May 16

Sunday May 16

We all arrived at Fangtasia just before sundown and we parked our cars around back as Eric directed us and we knocked on the back door. Ginger, the dimwitted blonde waitress and fangbanger opened the back door to admit us.

“Eric says you all are make your selves at home and food should be arriving real soon so you guys can eat before you go on your trip,” she said. I sat down at the bar and ordered a cold beer.
“Who will be running the bar while Eric and Pam are gone?” I asked.

“Chow and Indira are going to be here to take care of the bar,” she said. Ginger was not pleased to be under the more junior Vampires. She would do anything for Eric, but she personally disliked the other Vampires.

“Well, I am sure they will do well while Eric and Pam are gone,” I said.
“Where in all are ya’ll going?” she asked.
“I really am not sure,” I said. Barrister walked up.
“Hey honey,” said Ginger. “I don’t think we have met.”
“I am Barrister, I am Aslinn’s fiancé,” he said.
“I thought you were going with Bill?” she asked.
“I am, Barrister is my human lover,” I said.
“Oh,” she said. “So what will you have?”
“Beer please,” said Barrister. He pulled out his wallet.
“You all don’t pay,” said Ginger. “Eric says so.”
“Well, take it for yourself,” he said, giving the fangbanger a twenty. Ginger put it in her pocket and grabbed him a bottle of Bud. There was a loud knock at the door and a delivery boy from the local diner brought us Cajun food with all the trimmings.

I sat there at the bar to let some of the others get their plates. There was God Speed and Jen, which by the way, it was her birthday. Renee and the Kid, Linzy and Lina, Violet and Bluebelle, Westexan and Fairy, Butter and her precious cargo, Raki and Minnie, Aolani and Body Guard, her husband, Scarlett and me and Barrister. With the four Vampires, we would be 22 traveling together. I finally went got a plate and began to serve myself, going heavy on the cat fish and rice and fried shrimp and macaroni salad and bread.

We were finishing our supper when the Vampires appeared. Eric looked ready for travel in track pants and a tee shirt and flip flops. Ginger watched sourly as Fairy was gathered up in Eric’s arms and kissed deeply on the mouth. Eric let Fairy go and ordered a bottle of Tru:Blood and sat down after hugging and kissing Linzy and Lina and squeezing Butter gently , rubbing her baby bump, relishing the life inside her. He sat down by Minnie and kissed her warmly. Ginger put the red bottle down a little more forcefully than she should have and some of it splashed on the table. Eric gave her a nasty look and she walked away. Eric turned back with a lop sided grin at her anger.

“Do you really feed from her Eric?” I asked.
“I have not fed from her in a long while, poor addled human,” he said.
“You are bad, Eric,” I said. He smiled at me and grinned showing me some fang as he drank some of the synthetic blood. “I don’t know why I like you, Eric Northman, you are such a bigot.”
“I like humans,” he said. “I like you.”
“Yeah, right,” I said, rolling my eyes at him.
“I do like humans, especially intelligent ones,” he said.
I pulled out my note book and went through my check list of questions. “Eric, why are we carrying silver on us?” I looked at the Vampire steadily.

“Personal defense,” he said. “In case you should become separated from us. You will all be traveling with a Vampire, though I have doubts about Jessica’s abilities to do much against anyone except a very young Vampire. But she will be stronger than any human, so that will be something and she is very good with glamour.”
“What are we doing in London Eric?” I asked.
“Ah, Bill,” said Eric. I turned to see Bill and Jessica slowing down to come into the bar. Bill kissed Renee and Vi and came over to kiss me.
“We are ready,” said Bill to the Viking.
“Are the laptops I asked you get ready?” asked the Sheriff.
“Yes,” said Bill. “I downloaded the database and set up the internet and aligned them with the cell phones. I will go over the programs when we are settled in flight.”
“Do you like to fly?” I asked.
“I love flying,” said Eric. “Particularly in the new Anubis planes we will be taking. They are more human friendly and they have more easily accessible Vampire accommodations. No longer do we have to travel as cargo…we can be passengers.”
“This is my first flight at night,” said Bill.

“Are you nervous?” I asked. He smiled his fleeting smile and shook his head. Renee brought Bill his blood and sat down beside him. He sipped it and kissed Renee on the cheek. Synthetic blood smells like real blood and takes a few minutes to leave their breath after they finish a bottle.

“Renee, I want Chris to be my assistant while we are in England. I want her to take care of my computer and access things as I need them and help Aslinn keep a diary of sorts,” said the Viking.
“I don’t know Eric, ever since the blood bond you made with her, she is in a Viking daze. Being so close to you and working with you, she would just be confused,” said Renee.
“Renee,” said Eric, his voice quiet and calm. “Have I overstepped myself in anyway? Abused your hospitality, made any overtures to Chris that would be improper?”
“No,” she said.
“Then, I would appreciate it if Chris could please be my assistant and help me while we are away,” said Eric.
“Very well, Eric,” said Renee.

Pam came in and Scarlett greeted her with a kiss and Ginger brought her a bottle. We waited patiently as Pam had supper. Eric stood up. We waited for him to speak.
“It is good to see you all here to share in this adventure,” said Eric. “There are many things we will be doing and many new people we will be seeing. As we get closer to our destination, I will tell you more. The bus outside is waiting for us to go to the airport, so everyone must get their bags and make sure they are loaded on the bus and take a seat.”

We got up and filed out, leaving Ginger our tips and went to our cars. They would be looked after by Eric’s day and night staff. I opened up the boot and Barrister grabbed our big bags and I grabbed our little bags and two of Eric’s human bouncers helped with the rest. Bill was overseeing the unloading of 21 computer bags and then his and Jessica’s luggage.

We lined up and turned in our luggage and got on board the large charter bus and we chose a pair of seats about middle of the bus. When we were all seated, I took out my note book and like a teacher I checked to see if we all got on the bus and when I was satisfied, I sat down. I settled in and slid my arm in Barrister’s and rested my head on his shoulder. Bill was sitting with Renee. I could see Scarlett and Pam sitting together and Chris and Jessica were talking to each other like school girls. Barrister and I had talked about Jessica, especially in light of what we learned, that Jessica did indeed kill the trucker. Pam had helped her with the body, but Jessica was likely to be in deep trouble. Sookie would not be the only one suffering because of Bill’s absence.

Twenty minutes saw us at the airport. The sleek black jet with the silver Anubis Air symbol on the tail and the matte black windows was waiting for us. The bus came to a stop and we got out our tickets and passports or diplomatic Vampire VIP folders and lined up to exit. Eric stopped to speak to the baggage handlers about their instructions. I caught him saying, ”Don’t forget the computers come aboard the plane and the luggage goes in the cargo hold. If you miss a bag, or even a scrap of paper, heads will roll,” he said. He strolled over to us.

“Bowling for Vampires, Eric?” I said slyly.
“That’s what I like about you Aslinn, you are a real smart ass,” he said. He mounted the stairs and showed the attendant at the top his ticket and passport.
The interior of the plane was sumptuous. Dressed in soft black and red velvet and grey carpets, we were seated in seats grouped in four, two seats facing two more, like a train. The computers were passed out and they were stowed away for takeoff. We settled into our seats and strapped in and waited.

Thus our adventure began.