Dead Ever After Re-write (Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman)

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of these characters. The original story and the characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I am only borrowing them for a little while.

Chapter 13

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What's Claude up to? Let's see...

Sookie's POV

I screamed, and my coffee mug went flying.

When I could speak, I said, "You. Do. Not. Do. That. To. Me." He must have come in through the unlocked front door. He had keys, anyway, but I would have heard then in the lock and had some warning.

"Cousin, I'm sorry," he said contritely, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.

"Claude," I said, "things haven't been going well while you were gone." I struggled to make my voice level. "Some of your fae workers have been restless."

Claude poured himself a cup of coffee and pulled out a chair. His actions weren't threatening, but I was looking at the man who'd sent Kym Rowe to her death; for all I knew, he was the one who'd killed her when she hadn't gotten Eric to do the job. Claude's sudden reappearance – without Niall – would have been enough to raise the hair on my arms if I hadn't known about his collusion with Jannalynn.

Why had Claude returned by himself? There was something in his face that hadn't been there before. I needed time to think what to do next; yet, I didn't have any.

"Where is Niall?" I asked, picking up my mug, which amazingly hadn't broken. After I put it in the sink, I got a wad of paper towels to mop up the spoiled coffee.

"Still in Faery," Claude said.

"Why?" I asked him suspicious, "Did Niall get the letter I sent?"

"I don't know," Claude said.

I was bewildered. "I thought you went back with Niall to investigate who'd cast the crazy spell on Dermot," I said. "He's been spending lots of nights at the club and trying real hard to keep things running." I was frightened for myself, of course, but I was frightened for Dermot too. I hoped Dermot was awake by now; Claude wouldn't take my word for it that Dermot wasn't there. He'd go up to check.

"So what have you been doing in Faery? Did you ever find out who cast the spell?"

"Niall and I have had some disagreements," Claude said, his beautiful dark eyes flashing up to meet mine. "I'm sorry to say that Niall believes it was me who cursed Dermot."

I was left with no response, since I was by now pretty sure myself that Claude was the culprit. "I think that's awful," I said, with absolute sincerity. He could take it as he chose.

Dermot came down the stairs at that moment, "Did I hear Claude's voice?"

"Yes, he's home," I said, in what hoped was a natural voice.

When he saw me, Dermot's blue eyes, so like Jason's, widened in shock. I guess my voice wasn't even after all.

"Claude," he called. "Where have you been? The other fae are champing at the bit to hear your news." He started toward the kitchen, but he met Claude coming into the living room.

"Dermot," said Claude. His voice was so cold it stopped Dermot dead.

"What's wrong? Why have you returned without Father?" Dermot said.

"Grandfather has issues he must deal with," Claude snarled. "In Faery."

"What did you do?" Dermot asked. He was brave. "What did you do, Claude?"