a soul. Do you want to be involved with someone who is doomed to hell once someone puts an end to him?” asked Marcella.

“He has a soul,” said Sky. “He may not have a religion, but he has a soul, he is a good man.”
                “Sky, we are here to come and get you. I will pay off your lease and you can pack a bag and come home with us. We can come back again for your things, or pay your landlord to have it packed and sent,” said Davis. “But you are going to leave with us.”

“I am a grown woman with a job and bills to pay. You didn’t pay for my college, I did. You don’t pay my rent or bills. I have responsibilities “

“Yeah to that blood sucking bastard you are determined to whore yourself out to,” said Davis. “Tom Latesta told us about how he killed his last girlfriend and he was under suspicion of another woman’s death in Jackson, and then there was the trouble about that woman that was killed at his house.”

“Tom Latesta? If you believe him, you are crazy,” said Sky. Suddenly her dad was up and he brought his fist down on her cheek. There was silence. Sky’s father had not hit her in ten years, and that was because he damned near put her in the hospital. In her childhood, she had lived under the violent tyranny of her father. She had often hid bruises and marks on her back from the belt he strapped her with on occasion. “How dare you.”

“You pack a bag and get ready to leave Sky,” he said.

“No, and if you hit me again, I will call the police,” she said.

“If you don’t go home with us, we will leave here and I will disinherit you,” he threatened.

“Go, I don’t care, go, and don’t ever call me,” she said. She could feel her face swelling and there was a weird numb tingling. “I hate you, I hate you both.”

Sky went into her bathroom after they left and looked at her face. She was going to have a black eye and when she touched her cheek, she cried out. He must have cracked her cheekbone. She went to the icebox and got ice. She wrapped it in a kitchen towel. She called the office and told them she needed to cancel her classes for the rest of the day. She then called Eric’s phone and told him she needed him to come and pick her up, she could not drive, but she didn’t say why. She went and laid down on her bed and grabbed Eric’s pillow and lay there, ice on her cheek and the smell of Eric’s scent in her nose.

Sky woke when Eric stroked her cheek. He felt the darkness in her through the bond. With the touch of his cool fingers, she woke.”Are you okay? You feel sick?”

“No, Eric, I’m not okay,” she said. She laid there, not moving, her bruised face to the pillow. “My parents came to see me.”

“Not good, then,” he said. “I am sorry.”

“There is something else, but I need you to stay calm, and I need you to promise not to do anything to my parents.”
                “Why?” he asked.

“My dad used to beat on me when I was a kid. He hit me today when I refused to go with them back to Baton Rouge. They wanted me to leave you and come back home to live,” she said.

“Where did he hit you?” asked Eric, though he knew where. Sky had not looked at him.  She turned over and he hissed and his fangs dropped down, but then he pulled the anger back to him in the bond. He reached out and put his fingers to her swollen face. Her eye was swollen shut and it was already black. He pressed gently. Sky grabbed his hand and pulled it away a little. “You have a broken cheek bone.”

“I thought so,” she said.”Can we go home now?”

“Yes dearest. Let me give you a little blood to heal your cheek,” he said. She nodded and he bared his wrist and bit it and gave her his arm. She took a little sip until she felt the deep sharp sting of her cheekbone heal. She pulled herself up and wrapped her arms around him. He was more precious now than ever.

“I don’t have anyone. You are my family now.”

Eric watched Sky pack, banking his anger to a low simmer. He would never harm Sky’s father, but there was nothing to say trouble would not befall him later. She closed her bag and grabbed her computer case and brief case. They went and got into his car and he asked if she wanted to see the site.

“Sure, “she said. “But I have been there already today, I am sure there has not been much changed.”

“You would be surprised,” said Eric.

“Babe, how much money do you have?” she asked.

“More money than you and I could ever spend. Don’t worry about money,” he said. “Successful vampires can amass fortunes all over the world. They lose a fortune in one place and go to another in rags. By the time they wake up the next night, they are wealthy again, wearing silks.” She looked at him. “Don’t worry about money.”

“Okay, I won’t,” she said.

They pulled into the work site. There were already changes. The cinderblock security wall around the area was already nearly finished and after it had cured over night, they would begin covering it with fieldstone. Alcide was gone for the night, but his supervisor was there. “Mr. Northman, ma’am, we have the pipes for the utilities up and the new underground lines ready to go on the grid when we get the building wired. We have your well marked and we will dig for it in the morning. We had the exterminators here, and they have sprayed the entire building and we are checking the building for rat holes and closing them.”

“You have the windows down,” said Eric.

“Yes, we just busted them out and ripped the wooden frames and we have them scotched to support the stone. The window people tried to come out tonight, but they couldn’t get out here. But all they have to do is come and measure, the windows. Do you want to come in?”

“Yes,” he said.

“You will need respirators, they just sprayed in there,” said the contractor.

“Just for Miss Faulconer,” said Eric. He looked at Eric and began to say something and then realized.

