CHAPTER FOURTY TWO

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          IF THE AUTHORITY WAS HERE, WHETHER ACTUALLY THEM OR JUST THEIR PAWNS, IT MEANT THAT THEY WERE IN DANGER. Especially if they were here for the death of the magister, which had been at Russell Edgington's hands, but happened at Fangtasia.

Dakota took a step back as Eric vamp sped through his office while Pam watched her maker desperately. The vampire cleaned off the blood from his skin and changed into a fresh pair of clothes in the blink of an eye.   

"What do we do?" asked Dakota, eyeing the viking.

Eric's pale arms hung loosely by his side as he turned to her. "I want you to stay behind me, and if something happens, you run and you don't look back."

Dakota knit her brows together and gave him a small nod. Eric tore his gaze away from her face and directed it toward his own maker. Godric seemed to know what he meant and as the viking made a move to leave his office, Godric made sure to keep close to her.

The bar was filled with armed men, dressed in protective gear from head to toe as they stared the small group down. The clicking of heels echoed through the room and Nan Flanagan, the news woman and bitch from Dallas, made herself known, glaring at them through her sunglasses. 

"I'm sorry, Miss. Flanagan." said Eric, small grin on his face. "The bar is closed."

"Thank you, I already ate." she retorted, taking off her glasses and placing them into her pocket. "Tru blood only, of course. Can't stay out of trouble, can you? The VRA is two states away from ratification. I should be kissing asses in Oregon, not cleaning up after you in fucking Louisiana."

Eric was good at deceiving people and he tried. "Oh, I promise. There is nothing amiss in my area."

"Shut up." Nan hissed. "You're making my head hurt. Officers, silver him."

Dakota watched in horror as two officers took hold of him and smacked a small silver device onto his left shoulder. The blond grabbed onto Pam's wrist in fright, and the vampire let her as Godric let out a snarl, livid to see them hurting his progeny. There were too many of them and there wasn't anything they could do even if they wanted to.

Eric hissed, eyes squeezed shut from the amount of pain he was in and fell to his knees, weakened. Beside Pam, Ginger began to scream with all her might, the shrill sound of it echoing through the room.

"Officers," grimaced Nan. "take her away."

One armed man grabbed Ginger by the arm and hauled her from the room, fear evident on her face as she screamed bloody murder. The sound of her decreased when the door closed, faints screams coming from the other room.

"None of you move." Nan glared as she watched Eric being pulled away and his tall body was dropped on a chair in the middle of the room. The woman turned to the officer beside her and whispered. "If any of them try anything, silver them. As for the human, shoot her but keep her alive."

Nan stepped around them and looked at Godric with distaste. "How's life in this dump treating you?"

The vampire didn't wait for an answer as she and her officers began to search Fangtasia for whatever it was they were looking for, and Godric kept his mouth shut. They were in enough trouble as it was.

Eric grunted in pain as he hunched over slightly in his chair, eyes still closed. Dakota didn't think as she made her way toward him, to take off the torture device. An officer stopped her, pointing a gun in her direction and she halted in her steps. He motioned toward the bar with his head and Dakota held up her hands, walking backwards till her back hit the bar top.

"Are they going to find anything?" muttered Dakota, as Pam joined her side with a glare on her face.

"No," she drawled, trying to sound like she always did but Dakota picked up the worry. "unless you count the coke I confiscated of a fang-banger a few nights ago. I doubt they're going to arrest us for something humane."

"Okay," she nodded, meeting Eric's gaze who tried to give her a weak smile. "Are all of them vampires?"

"No," said Godric, scanning the room. "not all of them."

The door to the basement burst open and Nan came waltzing through the door with an annoyed look on her face. She rested her hands on her hips as she stopped before Eric. "The downstairs is clean."

"I told you there was nothing." sighed Eric, somewhat bored.

"It's been wiped." accused Nan.

"Well, I am a Virgo." said Eric, moving his neck to look up at her with a barely noticeable smirk. "I like to be neat."

Nan rolled her eyes. "Your screeching fang-cushion of a barmaid, who's been glamoured so much she can't even remember her own last name, does know that no one ever goes down there with so much as a mop and a promise. Suddenly it is as sterile as an operating room."

"It doesn't prove anything." stated Eric, giving her a slight shrug.

"If only we had a magister to decide that." retorted Nan and Eric looked up at the flash of worry didn't go unnoticed by the vampire. "Oh relax, it's not like you killed someone. Just need your statement. That's all."

Pam and Dakota share a concerned glance as Nan sits down directly in front of him, and officer placing a camera on both her sides. The spokeswoman puts in an ear piece and crosses her legs over each other.

"Webcams," she explains. "for the authority."

