Pre Edit Count –   2,489 Words

Song I listened to for this chapter: Anybody Out There by Civil Twilight.

Yeah, I admit it.  I couldn’t find a pic for this chapter. So all credit goes to my Beta in this instance. Have fun, Cataliades is in the Character List. 

Previously:

Godric nods his head. “So it is starting.”

Both Hades and Niall glow brighter as Hades answers, “Yes my son, it is starting. The times coming are going to be challenging, but you will have more on your side once you are Mated. Just keep with your plans until then, but if it happens before then, then we will all deal with it afterwards. You three are our top priority.”

Niall then teases the three of them, “Since you three won’t go back to what you were doing beforehand, I guess I will be going. I have my own plans to make sure are proceeding as I wish.” He stands up, and his eyes soften as he looks at the true daughter of his heart, “Sookie, I will be here for you. I have always been, and will always be.”

Her eyes bright with tears as she feels his love, “Niall, I know. I love you. Now go!” Her voice becomes stern as she orders him away.

Niall laughs at her as he fades away. He has much to do to ready the world for his daughter. For she is his heir, as Godric is Hades’.

Hades looks fondly at the three on the bed. “As Niall said, you three are very important. But even more, you are important to me. Call upon me if you need me, you know I will answer to all three of you if you ever need me.” With that he disappears.

Now:

As he hears Pam and Longshadow taking off in their van, he can also hear their mocking laughter.  Bill seethes as he stumbles into his home, his thoughts running, trying to figure out what happened and why.  Also how?  How did this all go to Hell so fast?  How did Eric and Godric get there so fast and be able to save Sookie, not him, as he had planned and worked so hard for?  How is Eric being Sookie’s Mate not rate a mention by anyone who sent him on this mission nor the others who were helping?  How the hell  is he supposed to seduce her if the Marks can overcome her as a human and can happen at any time? What good would it do to go through all the bullshit not to be rewarded?

Bill was not turned by his Maker responding to the Marks.  She was lonely, and on the lookout for someone to appease that loneliness.  Unfortunately for Bill, that person ended up being himself.  The alternative was not acceptable, but oh how he curses that night.  He never should have asked for sanctuary or at least been more suspicious of a single woman out in the boondocks like she was.

He had never heard of the Marks until he actually had met Eric back in the 1900’s.  In fact, according to his Maker, the Marks are a joke.  They are so rare that if vampires actually waited for the Marks there would hardly be any vampires.  She used Godric and Eric as examples that all was not as they say with these so called Marks.

Since then, Bill has heard many arguments about the Marks.  For the majority, those that have Marks have enhanced abilities even to vampires.  The only two who had voided this being thought as the sign of this was Godric and Eric.  They are more powerful than most vampires, if not all.  They have never showed their full abilities, but it is known that they can fly, which is normally a trait shared only by those that bear the Marks.

To mock Godric, who is a strong supporter of the Marks even more, Pam, Eric’s own progeny, is only slightly more powerful than others her age.  And again, there is no Mark on her to show the calling.  But Eric states he felt something to turn her.  Lorena mocked these since they had met Pam the same time when Eric met her.  There had been no reason, other than Eric caring about her, to turn her.

Bill had dismissed most of these conversations, thinking that obviously Sookie is going to be powerful since as the first Potential Child to be announced, she will have a Mark. And he had noticed that except for Godric’s line, all the bearers of the Marks are powerful.  In his mind, this made the fact that Sookie will be powerful from being part of that line, and having the Marks.  No wonder that Queens and Kings are fighting over her already, she will be impressive when turned.

He had never thought anything of them taking her, as long Godric is the one to change her, then she would be as powerful as they are hoping.  Most Children are not attached to their Makers, Godric’s line being unusual.  However, it has been pointed out that Godric does not release his children.  So if there is an order from his King and Eric’s Queen to release her, with the power of the Authority backing them, she would not want to be with Godric after they were done with her.  They will seduce her with power and anything she would wish for. His job was to start that seduction and to bring her to them.  She has shown great loyalty to those that win it.  And they figured, him winning her love, seducing her by any way possible, would be one way to win that loyalty.

