Outside Lucian’s mansion, on the black pavement, Eric and Lucian were lying in front of the mansion with smoke slowly rising off their skin. Eric’s eyes slowly opened and instantly he felt the intense heat under his skin. He had to ignore the pain that was slowly building up so he pushed himself up off the pavement. As he stood up, he noticed the sun slowly rising behind the wooded area. Eric glanced down and noticed Lucian still lying there. He decided that he couldn’t let Lucian meet the sun…not yet. He still needed to prove to the tribunal that Lucian has not been speaking the truth. Eric bends down and throws Lucian’s arm across his shoulders and lifts him up off the ground. Quickly they scamper up the steps and into the mansion. Eric quickly closes the doors and bends down slightly, not feeling too well. Lucian makes his way to the couch, leaning back and focusing his full attention on Eric.
Eric: We need to get somewhere dark.
Lucian: I’m not going anywhere.
Eric: I would have left you out there but I didn’t.
Lucian: You still have an agenda.
Eric: I do, but for now we need to take cover till dusk.
Lucian: (smirking) I really can not stand you.
Eric: I guess we have something in common.
That afternoon, at Sookie’s house, Sookie walks down the steps just as Sam enters through the front. Sookie notices him and starts to worry. Sam usually doesn’t show up at her place unless something is wrong. Sam waits for her to finish taking her last steps down the stairs. She tried reading his thoughts but sometimes it’s a little hard, since he’s not human. She feels more of his emotions than she does his thoughts.
Sookie: What brings you by, Sam?
Sam: It’s about your sister.
Sookie: What about her?
Sam: Come with me.
Sam grabs her hand and leads her into the living room and over to the couch. Sam sits down and Sookie sits down next to him, on the edge of the seat.
Sookie: Spit it out, Sam (anxious)
Sam: I received a call from Pam earlier this morning before dawn. She stated that Summer had to appear before the Tribunal.
Sookie: For what?! (Shocked)
Sam: She killed someone.
Sookie: A Vampire, right?
Sam: Yes.
Sookie: There had to have been a good reason. I know her.
Sam: Pam told me that Summer only did it to save Eric. The Magister didn’t believe her story and sentenced her.
Sookie: Sentenced her? (Confused)
Sam grabbed Summer’s hand and held it tightly, for comfort. Sookie’s heart rate started to slowly build and she started taking quicker breaths. She felt like she was about to have an anxiety attack. Sookie closed her eyes tightly, while trying to read Sam’s thoughts before he could say anything. She was too upset to focus so she opened up her eyes and took one deep breath, ready for the bad news.
Sam: She was sentenced to five years in a coffin chained with silver.
Sookie: What?! (Bolting up on her feet)
Sam: Pam thought you should know.
Sookie: We have to help her.
Sam: How? We don’t even know where she’s at?
Sookie thought for a moment. There had to be a way to help her sister, even if it meant risking her own life. Suddenly an idea popped into her head and she dashed into the kitchen. Sam quickly stood up off the couch and followed her into the kitchen. As he stepped into the kitchen, he noticed her sitting at the dinning room table dialing a number into the phone.
Sam: Who are you calling?
Sookie: An old friend.
Later that afternoon, at Merlotte’s bar and grill, Sookie was filling up some of the ketchup bottles before her shift began. Sam stepped out of his office and approached her.
Sam: Who is this friend of yours?
Sookie: He’s just an old friend of mine and Summer. I’ll explain more when he gets here, I promise.
Sam: Have I met him before?
Sookie: Maybe, but probably not.
Sam: Well thanks for the information, Sook. So when is this mysterious friend arriving?
Sookie: He’s flying in so I’m not sure. Tonight, maybe.
Sam: He better be good for Summer’s sake.
