Sookie Stackhouse 10
Charlaine Harris
Amelia stalls her departure to return to New Orleans where her father and Octavia are waiting for her. She must return to receive punishment for her mistakes, but she also wants to leave Bon Temps because of Trey’s death. She asks Sookie about how things are going with Eric and their blood bond. Sookie admits she loves him, but takes Amelia up on her offer to get more information about the blood bond. Once Amelia leaves, Sookie sits on the porch and cries over all she has lost. She wonders if her life was worth the price.
Claude comes over to Sookie’s the next morning. She brings him coffee and explains what happened during the Fae War. Claudine (Claude’s sister) died protecting her. Niall and Bill Compton killed Breandon and then Niall sealed the Fae world to separate them from humans. When asked, Sookie says she knew Claudine was pregnant. She isn’t sure if Claude is there to kill her or not. She is relieved when he leaves, and she realizes she wants to live.
Sookie visits her friends JB and Tara (who are expecting a baby) for her physical therapy sessions. Since being tortured by the Fae, she hasn’t been doing as well and wants to get back into shape. Tara says the baby will call her Aunt Sookie, and Sookie is happy they trust her.
While spending the night at Eric’s, he decides to tell Sookie why he couldn’t come save her while she was being tortured. Victor (in charge of Louisiana under vampire King Felipe of Nevada, Louisiana, and Arkansas), who is much more powerful, chained him with silver. Though he was there when it happened, Victor claims to have forgotten Sookie and Eric’s marriage. Pam was able to get Felipe (who owes Sookie) on the phone to set the record straight, but it was too late. Sookie believes Eric and realizes he gave her his blood while he was still healing, she tells him they need to kill Victor.
Sookie visits Jason and his girlfriend, Michele, for dinner one evening. He is trying to prove to her that he has changed and wants to do better. He admits he isn’t ready to come out about being turned into a were-panther. Jason asks about Eric, but Sookie keeps it generic to keep from dragging them into vampire politics. They talk about the fae and Jason hopes Dermot (who looks like him) is gone. They imagine why their Gran had an affair with a fairy. Jason asks for Gran’s pie-crust table and Sookie tells him to go ahead and take it from her attic. She goes home that night and sleeps through to morning for the first time in weeks.
Sookie goes to work at Merlotte’s and everyone seems to be in a good mood. Same tells her Bill was in a few nights before and that she might want to visit him.
After work one night, Sookie walks through the graveyard to Bill’s house. She is surprised at how bad he looks from the silver poisoning. Sookie, feeling slightly guilty that she killed his sire (who could’ve healed him), suggests Bill find Lorena’s other vampire child for help. She grants Bill a kiss before she leaves and he looks better afterwards because of her fairy blood. He loves her,but know she loves Eric. The more Sookie goes to see her husband (for strategic purposes only), the happier she comes until she is actually able to enjoy sex again.
Alcide calls Sookie to ask if his pack can use her land for their hunt during the full moon. She agrees and they show up the next night. Alcide introduces her to his new second Basim and another new pack member named Annabelle (who is in the Air Force and dating Alcide). Alcide scolds Annabelle when Sookie calls her out on her rude thoughts. Sookie doesn’t really hear the wolves through most of the night. The next morning, Basim knocks on her door to tell her two different fairies have been around and they found a body buried. Sookie figures the body is where Eric buried Debbie Pelt after she killed her.
Claude comes over to see Sookie and asks if he can live with her for a while because he doesn’t feel well without being around other fairies. He hands her a letter from Niall to tell her the officials have been paid off for her freedom and Claudine left her a gift. Claude explains that at a fairy burial, the spirit appears to their next oldest relative. Claudine appeared to her father, Dillion, and left everything to Claude except her bank account went to Sookie. Mr. Cataliades would be handling it all. Sookie quickly calls Amelia to explain Claude’s request. Amelia is planning to stay in New Orleans for a long time. Sookie agrees to let Claude take the upstairs and lays out some ground rules, which he seems overly willing to follow. She asks if he has been in her backyard. When she explains the question, he thinks it is either Dermot or the portal didn’t completely close. That night at work, Sookie calls Eric to see if they can talk later that night. They make arrangements for Pam to pick her up to take her back to Shreveport.