But now, now that he is seeing how Godric is with not only her, but Eric.  Eric being her Mate is bad enough, but to hear Godric state how happy he is that both his Children will be Mated to each other, makes it sound as though he would fight for them.  This is nowhere in the plans that anyone has made.  The worse that it would be was that they would have to threaten Eric to get Godric to cave —everyone knows how close those two are—  but if what Godric is fighting for is the Mate for his beloved child, it changes the whole game.  No wonder Godric spoils her.

Bill moans in pain as he stumbles to his hidey hole, gripping the wall as he almost falls to his knees.  If he had any idea that this would be his life, he would have made another room light tight.  In fact, he might have to do that until he grew back the skin and parts that Eric had taken from him.

Opening his eyes, he would set his jaw in a scowl, but it is still broken from Eric’s extraction of his fangs.  It shouldn’t surprise him that the one who had invented the contraption would know how to inflect the most pain.  He tells himself that at least in the hidey hole, he has a supply of True Blood that he can drink to help him heal during the day.  He won’t be drinking from anyone for awhile.  Damn Eric. Another thing to add to the list of retributions against the Viking.

Still leaning against the wall, he suddenly snarls as he remembers Eric giving his fangs to Sookie.  A human!  No matter what or who she is, the fact is that Eric gave his fangs to a human.  And there is nothing he can do about the insult.  Sookie is a Potential Child.  She is also Eric’s Mate.  As such, no one will fight for his rights, since Eric can award any trophies to his Mate that he wants to.  She can even be given his blood rights and can torture someone if he so gives it to her.

No, he won’t forget that insult.  Bill is sure he can take out his anger on her in multiple ways, subtly.  She is so dumb that he will be free to insult her and after he gets her to love him, he will convince her that any pain he inflicts on her is her fault.  He can’t be blatant since it would not be good for anyone to catch him doing it, but he can think of ways to put her down that she won’t catch, but it will make him feel better.  And the bruises he will heal with his blood and there will be no way for her to prove it to anyone.

And Bill will take her from Eric.  Surely the Marks are not that powerful or it would be well known about the blood of a Maker or a Mate overriding anothers.  So, as cocky as the Sheriff is, there must still be a way to fight this.  He will call the Queen tomorrow and get her take on it. If she doesn’t know, then one of the others he is working for may have ideas for him.  He was told only to contact if he has real need, since if anything goes wrong, they can all blame Sophie Ann and escape any retribution. Since it would be treason for him to go against his Queen’s orders, right?

Just then his phone rings and Bill answers it, “Compton.”

He sneers at the human on the other end and asks, “Is he out yet?” When he hears the negative, he tells the blood bag, “Then no killing.  Don’t worry.  Eric will get him out and you can kill someone tomorrow night.  I even have an idea.”

With that Bill hangs up, and an evil grin takes his face.  Yes, he will be taking his revenge. We shall see how well Eric or Godric even can protect her friends and family.  He will prove he can protect her and drive a wedge in between Sookie and her future Mate and Maker. Let the games begin, indeed.

In New Orleans, a red headed woman dressed in a white suit lifts her head from the thigh of the human laid out in front of her.  She sighs and asks the vampire behind him, “Yes, Andre?”

Standing behind her, Andre gazes at his Maker and Bonded with forced adoration, and answers her, “Compton tried his first move tonight, my Queen.” He is trying to hold in his glee in the lackey’s failure.  The failure he had predicted, in fact.

Sophie Ann growls out, “And?” She is hungry, and the meal in front of her has been entertaining her, but she can tell that Andre is going to ruin her mood.

