Baile Siochanta (Southern Vampire Mysteries)

Chapter 40 - Butter Up

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

At first, the time of atonement had filled Eric with a silent fury. The timelines and tasks on the Queen's list took every waking hour and a great deal of ingenuity, but soon Eric had reached smoother waters. Hard work was part of it, but a part was also his legendary luck that caused circumstances to present themselves. Things between himself and the Queen had resolved more quickly than he'd hoped. 'But you have Robert to thank for that, too,' he smiled.

Part of his success was due to his past. He had played this game before. Eric might have railed against Sophie-Ann, cursing her for his fate, but, if he was being perfectly honest, he had to acknowledge that part of the blame lay with him. It was a pattern. His life would be going well, and then some opportunity would come along and he'd be unable to turn away. He would be tempted by possibilities and, in the end, he'd manage to offend someone, usually the person who held authority over him. Eric could count off six of those instances without even trying. Now, this one, accepting Niall's offer to pledge to his Granddaughter, added to his list.

Of course, 'this one' was different. None of the other clusterfucks he'd inflicted on himself had resulted in a bonded mate. 'My wife,' he purred, embracing the words and emotions that came with them. When Eric was relaxed and had time to bask, it was a most pleasant thought. Sookie was pleasant. She suited him in most particulars. She was adventurous, even aggressive in bed, her work ethic matched his own, and she wasn't afraid to tell him when she disagreed with him. As angry as he became, he had to admit he enjoyed fighting with her.

It was how he'd grown up. In his Father's house, they fought. He fought for food, he fought to be heard, he fought for respect. He learned to use weapons, both sharp-edged and sharp-tongued. The women of his youth were as quick-witted and staunch-hearted as the men, sometimes more. Eric believed that rare combination of clever, brave, and caring in females had disappeared into another age. The women he'd met since being turned never fought him. They simpered; they demanded. They were soft. They were not Viking.

Sookie was.

She was also something else. There was her magic.

The door to his office opened, interrupting his thoughts, and the two American Sheriffs walked in, grumbling and sullen. 'Five more nights,' Eric reminded himself. In five more nights, these twin thorns would be turned over to their spymaster and this charade would come to an end.

Eric had stopped resting with them within nights of their arrival. Had Dion and James legitimately been in Ireland for training as Sheriffs, Eric might have remained, even encouraged their nesting. There was a bonding that happened between nestmates. Nestmates shared blood as well as beds and the experience created an aura that was picked up by other vampires. It signaled allegiances and mutual defense arrangements, but Eric sensed almost immediately that Dion and James were not what they claimed.

As he assessed them in that first week, Eric wondered what had inspired Robert to choose these two. Eric found the candidates not just incompetent; he found them unsuitable. Robert and Eric were not friends nor allies, but they did know each other. At various points in their long lives, they had even worked together. Eric knew his Maker thought well of Robert, which was why it was easy to believe that after his time in America, Robert would feel the need to test Eric. It was in character for Robert to send two bumblers, waiting to see if Eric had the strength and ingenuity needed to transform them.