In the early evening hours, at Lucian’s mansion, in the basement, the lid a coffin flies open and Eric sits up. He quickly climbs out of it and runs up the steps, pushing the door open. Something wasn’t right. It was extremely quiet. So quiet you could hear a pin drop. Faster than humanly possible, Eric ran up the stairs and pushed the door open to Lucian’s room. As he stepped into the room, he noticed the room was empty. Nothing but furniture. The closet was wide open and nothing was inside except for hangers. Lucian had left. He was nowhere in the mansion. His servants were gone as well. Anger started to build up. He should have left Lucian outside to burn. All he could do was return back to Fangtasia and contact anyone he could about Lucian’s whereabouts. Eric punched a hole into the wall next to him. He pulls his hand out of the wall and watched as the wounds on his hand instantly heal.
Meanwhile, at Merlotte’s bar and grill, Sookie was about done with her shift. She took her last order of the night and made her way over to the kitchen window to hand Lafayette the last order from her. After handing Lafayette the order, she untied her apron and went into the back to clock out. Sam was behind the bar helping Tara serve drinks to the customers. The front door opens and in walks an average height man in his late 20’s to early 30’s. He had on blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket. His hair was light brown and sort of slit back, since his hair was thick. He walked up to the bar, leaning forward, and waited for either Sam or Tara to acknowledge him. As Sam placed the last of the drinks he fixed on Arlene’s tray, he noticed the man leaning forward on his bar. Slowly he walked over towards him, throwing his towel over his shoulder.
Sam: Hello. Would you like to order a drink?
Man: Actually I’m here to see Sookie Stackhouse. Is she here by any chance?
Sam: Yeah, she’s in back. I’ll go get her.
Sam then steps around the back and notices Sookie putting on her jacket. He waves her over and she realizes her friend is here. Quickly, and happily, she walks into the bar area and notices him leaning up against the bar. She runs over to him and throws her arms around him.
Sookie: You came (with a big smile)
Man: Why, you didn’t think I would show up?
Sookie: It’s just that I haven’t seen you in years.
Man: Where’s your sister? (Looking around for her)
Sookie: That is my emergency.
Man: Tell me everything.
After twenty or so minutes, Sookie, Sam and the mysterious man was sitting in a booth, where Sookie had told him everything about what had happened to her sister and about her being a Vampire. The man leaned back, trying to soak in everything that Sookie just told him.
Sookie: Are you okay?
Man: I’m fine. It’s just a lot to process.
Sam: Excuse me for asking, but how do you think you can help Summer?
Man: Well let me introduce myself. The name is Austen. Austen Reed.
He extended his hand towards Sam. Sam hesitated for a minute, but then extended his hand, shaking Austen’s. As he pulled his hand away, Sam caught a sense of Austen’s smell and something was very familiar. He leaned back in the booth and fixed his eyes on Austen.
Austen: Me, Sookie and Summer go way back, since High School. I dated Summer for awhile.
Sookie: Well he was her first true look (looking at Sam).
Sam: That still doesn’t answer my question.
Austen: I have ties with certain Vampires. Well business ties. I don’t exactly like being involved with Vampires, but they bring good business, plus some of the older ones are pretty trustworthy. Anyways, after Sookie called me, I called some of my so called business ties. They said they would ask around.
Sam: That’s it? (Not impressed)
Austen: Not exactly.
Austen leaned forward and grabbed Sookie’s hand. What he was about to tell her would shock her. He took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the exact words he would say to her. Sookie tried reading his thoughts to get an early glance on what he was about to tell her, but she couldn’t.
Austen: I’m not human.
Sam: Knew it (folding his arms)
Sookie: What? (Confused)
Austen: I’m a shape-shifter.
Sookie: Really? How long have you known?
Austen: Since I was a kid. But I tried ignoring it. Trying to fit in. I’m still trying to fit in but sometimes the shifting comes in handy. Especially for this situation.
Sookie: Sam is a shape-shifter, too.
Austen: Really? What’s your main shift?
Sam: A border collie.
Austen: Really? That’s it?
Sam: Well what’s your shift?
Austen: I actually don’t have one main shift. But I do shift more into a wolf than anything else. Can you shift into anything other than animals?
Sam: Uh, no. Is that even possible?