Andre straightens out the cuffs of his suit that he has to wear, “And, as I told you he would, he failed.  Rather spectacularly actually.  He has in fact managed to not only lose his fangs, but now Godric will be staying for an undetermined amount of time because of the attack on his Child.” Over the time since she had turned him, he has learned how to hide emotions from her.  Or he surely would be punished over the gloating he is trying to hide from her.

“Fuck!!!” Sophie stands up and paces angrily.  “He came with such high recommendations.  I need him to succeed if Louisiana is to remain free of Texas and Mississippi.  Not to mention Arkansas and Nevada.  This little bitch is the key to everything from what our physics and witches can tell.”  She is clenching and unclenching her hands as she stalks up and down the poolside.  Her mind is furiously whirling to find a way out of her predicament.

Andre moves out of her way and leans against a pillar as he watches the woman who holds his life in her hands.  He has no choice but to serve Sophie Anne; no matter how much he would rather not be in this mess she has created with her greed.  He had warned her to not try this route, to ally herself with the Norseman and his Maker.  Everything he has studied about these two individuals has told him that these two are more likely to win against the enemies against them.  But she refuses to be ruled by any male, including him.

Sophie Anne is growling as she paces, trying to figure out when it all went to hell.  She wouldn’t be amused to know that is the same thing that Bill Compton is  currently wondering a few hundred miles away. Her mind flickers with her options as she tries to figure out something, anything.  Not finding an answer, she turns to the one who was supposed to make sure she doesn’t get in these messes.  That is why she turned the imbecile after all.

She looks up at Andre and hisses, “What are you going to do to fix this?”  There is no doubt, she is pushing it all on his lap.

An eyebrow lifts up as Andre answers, “Fix this?  Fix this mess that I told you not to do?  I love you my Queen, and you know I adore you and will die for you,  but I really don’t see how you are going to come out of this in any positive way.  If you want my honest advice, get out.  Give this state to the Norseman or his Maker and leave.” His hands are in front of him, relaxed as he holds them there, a picture of grace.

Her mouth lifting in a sneer, “So you are basically telling me to give up when we have hardly started?  Andre, what kind of advice is that?  Everything is pointing to a major upheaval and if we are going to be able to survive, we need to be in a place of power.”  She knew he was a waste of her time, she thinks, while managing to ignore all the times his advice has been proven correct.  It couldn’t be her fault.

Shaking his head, Andre prowls around the pool to the side of the human Sophie Anne left.  He drops to crouch near her and looks up at his Queen. “What do you want me to say?  I have told you from the beginning we wouldn’t win.  You bonded and turned me because of my ability to strategize.  But even I can’t outsmart the Norseman.  He is a legend among not only our kind, but his legend of his rule as King has lasted this long in human memory.  You haven’t even asked me why now I am telling you to run.  You never ask the right questions, Sophie Anne.  That is what led us to this mess.” His bitterness comes out.  He is beginning to realize that there is no way out of her stupidity.

Rolling her eyes, Sophie snarls at him, “Ok, so why are you telling me to run now?” Her voice is sarcastic and scathing.

Andre shakes his head at the blonde below him, “Because the Norseman has admitted she is to be his Mate.  I checked before I came, and yes he has registered her as his Mate.”  He looks up, “Not even holding her cousin here will overrule the urge when the Marks come, my Lady.”

This is the last straw.  Sophie orders everyone, “Out!  Everyone but you, Andre, out!  And send me in a donor.” Her fangs are down and she looks nothing like the cool collected pin up model that she tries so hard to portray.  She looks like what in reality she is, a scared spoiled teenager whose body is well in advance of her maturity.

The blonde and everyone else in the room scatters.  They are aware that their lives have been barely saved.  They may be glamoured never to reveal what happens with the Queen, but they are well aware: when she gets this mad, the donor pool loses people.

Turning on her child, “Why, why was this not found before hand?” Her eyes are dark with her fury and it radiates from her. Unfortunately for her, Andre is used to it.  He is getting to the point he just really doesn’t care.

