Chapter 17: Corrupt

*Warning: Contains strong language & some sensuality*

A few nights later, at the Northman mansion, Summer was in the master bathroom standing in front of a large, square mirror, wearing a pair of pink boy shorts and a white tank top. Eric stepped into the bathroom, approaching her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned down and began kissing the side of her neck. Summer smiled. She was glad that he was himself again. It took Steve Newlin and a volunteer blood donor to help him get back to his usual self. And a couple days rest helped, as well.

Summer: Feeling better I see.

Eric: Thanks to you (with a smirk on his face).

He grabbed her arm and spun her around to where she was now facing him. As he leaned down to kiss her, he lifted her up under her buttocks. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms draped around his neck. He kissed her cold, dead lips as he stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. As he reached the bed, he laid Summer down and laid his body down on top of her. He continued kissing her and then his lips trailed their way down to her neck. Summer closed her eyes and bit down on her lower lip as she felt the touch of his lips on her neck. Her fangs popped out from the satisfaction and she felt a rush urgency and excitement. She grabbed the side of his arms and pushed him up off of her. Quickly she sprung up and flung her arms over his shoulders and then pressed her chest up against his. Eric felt her urgency and excitement. He wanted her and she wanted him. His fangs popped out and he urgently kissed her lips and began lifting up her tank top off over her head. He threw the top across the room and then before he could react, Summer had pushed him down onto his back. She was now on top of him and he loved it.

Meanwhile, inside the Queen’s dayroom, outside her mansion, she laid across on the scroll couch while Hadley was swimming in the pool. Queen Sophie watched Hadley swim from one end to the other. Suddenly the doors burst open and in steps an angry Lucian. The Queen’s body guards protectively stood behind him making sure their Queen wasn’t in any danger. Sophie noticed them and with a wave of her hand they walked away and closed the doors behind them.

Queen Sophie: Well hello there Lucian. Or shall I say Julian Drakos.

The Queen noticed by the look on Lucian’s face that he was furious about something. She couldn’t exactly read him since he wasn’t one of her offspring, but she recognizes that look. It wasn’t just his demeanor that caught her eye; it was what he was holding by his side. She glanced down at his hand by his side and noticed an aluminum bucket. Her curiosity was building. She wanted to know what was in the bucket. Quickly he sat up, swinging her legs onto the floor below her.

Queen Sophie: So what may I do for you this fine evening? (Still eyeballing the bucket)

Lucian: You could do one thing for me (angry).

Queen Sophie: And what would that be?

Lucian: Allow me to kill Summer Stackhouse.

The Queen looked down at the pool where she noticed Hadley hovering on the side with a close intent eye on Lucian. Hadley turned her head to look at Sophie and pulled herself out of the pool. Quickly she ran down the side of the pool towards Sophie and grabbed a clean towel. She picked up the towel and wrapped it around her. Hadley quickly ran out of the dayroom since she knew that something was about to go down.

Queen Sophie: I can’t allow you to kill her.

Lucian: Why not? (Tightening his grip on the bucket by his side)

Queen Sophie: Until I know what she did, I can not help you.

Suddenly one of the Queen’s guards opened the door and appeared next to Lucian’s side. The Queen had used her ability to speak with her guard telepathically since he was one of her offspring. Sophie sat forward slightly and crossed her legs, still keeping an eye on the bucket.

Queen Sophie: What’s in that bucket?

Lucian: What’s inside might convince you to let me kill her.

Queen Sophie: Well let me see it. I’ve been eyeballing that thing since you entered my dayroom.

She snapped her fingers and instantly the guard standing next to Lucian grabbed the handle of the bucket and took it from Lucian’s grip. The guard, wearing a solid black suit and sunglasses, walked around the pool and towards Queen Sophie Anne on the scroll couch. He stopped once he reached her and set the bucket down the floor, in front of her. With anticipation and intense curiosity, she uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, looking down into the bucket. Inside was blood, almost full to the brim, with chunks in it. Queen Sophie sat up and glanced at Lucian from across the room. She really didn’t know what to think of it, but obviously it was not very good.

Queen Sophie: I was expecting something else, I guess. But what exactly is it, or shall I say, who exactly is it?

Lucian: It’s my offspring, Riley Kelly (in an angry, stern voice).

Queen Sophie: He’s seen better days (with a smirk on her face). Just kidding. I am so sorry for your loss.

Lucian: Thank you, your majesty.

Queen Sophie: She must have had a good excuse. What did you do to her?

Lucian: You’re not serious? (Getting aggravated) Why am I getting questioned? She killed one of her own kind. That deserves a trial with the magister. He should decide her fate.

