The Sookie Stackhouse Companion (34 page)
Read The Sookie Stackhouse Companion Online
Authors: Charlaine Harris
At Merlotte’s, Sam confides that the bar is in a real slump, the worst he’s ever faced. Sookie doesn’t know what to say and can offer only small comfort. She leaves work late, stopping to fill up her gas tank and to get some milk and synthetic blood. Pulling up to her house, she is first irritated by the open back door but then recognizes danger and tries to retreat, only to be blocked by a tree falling across the drive. She escapes from her car, smacking a potential attacker with a quart of milk, and runs toward Bill’s house in the pouring rain. She’s able to find the spare key on his front porch and get into his house, but first she discards her soaking clothes and shoes into the bushes so she won’t leave a trail.
Though Bill never told her, Sookie had figured out the likely location of his daytime resting place while they were dating. Aware of the renovations he has done, she zeros in on a small room off the kitchen and is able to pry up a trapdoor hidden in the floor. Naked and in the dark, she carefully feels around for Bill and finally locates his inanimate naked body in the corner. Sookie can hear her pursuers overhead as Bill struggles to wake, but it takes him several attempts to fully rouse. He finally comes to completely and leaves to search for her assailants while Sookie waits. He returns and dresses, and she wraps herself in an old shawl for the drive back to her house. They find Dermot bleeding and unconscious in the attic, and Bill is intoxicated by the scent of the fairy blood. He manages to leave the house and checks the property. Sookie calls Hooligans to get help for Dermot, and Claude sends Bellenos, who arrives in a matter of minutes. Sookie apologizes to Dermot, explaining that Amelia’s protection wards should have kept the intruders out, but Dermot admits that he deconstructed Amelia’s wards, planning to put up his own because he felt they would be much stronger. Bellenos treats Dermot’s head wound by breathing into him. As soon as Dermot is able, the two leave to hunt for Dermot and Sookie’s attackers. A bit later, Pam and Eric arrive just in time for Dermot and Bellenos to return with the severed heads of the attackers.
After the fairies leave, taking the heads with them, Sookie, Pam, and Eric discuss who could be behind the attempted kidnapping. When Eric quickly leaves the room to take a phone call, Sookie realizes that something is going on. Sookie faces Eric down and forces him to admit that his maker, before his death, had arranged a marriage for Eric with a vampire queen. So far, Eric has not succeeded in extricating himself.
Bubba peers in the window, concerned for Sookie because Eric sent Pam outside. Sookie puts her feelings aside as Audrina and Colton arrive, and Pam reenters the house as well to start planning Victor’s assassination. Several ideas are put forth, but Sookie finally comes up with a winner involving Bubba.
Alone again, Eric asks Sookie for understanding, but she cannot imagine honoring such a deal brokered by a dead maker. Eric doesn’t stay the night. Sookie sees Bill in the yard and goes out to talk to him, briefly telling him about the situation, but Bill actually does understand Eric’s responsibility to his maker.
FRIDAY, JUNE 2.
After sleeping late, Sookie begins preparations for Tara’s baby shower, which is to be held the next day. Dermot returns home and, upon hearing about the shower, asks if he can attend. He begins looking at the old photographs from the attic and points out that some photos of Mitchell, Adele’s husband, are actually Fintan in Mitchell’s form.
After sleeping late, Sookie begins preparations for Tara’s baby shower, which is to be held the next day. Dermot returns home and, upon hearing about the shower, asks if he can attend. He begins looking at the old photographs from the attic and points out that some photos of Mitchell, Adele’s husband, are actually Fintan in Mitchell’s form.
Thinking about her own current fiscal health, Sookie suddenly figures out a simple way to help Sam through his financial hardship and takes him a check to pull the bar through until it can get back on its feet. Sam reluctantly accepts her offer but insists that they draw up legal paperwork for the loan.
Afraid Sookie wouldn’t accept her call, Amelia asks Sam to tell Sookie to check her e-mail, which Sookie often forgets to do. Sookie has not only an e-mail from Amelia but also one from Mr. Cataliades. He advises her to think hard before using the cluviel dor and also warns her about Sandra Pelt. Amelia apologizes in her e-mail and tells Sookie that a cluviel dor is a fairy love token that contains a wish for the bearer, a wish so powerful that it can drastically change a life. When Sookie leaves for the Kill Victor party, she takes the cluviel dor with her.
Once at Fangtasia, Sookie waits in Eric’s office for the bar to close. Pam is silent, and Sookie realizes that Miriam has passed away, another victim of Victor, who denied Pam permission to turn her sick lover. After closing, a few vampires loyal to Eric casually spread themselves around the bar as they help the human staff clean up and set the stage for the show. Bubba is going to sing. Colton and Audrina remain, ostensibly as potential donors. Immanuel and Mustafa Khan stay as well. Victor and his entourage, including his new second, Akiro, arrive and settle in for the spectacle. Bubba is breathtaking during his ballads, easily holding the visiting audience’s attention, but the faster rock numbers aren’t as riveting. Eric makes his move, swinging a stake at Victor’s heart. Unfortunately, he is thwarted by Akiro, and the battle begins.
