The Far Reach (Southern Vampire Mystery)

Chapter 10 - Beating to Home

Nautical Note: Beating means that the wind is coming at you so the only way to make progress is to turn the boat, first left and then right, over and over again to sail against the wind. The most frustrating time to be in this position is when you are headed home and you wonder if you will ever make enough forward progress to gain safe harbor.

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There were no longer people stepping forward to bow and pledge. Eric looked down at Sookie and he extended his hand to her. Sookie recognized that Eric was performing. The way he held his head and the exaggerated movement he made with the offer to take her hand was all for show. As Sookie smiled in a way that she was sure was expected, she looked out into the room of faces and realized that the knot of people she knew to be donors had not stepped forward. She knew that on some level she had been looking for them; the women from the garden and the man she knew Eric had fed from.

Eric must have felt her surprise because he tilted his head a bit and extended his hand with a little more force.

Sookie made a point of laying her hand in his first. 'Don't leave him hanging,' she thought with a wry smile. "I was wondering about the people who live in the donor group," she said out loud. "I guess I would have expected them to pledge too."

Eric's brow wrinkled. "It is not customary," he told her.

"Oh," Sookie said. Then she persisted, "But why would that be? I mean of everyone here they have the most access to you vampires, right?" She could see the eye roll starting on Eric's face when she made her decision. "I would feel better knowing that every creature that will be in contact with you on a regular basis has made their loyalty clear."

Eric's face became serious and Sookie could hear the buzz in the room still. She knew that with their hearing, the conversation between herself and Eric had been followed by every vampire in the room and that was pretty much everyone in attendance. While she hadn't exactly challenged him, Sookie had just made a demand. Eric glanced at Thalia and gave a short nod. Thalia was not smiling as she stepped from the dais and headed towards the back of the room. 'Fine,' thought Sookie. 'Not like you smile much anyway!'

Eric drew her up so that she was standing beside him. He leaned to brush her cheek with his lips and whispered, "We will talk later."

Sookie looked at him brightly and ran her fingers over his cheek. She turned her head just a little so she could mouth the words 'Yes, we will," without being overseen.

There was a murmur as a group of no less than twenty five men and women stepped forward. They were of all nationalities and complexions. Most were in their twenties or early thirties but there were several who looked like they could have been minors. As they approached Sookie found herself listening to their array of thoughts. Some were curious about the new king and his court. Others were actively determining who they would target as potential long-term companions. More than one of the donors was looking at Sookie and thinking that the king could do so much better than a northern Louisiana hog caller. As each came forward, Sookie scanned them. She looked long and hard at the man she could tell was stealing things from the palace and selling them to an antiques dealer on the outside. She memorized the face of the woman who was thinking about telling her story to the newspaper. Most of the donors were curious as to why they had been called forward. It had never happened before and it worried them

Then it was the man's turn; the man Sookie had seen in the head of the woman earlier. As he bowed he was thinking in very graphic terms about taking Eric into his mouth. Eric was feeding from him most evenings and the man, Denny, was hopeful that this would lead to more. He wasn't malicious but he was attracted and wishing it would be mutual.