Pam arrives to pick up Sookie and can smell that Claude had been there. She thinks the fairy is using her for something, but Sookie gives him the benefit of the doubt. They start talking about Victor, who Pam thinks is trying to take over Eric’s area so he can have control over a least a little piece of his own territory. They both agree that he needs to be killed. When Pam and Sookie arrive at Eric’s house, she starts to tell them what happened and what Basim told her. Pam and Eric explain the weres are under pressure because the government wants them all to register like the vampires are required to do. They also get onto the topic of Victor and whether he is tying to become King of Louisiana or if Felipe sent him because he is loyal and efficient. Once Sookie gets out the news about the fairy in her back yard, they decide to send a tracker, Heidi, to double check. Sookie also tells Eric they found a body and he admits it is Debbie Pelt. Once alone, they give each other oral sex and then Sookie goes with Pam to go back home. On the way, Victor’s second in command, Bruno, is on the side of the road indicating they need to pull over. Pam gives Sookie a silver dagger because she knows he and his partner, Corinna, are there to kill them. Sookie and Bruno talk and then he starts to strangle her. She is able to push him down and they roll into the ditch. She pulls out the knife, stabs him under the ribs, and kills him.
Pam calls Eric to make sure he doesn’t lead anyone to them. Sookie drives the extra car to a different location - on the side of the road past the Bon Temps exit. Pam takes her home and is proud of her. Claude can see she had a bad night and keeps his mouth shut as she comes inside the house. The next day, Sookie goes to work. Tanya comes in briefly to announce she married Calvin Norris. Claude comes in to complain to Sookie about her broken water heater. Terry offers to fix it and Sookie is grateful. The day goes on and Kennedy, the new model-like bartender arrives along with a large guy named Danny that Sam hired to watch over her during her first few weeks. Sookie and Sam go out to dinner. He tells her about the issues his family is having because he and his mother are pure shifters. She tells him how she is doing after the Fae War. He wishes she would find someone other than Eric. Sookie doesn’t think Sam’s current fling, Jannalynn (member of Alcide’s pack who executed opposing pack members after their battle), but she stays quiet. Pam calls Sookie to tell her the vampires have realized Bruno and Corinna are missing, but haven’t found the car. They are lucky the remains would have been washed away by the rain. Sam can tell something is wrong and tells Sookie he will be there for her.
Claude invades Sookie’s privacy in the shower to give her the phone. Remy (Hadley’s ex-husband) is on the line and asks Sookie to watch his telepath son, Hunter, overnight so that he can attend a funeral. Sookie agrees and after she hangs up, she goes to scold Claude. When Remy drops Hunter off, Sookie can tell he is a little put off by her and the silent communication between her and his son. After he leaves, Sookie makes dinner while Hunter colors. She explains it will be hard growing up different and people won’t believe him. She also tells him they can’t hear vampires’ thoughts. Heidi arrives and Pam calls to let Sookie know it is her. Sookie invites her in and she introduces Hunter to the vampire. Once he is out of the room, Heidi tells Sookie that her son, Charlie, was young when she was turned. She left Nevada for a decade, but when her maker called her back, she found Charlie was a drug addict. The vampire then goes outside to find what Eric sent her for. Sookie lets Hunter play for a while. When Heidi returns, she says she found recent traces of two different fairies, an old corpse, and a new one. She also thought she smelled Bill Compton, but couldn’t be sure. She leaves after, telling Sookie to take care of Hunter. Sookie tries not to think about what she has learned until Hunter is in bed. She wonders if Charlie is leverage to make Heidi spy on Eric.
Hunter wakes Sookie up earlier than she is used to. He lets her know that Eric went into his closet. She then introduces Hunter to Claude and makes pancakes and bacon Claude seems overly interested that Eric is there, but Sookie forbids him from peeking at him. Special Agent Lattesta comes to try to get Sookie to admit she is different. He is in town for a trial and wanted to stop by to tell Sookie she is no longer being investigated. He pledges to do everything he can to expose her. Hunter tells him he is a bad man and he is scared. Sookie tells him to leave and he does, turning off his tape recorder. After he leaves, Sookie decides to take Hunter to the park. Claude asks to go with them and she is surprised at how much Claude likes Hunter. Tara joins them for a few minutes and Claude tells her she will have twins. After she leaves, Sookie decides to throw her a baby shower. Claude goes to open his club and Sookie takes Hunter to McDonalds. She lets him play in the play area. A woman appears with a little boy and the two kids play together. Sookie tries not to listen into the other woman’s thoughts. Hunter comes up to her and asks if she really wants to run away. Sookie picks up Hunter to leave and he throws a tantrum. In the car on the way home, she reminds him about their conversation about other people’s privacy. He calms down and naps for a while on Sookie’s couch. She wonders what it would be like to have a kid. When Remy arrives, Hunter tells him all about his time with Sookie. Finally alone, Sookie goes to sunbathe until Eric wakes up.