Sookie is able to send Bubba to the relative safety of the back hall, and he is led away by Bill. Pam is taken down by Victor. Seeing Sookie with Akiro’s sword in her hands, Pam orders Sookie to kill Victor. She wavers, afraid that she will swing too hard and kill Pam as well, but is able to bring the sword down hard enough to incapacitate him, giving Pam the opportunity to get up, grab the sword, and do it herself. A badly wounded Akiro refuses to yield to Eric, who ends the other vampire’s suffering. When the blood and ash settle, all of Victor’s loyal minions are dead. Audrina has been killed as well, and Colton weeps over her body. Thalia struggles to reattach her severed arm, a procedure only old vampires can accomplish. Although Sookie is unable to respond physically to Eric when he kisses her, she still offers him her neck to help him heal his wounds. He strikes carelessly, angered by her conflicted emotions. She finally pinches his ear to get him to stop and pulls away, flinching when he tries to kiss her good night. Bill drives her home, and he calmly reminds her that she knew there would be death and blood, and that they only did what they needed to do to survive. Sookie knows he is right but is still disheartened by the carnage. She changes the subject, asking Bill about the Queen of Oklahoma and telling him Freyda is the bride Eric’s maker arranged for him. Bill is surprised by the prospective bride’s identity, and he tells Sookie that Eric will have to put her aside if he marries Freyda. Sookie admits that she broke the blood bond, and Bill gives her advice as a friend to let Eric make up his own mind. Sookie goes into her home, cleans herself up, and gets into bed, both relieved and disquieted that she thinks she’ll be able to sleep.
SATURDAY, JUNE 3.
Mr. Cataliades knocks on Sookie’s back door during Tara’s baby shower, which is a rousing success. He waits in the kitchen until the shower winds down and the guests depart. Sookie questions him about his history with her family, both fae and human, and discovers that Fintan had his good friend Desmond Cataliades give a gift to Fintan’s progeny, a gift they could only accept if they had the essential spark. As their sponsor, Mr. Cataliades gave the family the gift of telepathy, a gift that he believed would give Fintan’s descendants an advantage over most of the rest of humanity. Mr. Cataliades then tells Sookie that he is being pursued by some of his enemies and must leave.
Mr. Cataliades knocks on Sookie’s back door during Tara’s baby shower, which is a rousing success. He waits in the kitchen until the shower winds down and the guests depart. Sookie questions him about his history with her family, both fae and human, and discovers that Fintan had his good friend Desmond Cataliades give a gift to Fintan’s progeny, a gift they could only accept if they had the essential spark. As their sponsor, Mr. Cataliades gave the family the gift of telepathy, a gift that he believed would give Fintan’s descendants an advantage over most of the rest of humanity. Mr. Cataliades then tells Sookie that he is being pursued by some of his enemies and must leave.
Sam calls to let her know that someone dropped off a package for her at the bar, and Sookie can tell by his tone that there is something amiss. She asks him to bring her the package instead, and after a muffled consultation with another person, he agrees. Sookie grabs her shotgun and hides in the woods to wait for Sam and whoever is with him. They pull up in Jannalynn’s car, and Sookie is not surprised to see Sandra Pelt get out of the vehicle with a rifle in her hands. Sookie emerges from the woods and fires, hitting Sandra in the left arm and cheek. Jannalynn takes full advantage of Sandra’s shocked reaction and attacks, taking the other shifter on in hand-to-hand combat. Sookie and Sam circle the battling women, trying to help Jannalynn, and Sam gets a broken nose for his efforts. Sookie is finally able to grab Sandra’s arm and forestall a punch, giving Jannalynn time to get her own punch in. The fierce Were breaks Sandra’s neck with one blow. When she realizes that Sandra isn’t yet dead, Jannalynn finishes the job. They debate calling the sheriff but opt instead to dispose of the body, with Sookie suggesting a place it won’t be found. She helps Sam carry Sandra’s body to the fairy portal, and they squeeze it through, hearing a yapping and snarling from the other side. Convinced that there is nothing left of Sandra Pelt, they make their way back to the house. After Sam washes off Jannalynn’s car and the blood spots on the ground, Jannalynn sets his broken nose, and the two leave, taking Sandra’s gun to toss into the woods on the way back to Sam’s place.
Sookie muses over recent events and decides to settle back to watch
Jeopardy!
on TV with a glass of ice tea.
The Secret Dialogues of Bill and EricJeopardy!
on TV with a glass of ice tea.