“Oh, very well,” he said. He went to his truck and got Sky a respirator. He helped her put it on and adjusted it. Then he gave her and Eric a hard hat and Eric carried his in his hand and Sky put her hard hat on. Inside, there were huge construction lights and they could see all the work they had already done. The building was made of brick and limestone and the floors were thick beams of black oak. They were a little wet with the pesticide.

“I smell chrysanthemums,” said Eric.

“Yes, the insecticide is made of chrysanthemums, it is non-toxic to humans but we still use a respirator to protect our lungs from particulate. Now, when the floors dry in about five days, we will bring in the industrial sanders. This is oak wood. There are some rotten places we will have to chop out and replace but otherwise, the floors are nearly petrified. Now, here is a feature I thought you would be interested in.” He led them to the middle of the south facing wall. There was a cage like structure and then a wrought iron staircase. “This was put in around the late 20’s. It is where a cotton elevator was. See, we thought this was a cotton warehouse, where they auctioned and stored cotton. What it really was, was a cotton mill. They brought cotton and stored it downstairs and then brought it up to mill it into fine threads to be sent to be made into fabric. Now they stopped using this when they built the new combined mill and linen factory in the late 30’s. The elevator is gone, but I can put my hands on a new one and reinstall it and have a new decorative wrought iron cage and a new staircase.”

“What do you think lover?” asked Eric.

“It would be very handy,” she said.

“Do it,” said Eric. His eyes followed the walls. “Are those the original anchors for the second floor?”

“They are. We will take the old anchors down and the new floor will be free standing, not attached to the walls. This is just faster and easier. Now, we will have the special features, the fire sprinklers and all that throughout. We will have a full floor here. Once we have the upper story built, we can do the walk through on the house and you can mark out where you want to have walls and the different rooms.”

 “Miss Faulconer will make those decisions. Mainly we want to make sure the sleeping area we occupy is light tight,” he said. “Otherwise, this is Miss Faulconer’s home to lay out as she wishes. Her orders are mine.”

“Very well. Miss Faulconer, the landscapers will be out to photograph the land and design the outdoors and any structures. Now, here is a feature. The front wall is a door for the unloading of the huge spindles of thread to be loaded by crane into trucks. The door is nailed shut and for all it’s been exposed to the elements, it is in good shape. Now, the master bed is presumably going to upstairs, so you would not want to do option one, which would be a huge bank of windows, but how would you feel about an observation deck with a patio area?”

“I think that would be nice,” she said. “I was wondering if we could paint the brick on the outside and leave the limestone, maybe clean it.”

“You can indeed, when we do the design work after the construction, you can discuss the details.”

“When can we expect the second floor to be up?” asked Eric.

“Well, we will have the steel workers here and they will build the floor frame up and the steel joists then lay the beams. They won’t be black oak beams, unfortunately.”

“Why not?” asked Eric.

“Black oak is practically extinct. Between deforestation and disease, we don’t have them in commercial abundance. We could put out a call for salvaged wood, but that could take as long as two years to amass the amount needed to do the whole floor. What we can do is stain the red oak we can get with black walnut satin and it would nearly match the downstairs.”

“That will do,” he said.  

“But, ten days for the second floor and then we can really see things come together,” said the contractor. “The rest will be a matter of just making decisions and that should be only three, four weeks tops, then you can take possession, move in.”

“That seems excellent to me,” he said. “I want you to spare no expense, do as my fiancée wishes and you will be given a huge bonus.”

“Thank you Mr. Northman,” he said.

They stood there looking around only a little while longer and they left. “Did you have something to eat lover? Are you hungry?” asked Eric.

“I have some soup and sandwich things at your house,” said Sky.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked.

“I am just tired,” she said. “I want a long bath and wash my hair and just…be next to you. Is that okay?”

“It is. I have to go to Fangtasia for a couple of hours. Maxwell Lee has some things he wants to tell me. That should give you time to eat and relax and I will come home and we can be together,” he said.

“You have to go to work love, you have a world of responsibility on your shoulders. I am sorry to have to add mine,” she said.

“You aren’t a burden dearest,” he said. “You are my purpose now.”

Tom Latesta was listening to Reynolds. They were planning another strike for Halloween and they were very excited. “And you are sure of this?” asked Latesta.

“Absolutely,” said Reynolds. “And this will send a definite message.”

“Very well,” said Latesta. “Well done by the way with the radio show about your colleague.”

“I have a plan for her as well. There is a Take Back the Night protest being planned for the college. They are going to harass her a little, her and the department for vampire studies,” he said. “Nothing too aggressive, just enough to give her a little reminder.”

“I have heard the woman, the Westnight woman has been talking to that shifter Sam Merlotte is living with about the two natured outreach program,” said Latesta.

“I have not heard that, but she can just forget about that. Vampires don’t want to do outreach like that, they want to go to fangbanger bars and hook up. They won’t do the touchy feely thing,” said Reynolds.

“Keep an eye on that situation though,” said Latesta. “That Garza woman was an organizer in Texas but she was pushed out by the weres. That is why she came here.”

“I will,” said Reynolds. “I will send you a message when we are ready to move on our action.”

“Very well,” said Latesta.