Austen: Of course. It’s harder for some shifters. Well for the few that I’ve met anyways. You are the second shifter I have met so far.
Sookie: I’m sorry to interrupt, but my sister needs help.
Austen: Right, I’m sorry. I’m going to meet with my other client who is here in Louisiana and I will get back to you.
Austen slid out of the booth and put his leather jacket back on. As he put his jacket back on, he flashed Sookie a smile and quickly walked out of the front door. Sam glanced to look at Sookie who seemed a little happier and at peace that she had some reliable help.
Meanwhile, at Fangtasia, Eric was in his office trying to contact anyone he could that would help him regarding Lucian Stavros. Pam entered the office as he was sitting behind his desk, on the phone. She approached his desk and sat down in the chair, crossing her legs, patiently waiting for Eric. Eric placed his cell phone on his desk and pounded his fist on top of his desk.
Pam: Still no luck?
Eric: When I find that old son-of-a-bitch, I am going to rip every limb from his body (angry).
Pam: He couldn’t have run far.
Eric: He could be back in Georgia for all I know.
Pam: You need to be careful. If you do anything to Lucian, the Tribunal could punish you as well.
Eric: You don’t think I know that.
Eric’s cell phone then rang and he immediately picked it up, pressing it against his ear. Pam rolled her eyes and got up out of the chair, leaving Eric’s office to help attend to the bar.
At the Queen’s mansion, in her master bedroom, the doors open up and her two twin body guards open up each in of the door and Austen walks into the room. The doors slowly close behind him. Queen Sophie was lying across on the bed with black lingerie on. She notices him and forms a big smirk on her face.
Queen Sophie: Wow, you come in person.
Austen: I’m not here for business.
Queen Sophie: Really? How interesting.
Austen: This is about Summer Stackhouse. Do you know where she is?
Queen Sophie: You, too, huh?
Austen: What? (Confused)
Queen Sophie: She seems to have everyone under spell.
Austen: Can you help me or not?
Queen Sophie: Alright, you don’t have to whine.
She sits up and pats the bed in front of her, signaling him to make his way over to the bed. Austen walks over to the bed and sits down on the edge. Sophie crawls across the bed over to him and stops behind him. On her knees she leans forward and starts smelling his neck.
Queen Sophie: You are quite handsome.
Austen: Thank you, I guess.
Queen Sophie: Too bad you are a shifter. You reek.
She makes her way over next to him and drops her legs over the edge of the bed and her body sits close to his. Austen starts to feel a little uncomfortable but he expected as much from her. All he wanted was to know where Summer was and then he was getting his ass out of there.
Queen Sophie: Sorry but I don’t know where your dead girlfriend is. The magister doesn’t tell me. All I was told that she was punished for up to five years in a coffin. I know it’s harsh, but she did kill one of us.
Austen: Do you know of anybody that can tell me?
Queen Sophie: You are quite demanding, but I like that.
Austen: If you don’t tell me, then I will go to the Tribunal and tell them of your illegal selling of Vampire blood.
Faster than a blink, Sophie grabbed Austen by the jaw forcing him to look at her. Her fangs were out and she wanted so badly to rip him to shreds, but she knew he wasn’t bluffing. Also, she kind of liked him, even though he was a shifter.
Queen Sophie: I don’t take kindly to threats, shifter. One sudden movement of my hand and I can snap your neck.
Austen: I don’t take kindly to threats, either.
She forms a smirk on her face and releases her grip from his jaw. Her fangs retract and she gets up off the bed. She walks over to her dresser and grabs a blackberry. With the stroke of her finger on the blackberry screen she finds what she’s looking for and walks back over to Austen, sitting down next to him on the end of the bed. She hands the blackberry to him and Austen glances at the screen which has a telephone number on it. He pulls out his cell from the inside of his jacket pocket and copies down the number into his phone. As he puts the phone back into his inside jacket pocket, he hands the blackberry back to Queen Sophie. She grabs the blackberry and tosses it over to the side. Faster than the flash of a camera, Sophie had pushed him down onto the bed and climbed on top of him. She leans down towards his face and Austen is not sure what she is going to do.