Queen Sophie: You forget that he answers to me.

Lucian: You are not the only one of royalty here. I am way older than you, I think my concerns would voice over yours.

Queen Sophie bit down on her lower lip to keep from saying something she would regret. She knew he was angry over loosing his offspring, so she let his remark slide. She leaned back and swung her legs back onto the couch.

Queen Sophie: You are right. There should be a trial set in front of the magister. Just for your information…do not lie to him or else it’s your dead ass and not hers on the line. Understand?
Lucian: Why would I lie?

Queen Sophie: Older Vampires like you know how to lie. Just don’t do it or there will be retaliation. Especially, since you are royalty. Just thought you should know. You can leave now.

She waved her hand and her guard walked back around the pool and towards Lucian. He gestured to Lucian, with the wave of his hand, to walk towards the front doors. Lucian turns towards the doors and walks towards them. The guard followed Lucian out of the Queen’s dayroom. Just as they stepped out the front doors, Hadley ran into the dayroom via the backdoors. She runs to the Queen’s side, and grabs her hand, pleading.

Hadley: Please, warn my cousin that Lucian wants revenge.

Queen Sophie: Summer is very smart. I’m sure she knows the implications of what she did. Surely her maker would know.

Hadley: Please, just warn her.

Queen Sophie: Alright you don’t have to beg.

Later that night, at Lucian’s mansion, the front door swings opens and in steps Lucian. Violently he slams the door closed behind him. He looks around the room for his butler and suddenly sees him rushing down the hallway towards him. The butler knew his master was angry, which wasn’t a good thing. Usually that means he’s angry enough to rip through someone’s throat or maybe even rip their limbs from their bodies.

Lucian: Send a human up to my room right away.

Faster than a blink of an eye, he was up the stairs and down the hallway. The middle-aged Vampire butler was prepared for what his master had just requested. Lucian’s mood earlier in the evening gave him a sense that he was going to want lots of blood. He stepped into the living room and there were two early 20-something humans. One male and one female, sitting on either end of the couch. As the butler stepped into the room, they perked up, straightening their backs and looking straight at him. He signaled them to go ahead and go upstairs. The barely 20 year old, blonde female stood up first, smoothing down her skirt as she walked passed the butler. Then the 25 year old, shoulder length, brown, hair male stood up, straightening out his shoulders and then making his way passed the butler and up the stairs. After five minutes, there was a loud scream and then a thud followed by another loud thud. The butler steps into the main entrance area and notices a young man running down the hallway upstairs. He had a terrified look on his face and his neck was covered in blood. Suddenly Lucian comes out of nowhere and grabs the man from behind and sinks his fangs into the man’s neck. The man tries to fight Lucian off, but Lucian is way too strong. Lucian drains more blood from the young man and the man’s eyes begin to flutter shut. As his body goes limp in Lucian’s arms, he throws him over the railing, falling down onto the floor below in front of the butler’s feet.

Later that night at Fangtasia, Eric was sitting in his office behind his desk filling out some paperwork he was behind on since his absence. Summer, meanwhile, is in the bar area helping Ginger and Pam clean up so that they could close down the bar for the night. As Summer finished helping, she decided to go pay Eric a visit and see what he was up to. She stepped into his office and closed the door behind her. He was still sitting behind his desk, working. Summer walked around his desk, approaching him. She then slid in front of him, leaning against the desk behind her. Eric formed a smirk on his face and looked up at her.

Eric: What are you doing?

Summer: You work too much. Some would say you are a workaholic.

Eric: I’m behind on my paperwork.

Summer: So…let Pam do it.

Eric: (with a sexy smirk on his face) You definitely know how to get me going.

He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her towards him. She climbed onto his lap, facing him and pressed her cold lips onto his. His hands moved up and down her back and they kissed passionately. As they continued kissing, he grabbed the bottom of her top and quickly lifted it up over arms and head. He threw it to the ground and began moving his lips down to her neck and then to her chest. Instantly her fangs popped out from the pleasure of feeling his hands and lips on her skin. Instantly she pushed him back into his chair and leaned forward, pressing her body up against his. From the thrill and excitement, Eric’s fangs popped out and he anxiously waited for her to press her lips onto his. Slowly she moved her face toward his. She grabbed his face and with one hand on his jaw and placed her lips onto his. He felt her tongue brush against his fang and he instantly got excited. Quickly he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her up out of his chair. He placed her on top of his desk and leaned down on top of her. Her legs wrapped up around his waist. His hands went up and down her upper leg as he began kissing her neck.