Nan pushed a button on the headset and began to speak into it in hushed whispered, too soft for Dakota to hear her and she watched as the webcams turned to face her. "Members of the authority, it's Nan. Can you hear me?" A moment passed. "Good. As regard to the matter of the disappearance of our magister. Last known whereabouts, this dumb in Shreveport, Louisiana. You have before you, Eric Northman, sheriff of Area Five." 

The webcams turned to face Eric. "Smile for the cameras, Eric."

Eric didn't say anything, just glared at the women before him with all he could. He had no idea what was going to happen or how to get out of the situation, and that was odd because he always seemed to know what to do.

"No, Eric." continued Nan, smacking her bright red lips together. "We'd like you to tell us where the magister has gone."

The viking sighed, clenching his jaw before speaking. "Russell Edgington has killed the magister."

Nan raised a brow at his revelation and cocked her head to the side. "That is a big accusation, Northman. What makes you think he did?"

"I've seen it with my own eyes." he declared. "Russell is a dangerous man. He has the werewolves in Jackson wrapped around his finger. He is feeding them vampire blood to keep them on his side."

"No vampire would even think twice about willingly breathe the same air as a mutt like that."

"There's a pattern." glowered Eric. "The turks told folk tales of shapeshifting jackhals at the fall of Constaninople. The Aztecs were decimated by disease from the Conquistadors' war dogs. Each time, there has been wolves fuelled by vampire blood. I nearly found him in Ausburg in ninety-fourty-five. His wolves were in the service of the Wehrmacht. He disappeared after the war and I ... I thought he finally met the true death. Now's he returned."

Nan Flanagan didn't buy it as she challenged him. "Do you know why?"

"I don't think she believes him." whispered Dakota, to which Pam furrowed her brows.

Eric continued, leaning back in his seat as best as he could in his weakened state. "In times of conflict, Russell Edgington inserts himself into the affairs of men."

"To what end?" she asked.

"He claims it's to prevent humans from destroying the planet and themselves, and thus our food source."

The blond vampire raised her brows. "But Tru Blood changed all that. Humans are no longer food to us. The Great Revelation -"

"Russell opposes the Great Revelation. And he doesn't wanna co-exist with humans. He wants to subjugate them." Eric seemed to be getting angrier by the minute and one officer placed his hand on the trigger of his weapon.

"The authority will not -" Nan began.

"Fuck the authority!" Eric bellowed, raising his voice before he quickly turned calm again. "Russel's words. Verbatim."

Nan casted her gaze sideways as someone spoke into her ear piece, she nodded after a moment. "This is why he killed the magister?"

"No, he killed the magister because the magister defied him. He kidnapped queen Sophie-Anne because she refused him. Now, if the authority or the AVL stand in his way, well ..."

"These are treasonous allegations." spoke Nan. "Why didn't you report this?"

"Oh, I should have." agreed Eric. "But the authority has existed for only a few hundred years. My history with Russell Edgington goes back nearly a thousand." 

Pam looked confused for a moment, having no idea her maker even knew of the man before a few days ago. He always told her everything, but kept this from her and she wanted to know why. 

"My family was massacred. All of them, by wolves. I managed to kill one, and I watched him change into a man at the end of my sword. And these wolves, they're the same. Sweden, Germany, here."

Godric didn't look surprised, he knew everything about his progeny. Every single good and bad thing, but Pam looked as if she might cry for her maker. Dakota knew why he was there now, why he pretended to be loyal to the three thousand year old vampire. He wanted revenge.

Eric turned to look directly into the cameras. "With all respect. I did not report Russell Edgington to you, because I want him to die at my own hands. I have waited a thousand years for this."

Nan pressed her ear piece once more. "Yes," she nodded. "yes, I understand. I am flying immediately to Portland. Thank you."

"What?" demanded Eric. "Is that it?"

"The authority will review your statement against the frankly," she started. "strong possibility that i've lost an entire night's worth of air time promoting the VRA in order to listen to a load of bullshit. But, some do believe in a fair hearing. Americans."

The vampire got up from her chair and took out her ear piece as her officers packed up the cameras.

"Miss. Flanagan." began Eric. "Russell Edgington is a threat to our entire existence."

"But he is a king." she retorted. "One who just donated half a million dollars to the same American Vampire League you say he's trying to break down. Weird, huh? Bring in a couple of spare coffins for Sheriff Northman and his ... whatever you people are. You're on lockdown till the authority makes a ruling."

"What then?" Dakota blurted, worried.

Nan looked her up and down in distaste, hating the human woman the moment she had set her eyes on her in Dallas. Nan didn't say anything to her and left the premises along with her officers, though there was one stationed at the front and back door so they couldn't leave the bar.

"What a bitch." Dakota muttered as she pushed herself off the bar and rushed toward Eric. "Let me take this off."

Eric stopped her, hand resting on top of her own. "Make it quick."

"I got you." she nodded, placing her hand over the device and ripping it off in one quick pull. Eric cursed loudly, skin torn off along with the silver. It already began to heal itself but he still clutched his shoulder nonetheless. "Sorry."