From: [email protected] 05:33 amThis is to inform you that Judith Vardamon is no longer staying in Area Five.William Compton
From: [email protected] 05:46 amLost another one, Bill?Eric
From: [email protected] 05:52 amGFY. Let me know if you need help with that abbreviation, Sheriff.Bill
Phone: Bill calling Eric.
BILL:
“I had an interesting discussion with Sookie after you left.”
“I had an interesting discussion with Sookie after you left.”
ERIC:
“She talks to you too much.”
“She talks to you too much.”
BILL:
“Perhaps you talk to her too little. I assume you’re trying to get out of the contract.”
“Perhaps you talk to her too little. I assume you’re trying to get out of the contract.”
ERIC:
“Of course I am.”
“Of course I am.”
BILL:
“Be sure to let me know how that goes. Have a good sleep, Eric.”
“Be sure to let me know how that goes. Have a good sleep, Eric.”
Phone: Eric calling Bill.
ERIC:
“Did my wife get safely home?”
“Did my wife get safely home?”
BILL:
“Of course. But from what I understand, she may not be your wife for much longer, Consort.”
“Of course. But from what I understand, she may not be your wife for much longer, Consort.”
ERIC:
“Watch yourself, Bill.”
“Watch yourself, Bill.”
BILL:
“A queen. Bad enough any marriage, but I doubt a queen will release you, Eric. I understand that Pam had to push you into telling her.”
(Silence.)
“A queen. Bad enough any marriage, but I doubt a queen will release you, Eric. I understand that Pam had to push you into telling her.”
(Silence.)
BILL:
“Just as you pushed me. As my human neighbors say, ‘What goes around comes around.’ Now you know how it feels to be forced by a queen to betray Sookie.”
“Just as you pushed me. As my human neighbors say, ‘What goes around comes around.’ Now you know how it feels to be forced by a queen to betray Sookie.”
ERIC:
“I did not betray Sookie. This was Ocella’s doing, not mine.”
“I did not betray Sookie. This was Ocella’s doing, not mine.”
BILL:
“I actually do understand your loyalty to your maker, Eric. I even respect that you still wish to honor his word. Nonetheless, Sookie will see it as a betrayal. And your treatment of her tonight didn’t help.”
“I actually do understand your loyalty to your maker, Eric. I even respect that you still wish to honor his word. Nonetheless, Sookie will see it as a betrayal. And your treatment of her tonight didn’t help.”
ERIC:
“Don’t think this means you will get her back, Bill.”
“Don’t think this means you will get her back, Bill.”
BILL:
“Perhaps not. But I do take pleasure in the possibility that you won’t keep her, either.”
“Perhaps not. But I do take pleasure in the possibility that you won’t keep her, either.”
The Sookie Short Stories and Related Material
BY CHARLAINE HARRIS
W
riting short stories is not like writing a very short novel. The pacing is different, the timing is different, and the way you end the story is
really
different.
riting short stories is not like writing a very short novel. The pacing is different, the timing is different, and the way you end the story is
really
different.
At this moment, there are seven Sookie short stories and one novella. They weren’t published in the order in which they should be read if you’re trying to stick to Sookie’s chronology. I backtracked and filled in a little as ideas came to me. For clarity, I’m discussing them in the order in which they fit chronologically between the books.
By the way, the first five of these stories can now be found in one volume:
A Touch of Dead
. Before my publisher put the collection together, you had to buy separate anthologies to read about Sookie’s adventures. I think that’s a good thing, because then you get to sample a lot of outstanding stories by other writers, but there’s no denying it’s convenient to have the one book.
A Touch of Dead
. Before my publisher put the collection together, you had to buy separate anthologies to read about Sookie’s adventures. I think that’s a good thing, because then you get to sample a lot of outstanding stories by other writers, but there’s no denying it’s convenient to have the one book.
On to the discussion.
Though not the first short story I’d ever written, “Fairy Dust” was the first piece of Sookie short fiction I’d attempted, and I learned a lot in the process. The story first appeared in a wonderful anthology,
Powers of Detection
. In “Fairy Dust,” Sookie is asked to investigate the death of Claudette, the triplet of Claude and Claudine, Sookie’s fairy acquaintances. Since Claude and Claudine are questioning human co-workers from the strip club that employed both Claude and Claudette, they believe Sookie can help them get to the bottom of the mystery. Of course our heroine can help, and we learn a lot about the fairies and their outlook on life in general and on humans in particular. These events take place after
Dead to the World
.
Powers of Detection
. In “Fairy Dust,” Sookie is asked to investigate the death of Claudette, the triplet of Claude and Claudine, Sookie’s fairy acquaintances. Since Claude and Claudine are questioning human co-workers from the strip club that employed both Claude and Claudette, they believe Sookie can help them get to the bottom of the mystery. Of course our heroine can help, and we learn a lot about the fairies and their outlook on life in general and on humans in particular. These events take place after
Dead to the World
.
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