The next night, at the Northman mansion, there was a knock at the front door. Pam strolled down the stairs wearing a tight, knee length, black skirt with black, ankle strapped pumps and a tight pink suit jacket that showed off her cleavage. She opened the front door and standing in front of her was a 28 year old, female with tight leather pants and jacket.

Pam: What may I help you with? (Looking at the woman up and down)

The woman reached inside her jacket and pulled out a manila envelope. She handed it to Pam and then turned around and walked away down the porch steps. Pam closed the door and immediately opened up the envelope. She pulled out a piece of paper and began reading it. Quickly she bolted up the stairs and storming into Eric’s master bedroom. Eric was standing by his closet wearing nothing but a pair of black pants and was shirtless. In his hand was a green v-neck shirt. Just as he was about to put the shirt on, he noticed Pam. She looked worried.

Eric: What is it, Pam?

Pam: What did Summer do?

Eric: What do you mean? (Pulling the green shirt down over his head)

Pam: You know damn well what I’m talking about.

Eric: What is this about?

Pam: This letter just arrived (waving it out in front of Eric)

Eric grabbed the paper out of her hand and began reading it. He looked up and glanced at Pam.
Eric: Who delivered this?

Pam: A woman wearing some awful leather. Not my type.

Eric knew exactly whom she was describing. He threw the paper down onto the bed and rushed over to the bathroom. He opened the door just as Summer was about to open it. As he stood in front of her, she could sense that something was wrong. He had this concerned and protective look on his face. His thoughts weren’t that comforting either.

Summer: What’s wrong?

Eric grabbed her hand and led her towards her closet. He opened up her closet and pulled out her suitcase and threw it onto the bed. Summer didn’t know what to think. Something had him scared and wanting to run away, but she couldn’t quite read what. She grabbed his wrist to stop him from what he was doing.

Summer: Tell me what is going on.

Eric: We are leaving, that’s what.

Summer: Why?

Eric: I don’t have time to answer any questions. Pack up the clothes you want because we’re leaving soon.

Pam: Eric, just tell her. Obviously she’s trying to read your thoughts.

Eric: You killed a Vampire and now you have to stand in front of the tribunal tonight.

Summer: You mean the same tribunal you had to take Bill to?

Eric: Yes.

Summer: Fine. Let’s go then.

Eric: You have no idea what they will do to you.

Summer: I will tell them about Lucian. I’m pretty good at persuading people.

Eric: You are a newborn and Lucian is the King of Georgia. The magister will side with him.

Summer: Well that’s not fair.

Eric: Pack your stuff and we are leaving.

Summer: We can’t. I’m not going to run.

Eric: You will do as I say.

Summer: This is ridiculous. I’m not afraid.

Pam: (rolling her eyes) You should be afraid.

Summer walked away from the closet and towards the bedroom door. Eric suddenly appeared in front of her and had both his hands around her upper arms.

Eric: Go back over there and pack. We are leaving.

Summer: You are really starting to piss me off.

Eric: Good.

Summer: I am not leaving. They can’t do anything to me. I did nothing wrong.

Eric: They don’t care. Pack your stuff now (getting angry).

Summer: Let go of me (angry).

Eric: As your maker, I command you.

Summer looked at him, intensely, not making one sudden movement. Usually newborns had to listen to their makers, it’s like instinct, but Summer wasn’t a normal newborn. She knew Eric was angry but she wasn’t worried about him. All she knew was that she was getting extremely annoyed. She felt her fangs protrude out of her gums. Suddenly, she slammed Eric up against the wall, grabbing him by his shirt.

Summer: You can’t control me. I am going whether you like it or not.

She let him go and quicker than a flash she was out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Eric noticed the bedroom door swinging open and tried chasing after her. Before she was out the front door, he grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.

Eric: You are fuckin’ stubborn. Sometimes you just drive me insane.

Summer: Are you coming with me, because I’m leaving.

Eric: I guess I have no other choice.

Later at the Vampire Tribunal, which was set in the middle of a desert with broken down cars and a small stadium like structure where the Vampires would sit to watch the punishment the Magister would give to those that broke the law. Eric, Pam and Summer waited in the crowd and watched as Luisa, the tribunal’s enforcer, ripped out the fangs of one of the criminal that was down on his knees. As she yanked out both fangs, she rose up the pliers and everyone in the stands got anxious. The magister then looked at his blackberry for what was next on his agenda for the night.

Magister: Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area Five step forward. Bring me your murderer.

Eric stepped forward with Summer following closely by his side. They stood anxiously waiting for what was going to happen next. The Magister glanced back down at his blackberry and then glanced back up.

Magister: Are you Summer Stackhouse?

Summer: Yes, I am.

Magister: Do you know why you are here before us this evening?