Andre having stood when she ordered the rest out wonders if there is a way to break the bond between them.  Sophie is going mad. “It was buried.  But when I called to find out, it was ‘mysteriously’ found.  The only good news is that the silly twat is fighting him.  But Godric announced tonight that he favors the fact that his Children will be Mated.  So there will be no help.” He waits for the tantrum that is to follow his words as his mind wonders back to how to break the Bond.

Completely enraged, Sophie grabs a pedestal near her and throws it across the room.  “Andre, I command you to fix this! Now!” She snarls at him.

With that, the human sacrifices enters and Sophie vamps to them, grabbing them after snarling at him, and disappears.

Andre sighs, “We lose so many because of her temper.”  He turns and walks out of the room.  He is thinking it is time to call that number he had been left.  There is no way to fix this. He needs to start thinking of how to get himself out of this.  It is time to see if he can salvage anything by aligning himself with some mature, intelligent vampires.

Far away from the opulence that is Sophie Anne’s home, Jason is sitting with his head against the wall in his cell of the illustrious Bon Temps jail.  He has no idea why he is still here.  The tape they have shows Maudette alive when he was done, and they hinted at the fact that they knew it was an old tape.  But Andy is still harping on the fact that it was in the tape player when they arrived.

He had tried to argue that maybe she was recording over it for all they knew.  They had no right to hold him.  But, Andy, who has hated him with a passion over the years, smirked at him and told him they could hold anyone that they want.

Jason is aware that Eric will be made aware of the situation and will get him out.  But he hates to disappoint the tall blonde.

Eric had helped him out when he was in a bad place.  He couldn’t stop the downward spiral he had been in, feeling as though no one wanted him, and not being able to fix it. Eric had stepped in finally and helped him straighten out, when his grandmother had asked, not knowing what else to do.  He had talked to him and actually listened to him.  To him, the one who hated his sister, Eric’s Mate, the one he loves more than anything on this earth!

Jason knew that his momma had to be wrong, but how could she be so wrong about her own daughter?  All those years listening to her spew hatred for her own flesh and blood, poisoning her son towards his own sister, had done something to Jason.

He could see his sister was not evil like his momma said.  Sure she was crazy, and weird, but after she moved to Gran’s, Sookie had gotten better.  And as these two men came into her life, it seemed to get even better yet.

Then came Eric’s revelation of why Godric and he found Sookie.  That his own Great Uncle had done that to his sweet sister, and to his cousin.  His momma had denied it at the time, but looking back at it, Sookie had been hysterical.  He has never seen her like that before or after.

Once it had sunk in, Jason had been angry.  Eric told him that his Uncle Bartlett is paying for his crimes and will be paying for them for all of eternity.  He had told him about Godric’s ability and that he had taken on the task to be able to send Bartlett to his father to be punished. Godric had done it so he could also learn everything that Bartlett had done and even thought against Sookie and Hadley so he can help them both heal.  Even his Gran thought that had been a fitting end to the man, and whenever the subject is brought up, she tells them that God punishes the wicked.

Hearing something down the hall, Jason comes out of his memories, turns and looked towards the noise.  He smiles and jumps down seeing Bobby Burnham coming down his way.  Bobby nods at Jason and tells Kevin, “Hurry it up.  He was never supposed to be held and you will be hearing from Mr. Cataliades in the morning.”  His voice is harsh, informing the officer that he was not joking on this matter.

When Jason is freed from the cell, Bobby turns around telling him, “Now come on.  You are to stay in the Stackhouse homestead; both Godric and Eric wish to talk to you tomorrow.  Eric has told me to tell you not to leave after I escort you there.  Understand?” He stares down at the Stackhouse male that has caused his mistress grief for many years until his master had straightened him out.  Now Bobby gets along with him, but he never forgot the pain of the little one who had won his heart.