Queen Sophie: This is the only time you will get help from me. Next time it will be over your dead body.
She then plants her cold, dead lips onto his and then smacks his cheek, slightly. She slides off of him and quickly Austen bolts up off the bed. The Queen snickers as she watched him walk over to the double doors. Before he opens the door, he turns back to look at Sophie who is lying on her side with her arm propping her head up.
Austen: I just want you to know that I am not afraid of you. You may want to think about watching your back the next time you threaten me. Have a nice night.
He opens up the doors and steps out, leaving the mansion. On his way over to his rental car, he pulls his cell phone out of his inside jacket and dials the number he got from Queen Sophie.
Meanwhile, at Fangtasia, Eric closes the door to his office and finishes putting on his jacket. Pam notices him and walks away from the bar and over towards him.
Pam: Where are you going?
Eric: Watch the bar for me.
He walks passed her and Pam crosses and folds her arms, stomping her pink, high-heeled shoe on the ground. He steps out of the bar and walks to his red Ferrari.
At a fancy hotel in New Orleans, Lucian is in his room, sitting on the bed, talking to someone on his cell phone. He hears the sound of a door shut from outside his room, but continues to talk on his phone. Something shatters outside his room and Lucian hangs up his cell phone sitting it on the bed next to him. He stands up and makes his way to the bedroom door. As he opens the door, an arm appears before him and grips a hold of his throat. Eric stands in front of him and lifts Lucian up off the floor, gripping his throat. Lucian forms a devilish grin on his face and starts to snicker. Eric throws Lucian across the room and Lucian lands on the bed, but falls off the side of it. A blur then makes its way over towards Eric. It was Lucian. He pushes Eric out of the room and into the living area. Eric falls onto the glass table, breaking it underneath him. Before Eric could get up, Lucian grabbed him by his jacket and quickly lifted him up. He then punched Eric a few times in the face and then kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying backwards into the wall. Eric’s back hits the wall and he falls forward onto his knees. He spits out some blood on the floor beneath him and starts to laugh. Slowly he lifts up his head and gives Lucian an evil smile with his fangs exposed. Faster than the blink of an eye, Eric was up off the floor and charged Lucian, knocking him to the floor. Eric kneeled over him, grabbing Lucian by his shirt and quickly punching him on the face several times. Blood started to ooze from the end of Lucian’s lips. Once he felt satisfied with that, he gripped his hands onto his shirt and pulled Lucian onto his feet.
Eric: You are coming with me to the Tribunal and you will tell them everything.
Lucian: What are you going to do about it, Viking? (With a smirk on his face)
Eric: This.
He grabs Lucian’s arm and yanks on it, causing Lucian’s shoulder to dislocate. Lucian doesn’t even form a painful look on his face, but then head-butts Eric. As Eric releases his grip, Lucian violently pushes Eric into the wall and grabs the back of Eric’s head. He then pushes Eric’s head into the wall several times. Lucian backs away from Eric and grabs onto his upper arm. He makes a quick upward thrust, causing the bone in his arm to go back into the sock that connects them. Before Lucian could respond, Eric tackled him to the floor and violently punched him in the ribs causing them to break. Lucian finally makes a painful face as he hears several ribs make a horrible snapping noise. Eric grabs his shirt and slowly pulls his face up towards his.
Eric: What else do you want me to break? I can do this all night.
A few weeks later, at Merlotte’s bar and grill, Sookie is waiting on one of her tables, in her section. As she writes the customer’s order on her notepad, Austen approaches her.
Austen: Can I speak with you?
Sookie: Sure, hold on.
Austen walks away and waits for her by the bar. Sookie walks away from the table and takes the order to the kitchen window. Lafayette takes the order from her and she quickly walks over to Austen.
Austen: Can we talk somewhere in private?
Sookie: Yeah, follow me.