When Eric wakes up, he is not happy about Claude living with her. Sookie promises to keep lemon juice in a squirt gun by her bed. He starts telling her about vampire politics. There are four territories named after ancient gods: Amun (where they are), Zeus (to the West), Moshop (east), and Narayana (west coast). Each clan meets every two years (theirs was in Rhodes). Members of other clans only attend if they have business to discuss. Every clan has several spies. Though Sophie-Anne was feared and respected, when she was injured, Felipe got approval from his clan for the Louisiana takeover. Once the session is over, they have sex. Afterwards, Sookie tells him to get dressed because she has a funny feeling. Soon after, Eric’s maker arrives - Appius Livius Ocella.
Appius and his other child, Alexei Romanov, are able to come directly into Sookie’s bedroom without an invitation. She doesn’t appreciate that and has them go downstairs knowing Appius could have either or her children kill her in an instant. Jason arrives to pick up the table he asked Sookie for. She plays hostess and goes to change. Jason goes with her so she can explain what is happening. Alexei joins them shortly after and explains they are there because he hasn’t been well. When they return, Appius tells how he saved Alexei from death in Russia, but lead everyone to believe he was dead by putting bone fragments in his grave gradually over the years. Sookie asks Jason to stay and he has Alexei help him put the table in his truck. Appius worries about him being alone with a human. Sookie is finally able to tell Eric there is a new body on her land. He immediately calls Alcide to ask about it. The werewolf is already in the area, so he stops by with Annabelle and Jannalynn. As the supes argue about who put the body there, Jason suggests they go find out who it is. They all go out to the woods.
Jason and Alcide dig up the body and find it is Basim. Annabelle admits she was with him and he got a call about money and had to leave quickly. Jannalynn attacks her for the betrayal. Alexei goes crazy. Alcide promotes Jannalynn to his second and they start to leave. Sookie stops them to ask about the body, but he just waves it off and says they will send someone for it. The weres leave. Sookie realizes someone probably put the body there for someone to find. She has Eric move the body across the street while she, Jason, and Alexei fill in and cover up the empty grave. After getting cleaned up, Eric takes Appius and Alexei back to his house. Sookie calls Pam and Bobby to warn them about Appius’ arrival. The next morning, Sheriff Dearborn arrives with two detectives (Andy Bellefleur and Alcee Beck). They tell her they are there to search for a body and she gives them permission. They don’t find anything and then leave. Sookie forwards an email from Andy’s wife, Haleigh to Bill Compton. Caroline Bellefleur is looking for a family Bible that shows the family are descendants of her vampire neighbor. She also sends an email to Alcide to let him know the police were there. A few days later, Sookie hasn’t heard from anyone. Bill comes over with the Bible and asks Sookie to go with him to visit Caroline. She sits with him while he shows Caroline the family tree and how she is his great granddaughter. Andy isn’t happy about the news, but Portia is more accommodating. Caroline dies the next morning. The funeral is at night so that Bill can attend. Once the family (including Bill) leaves the cemetery for dinner, Sookie goes to Bill’s house for a copy of his vampire database. She wants to find a sibling that can help Bill get better.
The next morning Sookie finds Bill’s sister, Judith Vardamon. She sends an email to tell her Bill is sick. On her way across the cemetery to return the disk, Sookie finds Andy upset about receiving money from Bill and how excited the town was that Caroline wanted to leave her cake recipe to the town. Sookie moves, returns the disk, and goes to work. She concentrates on serving customers quickly, but overhears the thoughts of the cook, Antoine, about being an informant for some government agency. She tells Sam immediately. After the shift they talk to him about the situation. After Katrina, Antoine stole a car to get to Texas to find a job. Lattesta caught him and sent him to spy on Sam, since he can’t do anything against Sookie. She knows he honestly doesn’t want to tell the agent anything else. Same lets him keep his job as long as he doesn’t tell Lattesta anything more. Sookie and Sam make plans for dinner if their significant others are still away the next night. Sookie goes home to find Dermot on her back porch.
Dermot tells Sookie he is sorry for what he has done. He thought Niall killed his twin, so he sided with Breandon. Sookie asks if he is under a spell and he indicates that he is. She asks if he goes through her woods. He has, but can’t too much because the other fairy is scary. He warns her that Eric’s family is draining her and she will have visitors that night. He vanishes. Sookie goes about her day. She checks her email and Alcide has sent her a message on when the pack meeting will take place. When the sun sets, she feels the drain Appius and Alexei have been putting on her. She calls Eric to tell him about the meeting and he asks her to come to Fangtasia. She goes out to Shreveport and sits at a table with Eric, Appius, and Alexei. Eric is not happy, especially when Alexei says he ate a teenager. Sookie explains to him why it is wrong to just do whatever he wants. Appius seems to approve, but the message doesn’t really get through to Alexei. He shows Sookie his memories of his entire family being murdered. Felicia, the bartender, comes to tell Eric that Katherine Boudreaux has arrived with friends. Eric sends Appius and Alexei to his office. Katherine comes to say hi before joining her group. Eric tells Sookie that Alexei is a problem (snuck out and killed two people) and Appius is considering killing him. He promises to see her the night after the pack meeting. Pam walks Sookie out, and Sookie warns her not to do anything. Once Sookie is back home, she is surprised by the doorbell. Judith has arrived so she invites her in.