Summer: I do.

Magister: Killing one of your own is crime. But go ahead and plead your case. I’m interested in hearing this.

Summer: I know what I did was wrong. I understand that, but what was going on might change your mind. See, Eric was kidnapped by Lucian Stavros. Well really his name is Julian Drakos, the King of Georgia, but he didn’t want anybody to know that. Anyways, he had this sick obsession with me and thought that if he got rid of Eric, that I would want him or something. I always knew that Lucian was hiding something and I followed him to his mansion one night and made the realization that he was the one that kidnapped Eric. He bribed Steve Newlin into kidnapping him so that it would throw me off the trail and so that it wouldn’t implicate him in any way. I came up with a plan that would make him think that I wanted him. He took me to his mansion and that’s when I drugged him. Well I didn’t actually drug him. I made him drink dead blood, which made him extremely sick. So once he was unconscious, I went down into the basement and seen that Eric was chained up and was badly beaten. His skin was gross from all the silver they injected into him. Riley Kelly, Lucian’s offspring, showed up and I had no other choice but to stake him.
Magister: Interesting story. Is this true, Mr. Northman?

Eric: Yes.

Magister: Is she your offspring?

Eric: Yes. She is less than a month old. Still learning.

Magister: I see that, but it doesn’t excuse what she did. She committed a crime. The worst crime. Murder.

Eric: Yes, I understand, but did you not just hear what she told you?

Magister: I would watch what you say, Viking.

Summer: Do you not believe me?

Magister: Let’s just say I heard a different version.

Summer: From Lucian, right?

Magister: He is a King. I highly doubt he would risk himself because of his lust for some newborn.

Summer: He is around 2,000 years old. I’m sure he has learned to lie quite well.

Magister: Mr. Northman, you might want to keep your offspring quiet until I tell her she can speak.

Eric gave her a look and she decided it was wise to listen to him for once. The Magister wasn’t going to budge. He was intent on punishing her for the crime, which she had good reason to commit. Lucian suddenly appeared next to Summer.

Magister: You are late.

Lucian: Sorry about that. I got held up.

Magister: Tell everyone your version of the story. It seems that someone needs clarification.

Lucian: I’d be glad to. I had befriended Summer Stackhouse a few weeks ago. We met in Georgia. She had decided to leave her maker and go hunt down the woman that caused her death. She was pretty angry that she was now one of the walking dead. She was intent on killing the human.

Magister: Did she?

Lucian: I don’t think so. I think she just scared her. Maybe even bit her. Anyways, her maker here, Mr. Northman, showed up and decided to take her back home. See Summer was really smitten with me since we first met. Very flirtatious.

Summer: Fuckin’ liar (getting angry).

Eric quickly placed his hand on her shoulder to calm her down and signal her to be quiet.

Magister: Ms Stackhouse, one more outburst from you and you will have to be punished. Continue Mr. Stavros.

Lucian: Thank you. Like I said, she was very flirtatious. From what I seen, she really couldn’t stand Mr. Northman. The sight of him made her cringe. They went back to Louisiana and I seen her a week later at the Queen’s annual Halloween party. Still she continued to throw herself at me. Which I loved. I mean she’s gorgeous and very special.

Magister: What do you mean by special?

Lucian: She has a gift. She is able to read human minds as well as ours.

Magister: Oh, yes. The Queen informed me of that. Continue.

Lucian: During that night, Steve Newlin and some of his followers showed up and began killing. That’s when they kidnapped Mr. Northman. I remember Summer was so angry that she decided to burst into the Queen’s room and try to pin the kidnapping on her. The Queen decided to let it slide since she knew how upset Summer was.

Magister: Would you say that she was so upset and angry that she would do anything to find her maker?

Lucian: Of course. She was a time bomb ready to explode. I had to stay with her for a few days just to help her calm down. I even had to talk her out of going to the Light of Day church and causing a massacre.

Magister: Was Eric Northman at the church?

Lucian: Yes, he was. Summer decided to trick me so that I couldn’t stop her from going to the church. While she was kissing me, she bit into a blood capsule which contained corpse blood. It made me extremely ill and I blacked out. By the time I regained consciousness, it was too late. She had gone to the church and killed Steve Newlin.

Magister: You left out the part where she murdered your offspring.

Lucian: I was just getting to that. Riley decided to accompany me to the church since I was still weak from the corpse blood. When we got to the church, she was so filled with rage that she broke one of the chairs in the room and staked Riley, as he was trying to protect me.

Summer bit down on her lip to keep from saying something. She noticed that the Magister was nodding his head up and down. He believed every word that came out of Lucian’s mouth. Lucian was so convincing that she almost convinced, as well. He was good, but she wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

Magister: Do you have any witnesses?