She grabs his hand and leads him to the hallway behind the bar and towards Sam’s office. She pushes open the door and steps inside. Austen closes the door behind them and Sookie anxious waits for what he has to tell her. She hopes its good news this time and not another dead end. Eric tried to get Lucian to confess to the Tribunal but couldn’t. Because of Eric’s actions, he was imprisoned for a few days until his trial this coming weekend. She just wanted this to all end.
Austen: I know where she is.
Sookie: Really? Or are you just yanking my chain?
Austen: I did some spying and followed one of the Tribunal members. So yes, I know where they buried her coffin.
Sookie formed the biggest smile on her face possible and immediately threw her arms around Austen, hugging him.
Sookie: Thank you, so much.
Austen: I need to leave now while the sun is still up. If any of the Tribunal members find me out in the desert, it’s not going to be good. Hopefully I will have her dug up by the time the sun goes down.
Sookie: You might want to be careful. She’ll be hungry.
Austen: Yeah, I thought about that. That’s why I have an IV blood bag.
Sookie: Ewww…that’s just gross. I did not want to know that.
Austen: I just thought I should tell you.
Sookie: Thank you again.
Austen flashes her a smile and heads out of the office. Sookie continues to smile and is overwhelmed by happiness. Bill will be happy to know that she’s in a better mood this evening.
At the desert, around where the Vampire Tribunal takes place, Austen Is wearing all black with a big shovel over his shoulder and carrying a small black bag in the other hand. He keeps walking until he comes across a black cross in the dirt. He stops and throws the shovel down and begins digging.
A few minutes before dusk approaches, Austen finally hears something clank against his shovel. He throws the shovel up out of the hole and bends down, digging with rest of the way with his hands. He notices some silver chains around the casket and sighs. He reaches up and climbs out of the hole. After getting into his black duffel bag, he pulls out a big pair bolt cutters and jumps down into the hole. He clips the chains with the cutter and the chains fall right off the casket. Kneeling down, he feels around for the lid. Once he finds it, he quickly lifts it up and climbs out of the hole. He grabs the IV blood bag out of the duffel and waits for Summer to climb out of the hole. After a few minutes, he starts to worry since there is no sign of her. He takes a few steps forward and leans down slightly to look into the hole. There is nobody inside the coffin. It’s completely empty.
Summer: Looking for me?
Austen spins around and notices Summer. He notices her skin looked almost like paper. There was black under her eyes and her fangs were exposed. He could tell that she was starving. She notices the IV bag in his hand and snatches it. Quickly she bites into the pack almost tearing it apart and drinks all the contents inside. The empty bag drops to the ground and she licks her lips. Austen noticed her skin started to change and gain more color. Although it wasn’t quite enough to satisfy her thirst. Summer then realizes that her ex-boyfriend and best friend is standing before her. She runs over to him and hugs him. He tries to hug her back but he is sort of afraid of her since she’s still craving blood.
Summer: How did you find me? Did Sookie call you?
Austen: She did.
Summer: I should have known.
Summer then notices the cautious look on his face. She can’t blame him. Blood is number one on her mind right now. Even his.
Austen: We should leave here now, before somebody discovers us.
He grabs her hand and they run across the desert until they come across a black 2009 Camry. Austen climbs into the driver seat and Summer in the passenger seat. He starts up the car and they speed down the road as fast as the car is even capable of driving.
Later, at the Stackhouse home, Austen sits down on the couch next to Summer.
Summer: You might want to sit in the other chair away from me.
Austen: Oh, okay. Wait, I have more for you.
He bolts up off the couch and runs into the kitchen. Summer hears the sound of the refrigerator open and then shut. Austen rushes into the room and sits a small red cooler onto the coffee table in front of her. He lifts open the lid and inside is a few more IV blood bags. She glances up at him with a satisfied smirk on her face.
Summer: You’ve outdone yourself.
Austen: I thought you would enjoy that.
He sits down in a sofa chair and leans forward as he watches Summer grab a bag from inside the cooler. Suddenly something pops into her head.
Summer: Wait, where’s Eric?
To Be Continued…
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