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

Chapter 18

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 18

-----------------------------

Sookie's POV

He took a couple of steps towards me, holding the knife in a strong fist... ready to take me down.

I didn't know if a friend had entered or another foe. Truth be told, I had little faith in the wards. The silence and stealth the newcomer employed could indicate either one. I did know I wasn't going to give up the Cluviel Dor. And I knew for sure I wasn't going to stand passively and let this asshole hurt me. I twisted, gripped the handle of the pot of hot water, and pivoted smoothly, flinging the water directly into Donald Callaway's face. The spaghetti wrapped around his face and neck like an octopus with unlimited tentacles.

A lot of things happened then, in very rapid succession. Callaway screamed and stopped the knife and the Mae, slamming his hands to his face while water and spaghetti flew everywhere. The demon lawyer, Mr. Cataliades, charged into the room. He bellowed like a maddened bull when he saw Donald Callaway on the floor. The demon leaped onto the prone dealer, gripped his head, and twisted, and all the noise stopped abruptly.

"Shepherd of Judea," I said. I pulled out a chair and sat in it to forestall falling down on the wet floor with the body.

Mr. Cataliades picked himself up, but almost slipped with the spaghetti. He then dusted his hands together, and beamed at me. "Miss Stackhouse, how nice to see you again," he said. "And how clever of you to distract him."

"I take it you know who this is," I said, trying not to look at the inert figure of Donald Callaway.

"I do. And I've been looking for a chance to shut his mouth forever."

"I can't pretend to regret he's dead," I said. "But this whole incident is kind of shocking, and it's taking me a minute to collect myself. In fact, I've been through a lot of shocking stuff lately. But what else is new? Sorry, I'm babbling."

"I can quite understand that. Shall I tell you what I've been doing?"

"Yes, please. Have a seat and talk to me." It would give me a chance to recover.

The demon sat opposite me and smiled in a cordial way. "Do you mind if I impose on you for a glass of ice water?"

"Not at all," I said, and rose to fetch it. I had to step over the body.

"Thank you, my dear." The lawyer finished the glass in one long swallow. I refilled it. I was glad to return to my seat.

"The hellhounds were pursuing me. They did it for a long time, and I had no idea why. I could not fathom what I had done to offend their master." He shook his head. "Now, of course, I know."

I waited for him to tell me what he had done, but he wasn't ready for that.

"Finally, I became far enough ahead of the hounds to take time to arrange an ambush. By then, Diantha had been able to find me to join in a surprise I'd planned for them. We had... quite a struggle with the hounds." He was silent for a moment.

"Please tell me Diantha isn't dead," I said. His niece Diantha was one of the most unusual creatures I'd ever met, and that was saying something, considering whom I could enter in my address book.

"We prevailed," he said simply. "But it cost us, of course. I had to lie hidden in the woods for many days until I was able to travel again. Diantha recovered more quickly since her wounds were slighter, and she brought me food and began gathering information. We needed to understand before we could begin to dig ourselves out of trouble."