Lucian: Yes. My loyal Butler of fifty years, Arthur.

Magister: Ms Stackhouse, are you willing to change your story now?

Summer: He is lying through his teeth. None of that happened. He’s really good at twisting the truth. Why can’t you see it?

Magister: I really don’t like the tone you are giving me, Ms Stackhouse.

Summer: It’s not a tone. I’m trying to defend my self.

Eric: Please, Magister. Everything she is telling you is the truth. I promise you that. Why would I have reason to lie?

Magister: To protect your offspring.

The Magister waved over Luisa and she approached him. He leaned down from his seat and whispered something to her. Eric knew it wasn’t good. He grabbed a hold of Summer’s hand. Lucian turned his head to glance at them and formed a victorious smirk on his face. Summer wanted so badly to just rip his head off from his shoulders. Luisa walked passed Summer and Lucian and went in the back for something. The Magister sat back in his seat and gripped a hold of his cane next to him.

Magister: From everything that I heard, I have made a decision. Summer Stackhouse, for the crime of murder, I sentence you to five years in a coffin chained with silver. During with time, your body will waste to leather and stick. You will probably go insane from hunger.

Eric: Magister, please!

The Magister noticed that Eric was holding Summer’s hand in his. He knew then that Eric was in love with his offspring, which was very rare. It also meant that he was in love with her before he turned her. The Magister was very interested in their love connection but he had to ignore it since he was the magister and it was his duty to punish those whom broke the law within their own kind.

Magister: Are you in love with your offspring?

Eric: Let me take her place. She is still young.

Magister: She was the one that committed the crime. Not you. Although, it is very considerate of you to want to take her punishment, she must take responsibility for her own actions. Young or not.
Eric: Is there not another punishment to give her?

Magister: What do you suggest?

Eric: Home incarceration.

Magister: (snickering) That is not much of a punishment. She will not learn anything from it.

Eric: There has to be something else.

Magister: I am sorry, Mr. Northman. Really I am, but she must be punished.

Eric: For something she did not do.

Magister: Watch your tongue sheriff (showing his fangs).

Appearing next to Summer was a coffin wrapped in silver chains sitting on top of a cart. Luisa appeared behind Summer ready for the Magister to signal her. Summer turned her head to look at Eric. He was fuming. He didn’t understand how Lucian could be so deceptive and manipulative. Eric turned to look at Summer.

Summer: It’s okay.

Eric: No, it is not okay. I will find a way I promise.

Summer: I know you will. I’m not worried.

Eric leaned down and kissed Summer good-bye…for now. Luisa noticed the Magister gesture to her. She placed her hand on Summer’s shoulder to signal her to come with her. Summer slowly let go of Eric’s hand.

Summer: (looking at the Magister) You will know the truth. It’s only a matter of time.

Luisa unlocked the lock on the silver chains and lifted them up off the coffin. Two men stepped out of the crowd and picked the coffin up off the cart and stood it up on the ground. Luisa opened the coffin and Summer stepped inside. As she was pressed up against the bottom of the coffin, she kept her eyes focused on Eric. She was not worried. He would find a way for everyone to know the real truth about Lucian. It was just a matter of when. Luisa slowly closed the lid to the coffin and her and the other men began wrapping the chains around the coffin. She then locked the lock and the men slowly lowered the coffin down onto the ground and then bent down to pick it up on either end. The men then lifted it up and began carrying passed the crowd of people and out of the tribunal. Pam stood closely next to Eric. She knew that he was upset and it was just a matter of time before he retaliated.

Magister: Trial adjourned.

The Magister glanced down at his blackberry to check if there were any more trials on his agenda for the night. Lucian glanced over at Eric and gave him an evil grin as he walked away. Eric kept his eyes on Lucian as he left the tribunal. It wasn’t over with.

A half hour before dawn, at Lucian’s mansion, Lucian was in his master bedroom. He stood in front of the window next to the bed. Slowly he took off his leather jacket and threw it onto the bed in front of him. He then lifted the shirt up and over his head. As he tossed the gray shirt to the floor, he sensed something was wrong. Someone was standing outside his bedroom door. Suddenly the door bursts open and in runs Eric, fangs out. Faster than a human blink, he ran towards Lucian and grabbed him and pushed him towards the window. They both then went out the window, breaking the glass and falling two stories onto the ground below. Dawn was approaching and they were both lying on the black pavement in front of the mansion. The cuts on their skin, from the glass, weren’t healing as quickly as usual, since smoke began to emerge from their skin.

To be continued…