Judith tells the story of her genealogy. Solomon was attacked by a vampire and left for dead. After twenty years, he met Lorena, a whore who slit the throat of a man who refused to pay. She liked the idea of becoming a vampire, so he turned her. She killed a child and when caught, blamed it on Solomon so he was chased out of town. Lorena travelled and found Bill. She fell in love and stole him from his family. He hated her and she found Judith - who looks like Bill’s human wife. Lorena turned her for Bill. Judith was cautious about coming because of Lorena. Sookie tells the vampire that her maker is dead. Judith is thrilled and goes to see Bill. Sookie is a little jealous, but realizes how ridiculous that is. She goes to bed thinking about aging or becoming a vampire. The next morning, Sookie finds two envelopes under her door. The first is from Mr. Cataliades saying that $150,000 was deposited into her account from Claudine. The second is a thank you from Bill. Judith is healing him and has agreed to stay for a week. Claude tries to talk to her. He admits he is trying to be more human since he can’t return home. Sookie tells him Dermot came to talk to her. Claude avoids her questions about a spell on her uncle and refuses to talk about it. Sookie goes to church, has lunch with Tara and JB, and then talks to Jason about going to Shreveport the next night for the pack meeting. The next day, protesters arrive at Merlotte’s. A woman comes in to insult Sam, Sookie, and Kennedy. Sookie threatens to carry her out and she goes outside to join the others in the parking lot. Danny shows up to check on Kennedy and someone hits his car with a picket sign. He starts to go after them, but Kennedy rushes out and stops him. She gets him into the bar. The police threaten to arrest all the protesters, so they eventually leave. Sam snuck in the back and as the lunch rush leaves, they show their support. Sookie stops for a few things on her way home and all the people around her can think about is the protest.
Jason picks up Sookie the next night and they start off for Shreveport. On the way, they theorize about who could have killed Basim, but all of their ideas have huge holes in them. When they arrive, Jannalynn answers the door to the huge manor house. Jason goes to get a beer and Sookie starts to go over to Annabelle (who is cowering in a corner), but is told not to approach her. Jannalynn sends her upstairs to meet with Alcide. He explains they don’t have a shaman and she is the closest thing. He wants her to drink a drugged potion to alter her perspective and find the killer. She is hesitant, but Alcide points out she can’t read weres well enough to be sure. She drinks it.
Sookie spends a couple goofy minutes figuring out what the colors mean that she sees on people. They lead her to Ham and Patricia. Ham killed Basim. Basim was hired by a fairy to plant a body on Sookie’s land in return for helping him with a debt owed to his previous pack. Ham killed him so he could collect the reward instead. Patricia helped him with the cover up. Annabelle was only guilty of cheating on Alcide. Jason gets Sookie out before the killing starts. He suggests she stay at Eric’s because she is sick. She feels that her boyfriend is in trouble through their bond. When they arrive at his house, Eric is in bad shape and Jason has to put his ribs back inside him. Sookie sends her brother to find Pam. Eric explains Alexei killed Bobby and Felicia (who were dating) and left the house. Appius went after him and asked Eric to stay. Jason returns after giving Pam some of his blood. Sookie helps her from the hallway to the couch. Jason’s girlfriend, Michele, calls to tell him Alexei was there. Since he is a vampire, she sent him to Sookie’s house. Jason tells her not to open the door until she hears his cell phone. Sookie drives Eric to her house in Jason’s truck. Appius is on the ground. Alexei is circling Claude and another fairy. Eric goes to Appius and finds him alive. Alexei attacks the fairies. Sookie uses the opportunity to go into the house and get the silver chain that was used to capture Bill. She goes outside and is able to get the chain around Alexei’s neck. Eric stakes him and he dies. Sookie takes the stake and contemplates killing Appius. She is about to offer to let him live if he kills Victor, but he signals her to move. She does and the other fairy stabs and kills him. A dagger flies and hits the fairy in the back. Eric drains and finishes killing him. Claude explains Coleman (the other fairy) was the father of Claudine’s baby. He blamed Sookie for Claudine and his child’s death and wanted to punish (but not kill) her. Dermot appears. The spell is still on him and they guess Niall put it on him. Sookie remembers fairy tales where kisses break curses. She and Claude kiss him and his mind returns. Eric leaves to go help Pam recover. Dermot and Claude crawl into bed with Sookie and the little family sleeps.