"We are so utterly fucked." muttered Pam.

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IT WAS WELL INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON, ALMOST DARK OUTSIDE WHEN DAKOTA PUSHED HERSELF OFF THE LEATHER SOFA IN ERIC'S OFFICE. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stretched her aching limbs, before resting her head into the palms of her hands.

"Morning, sunshine."

Dakota glanced up sleepily and frowned at Eric, seeing dried blood underneath his nose and out of his ears. She had heard about the bleeds before and this must be it. "You didn't sleep?"

He shook his head, looking even paler then he used to and wiped at his nose with a blood soaked cloth. "I'm fine."

"You're not, Eric." she murmured, getting up from the sofa and stepping around Pam and Godric's coffins. Dakota had never seen him like this and she didn't like it. "Do you need anything?"

The viking sat at his desk, leaning on the wooden tabletop with his elbows. His blue eyes followed her movements as she came to stand beside him, leaning against the desk. Eric didn't say anything as she took the cloth from him and Dakota carefully cleaned off the blood that had leaked from his ears onto his neck. 

When she was finished he grabbed her wrist, bringing her fingers to his lips and he kissed her knuckles softly.

"Are they going to kill you?" she whispered, as if anyone else could hear them.

"I don't know." he confessed. "It is possible. They will probably pin this on me, not Russell."

Dakota sniffed at that and Eric held her chin between his fingers, making her look at him. There were so many emotions swimming behind his eyes, it almost made her dizzy. "No matter what happens, you are going to be just fine. I promise you that."

"I don't care about that." she breathed. "I don't want anything to happen to you. Ever."

Eric lips turned into a genuine smile at that and his thumb brushed over her lower lip. He pulled her down so that she was straddling him and she held onto his shirt, fisting the fabric between her hands. 

"Sweet Dakota." he brushed her hair from her face. "I should never have pulled you into this world."

"You didn't." she shook her head. "I could have said no."

Eric had never looked at her the way he looked at her right now and she felt a crimson blush creep onto her cheeks, and he noticed it too because he planted a kiss on both of them. Dakota closed her eyes, embracing the feeling as long as she could.

His lips pressed against her own and he cradled her head, holding her as close as he possibly could. Dakota sighed against him, content.

"Get a room." drawled Pam, she had pushed her coffin open along with Godric.

"Now, Pamela." Godric smiled, sending the two a wink. "I do believe we are the ones who interrupted."

Pam rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders slightly before she noticed the dried blood underneath her makers nose. "Did you even sleep?"

Dakota slid off his lap, but he kept his hand on the back of her thigh as he said. "I am fine, Pam."

"You don't look fine." she pressed, concern evident on her face.

"Pam," he began. "whatever the authority decides, I will not allow you to take responsibility."

"You didn't kill the magister." she stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Come with me." Godric took a hold of Dakota's arm and softly nudged her out of the room and down the hallway toward the bar. "Let them talk for a moment, they'll be out soon."

Godric sat her down at one of the tables and sped off before appearing in front of her again, with a glass of water. Dakota thanked him and downed it in one go, she had barely drunk anything in the last few days and a headache was beginning to form behind her eyes.

"We have to do something." she began, rubbing her face in frustration. "He can't die, Godric. He just can't. It is unfair. He didn't do anything, it was Russell."

"I know, I know." he tried to soothe her, taking her hands in his. "We will figure it out. I won't let anything happen to my son."

The door to Fangtasia burst open the same time Eric and Pam entered the bar from the hallway. Nan barged in, thin sheet of paper between her fingers and eight armed officers behind her. Dakota feared for Eric as he came to stand beside her and his maker.

"You look like shit." Nan stated.

"Well, I feel fantastic." he retorted.

"The ruling is as follows," she began, and the four of them perked up. "The authority disavows any knowledge of our interview, your statement or, indeed, this ruling itself. None of this ever happened."

"What?" frowned Eric, confused.

"Missing royals, dead magisters." she sighed, handing him his ruling in paper. "It's political tar, baby, no one wants to touch, not with the VRA this close to ratification."

"Russell will not stop killing. What if the human public learns of it?"

"That's why you are going to take care of it." she informed, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked up at him with raised brows. "Quietly, discreetly and most important of all, completely off the books. You wanted revenge? It's yours."

"What recourses are you gonna give me?" he asked, mimicking her tone of voice.

"None. We're not getting near it." Nan turned her back, about to leave.

"How do you expect me to kill him? He's three times my age."

"Listen, you whiny little bitch." she spun around, pointing her finger at him. "The only link between Sophie-Anne, Russell and the magister is you. You brought us the steaming pile of shit and you're going to make it go away. Bring me his fangs, or i'll have yours."

And with that she was off, along with the officers and slamming the door shut behind her.