Bobby had met Sookie not long after being hired as Eric’s day man.  Back then, she couldn’t decipher against what she called the inside voices and normal.  He had been one of the ones outside the nest who had helped her with her control.  Seeing the pain in her eyes when she heard too much of what the backwater town had thought of her had made him soften towards her.  Bobby is one of the trusted ones with Sookie and is part of the plan that if everything fails he will be taking her to a safe house.  He is also the one who makes sure she has everything she could possibly need or want in Eric’s homes.

Jason sighs in relief, “No problem, man.  I understand, there is no way to convict me of a crime if I have witnesses around.” He is nowhere as stupid as most think he is, but he plays the town idiot because that is how he has been seen for so long.  In private, he is attending college online and, in fact, is Bobby’s protégé.  Once this is all done, he will be working with Bobby to attend the threesome’s day needs.

Bobby nods, hiding a grin.  He likes the Stackhouse boy, and was actually upset to get Eric’s notification of him being in jail and held like he is.  He knows there is no way the boy could have even had time to do any of the crimes with the schedule he keeps.  But they have to keep it private if they want everyone to believe the story that has been in place all of Sookie’s life since she has been with her Mates.

Walking with Jason out of the Jail —ignoring Andy who was glaring at him for getting Jason out of there, with no bail posted— Bobby them out the front doors, toward a parked BMW.

Jason gets in the passenger seat and after a quiet minute tells him, “Thanks.  I was barely holding on my temper, but I thought of how Eric would be disappointed in me.”

Nodding his head, Bobby tells him, “The Master was disgusted, but not by you.  Your sister was attacked last tonight by Compton and two drainers.  He and his Maker determined within minutes that your arrest was meant as a distraction from the attack.  Luckily Godric was wary and decided to wait on your sister at your home.  He was able to make it and so did Eric to prevent Compton from giving his blood to her.  Unfortunately they got there after the attack had started.  They rushed her to Fangtasia along with the culprits.  They both healed her and tonight finished the torturing of Compton.  From what I gather, Godric sent the dealers to his father because there had been additional information they had needed.”

Jason just sat there, shocked as he listened.  His sister was attacked and his arrest was meant to distract Eric from her rescue?

Bobby looked at him out of the side of his eye.  He sighed then told him, “Master is upset he didn’t get you out earlier.  But I think you have no problem understanding where his attention was last night.”

Jason nods and tells him, “Don’t worry, I don’t blame Eric.  I much rather find out that he was taking care of my sister than getting me out of jail.  Plus this made sure that no one could blame me when everything was so out of place.  What is going to happen?”  He would not be able to live with himself if his sister had been hurt longer because of a little detail of getting him out of jail.  He was safe in there, she had not been.

Bobby nodded to himself.  Jason is learning.  He answers Jason’s question as he pulls down Hummingbird Lane. “Godric is staying here unless something happens in Texas.  Even in that case, he would go, take care of it, and come straight back.  Eric has claimed Sookie as his Mate.  They are continuing the charade.”

Frowning, Jason asks, “Why?  I suspect if they tortured Compton, they got the information they needed.”

Bobby smirks, “I am sure that the Master did indeed get the information, but he did not tell me anything more.  Now, get inside, I need to head back to Shreveport to let the Master know what is going on.  Expect the lawyer to contact you soon and follow the Master’s instructions.  I will see you later for your lessons.”

Jason nods as he opens the door.  “Thanks, man.  My next lesson is on stocks so I would appreciate your help.  Drive safe.”

Bobby nods and backs out of the driveway.  He is watching the view in the rear mirror and Jason.  Once Jason is inside, Bobby turns on the Lane and calls Eric. “Master, Jason is back at the Homestead.  I will make sure the lawyer calls tomorrow and see what we can do about that.”  He listens to Eric’s instructions and nods.  “Yes, Master.”

He hesitates and then says, “Please pass to Mistress my well wishes.  And if she needs anything, I will be happy to get it for her.”  He hangs up after Eric disconnects the phone.  He is already heading out on the freeway, his mind running on the errands his master has told him.

Final count, 4,462 words.

Fairfarren~Wendy