Renee hands Eric a fresh deck of
cards as we settle to play poker. It is the first gathering of the House
since we had vanquished Dracula and this Sunday we would be starting
the new adventures. These adventures we would have no part in, just as
observers and I had to say, I was worried about all our fave neighbors
in Bon Temps. I even wondered about Tara? What was going to happen to
her, except maybe some sort of…resurrection? Who knows? The teasers were
right; nothing stays buried in Bon Temps.
Bill was sitting at the table already, with his chips in front of him and Barrister gave me a stack of $1.00 bills to put with the hundred dollars I usually allot myself to lose to the Big Viking. Minnie brought Eric a warm Tru:Blood and he kissed her and sat down at the table and began to shuffle the cards faster than any human could. “From the top Eric,” said Renee, sitting her margarita on the coaster marked with the Fangtasia logo. I had a bottle of Guinness on a coaster myself.
Aolani and Jessica were watching the fun. Finally Eric began to deal the cards. We picked our up our cards and held our expressions in their patented poker faces. Eric picked up his cards and immediately laughed. “Renee dearest, these cards are filthy,” he said, turning cards one way and then another to look at the pictures. Bill gave her a disapproving look. Well, he tried and did not succeed. She stuck her tongue out at him and he smiled his sweet shy smile.
“Just a wee something for you in advance of the new adventures,” she said, picking up her cards. Now we would not know if the looks of surprise would be over the quality of the cards or the filthy pictures on them. Jessica looked over my shoulder and gasped.
“Oh my god,” she said, putting her manicured fingers to her shocked mouth. “That is filthy.”
“Jessica,” said Bill.
“Okay daddy,” she said, sulky. Bill looked up at her and she smiled. He smiled back. I liked the way they interacted now; they were bonding as maker and child. It was not only good for Jessica, it was also good for Bill.
“What time can we expect our visitor?” asked Bill to my Barrister.
“Any time, he promised she would knock and not just appear,” said Barrister.
“Who is coming?” asked Len.
“Someone we want you to meet, in case you are unable to contact us, you will have someone here to help you,” said Eric.
“Another Were?” asked Minnie, as Eric pulled her onto his lap.
“No, just a friend,” said Eric. “How much do you think I should bet?” Minnie leaned forward to look at his hand, to sneak a closer look at the pictures, I am sure.
“I don’t know Eric, I don’t know about poker,” she said, still staring and blushing at the same time.
“See any cards you like dearest,” he asked.
“Um….how about this one,” she said…pointing at the card in the middle of his hand.
“Excellent choice,” he said. “I bet 5.” We all put in our first bids and choose the cards we want to discard. Eric begins to pass out the cards to us. I shrug a little. Great little orgy but a terrible hand. I sighed. Eric was going to win all my money. We got through another round of bets and we began to bluff. Bill seemed pretty confident, but then it is always hard to figure out the faces of Vampires. They are inscrutable. “I call.”
We laid out our hands. I had a pair….well if you counted all the tits and other paired up bits, you had waaay more than a pair, but that was neither here nor there. To my surprise, Bill won this hand. He scooped up the chips and money and smiled, pleased with himself. He lifted a card and winked at me and I stuck my tongue out at him. My thigh still ached from the cramp I got in that position.
Bill gathered up the cards and began to shuffle them, again, his hands a blur. Jessica perched on the edge of the chair Renee was sitting in. Bill began to deal the cards. About the time Aolani came up with a slice of cake, there was a knock at the door. “Don’t bother Aolani, I will get it.” Alcide got up and went to the door, looking out the peep hole. “It’s a strange looking girl; at least she looks like a girl.”
“How is she dressed?” asked Pam.
“Tank top over a…plastic see through skirt and a pair of pink and black leggings and combat boots. Her hair is pink too,” said Alcide.
“That would be our guest,” said Barrister. Alcide unlocked the heavy steel door and slid it back to admit the stranger. It was Diantha Cataliades.
Of course we all knew about Diantha, the niece of Desmond Cataliades. She was a half demon. Not a go to hell demon with horns and a bifurcated tail, but a magikal creature, like her uncle. She came in, bouncing like she was dancing to a song only she could hear. “Hey,” she said.
“Welcome Diantha,” said Bill. “Thank you for coming.”
“You didn’t tell me your friends were witches,” she said, looking at those of us who were practicing the craft.
“Do you have something against witches?” asked Aolani.
“No, I just didn’t know,” she said. You had to pay attention to what Diantha said, not because it was uber important, but because she talked justlikethis and you had to let your mind sort out the words so you understood her. Listening to her was like listening to a speed reader read a teletype machine aloud.
“So, why do we have to have a demon among us?” asked Alcide.
“Do you really have to ask that?” said Eric. “Bill and I will be away and you have your own troubles. I don’t want our friends to have to deal with any problems without help. Who would you have suggested? Lafayette?” Pam snickered. She had a twisted sense of proportion when it came to Lafayette. She would rather aggravate him than drink blood.
“I think introductions are in order,” said Barrister. “Diantha, you already know me, but let me introduce you to my lovely wife and Bill Compton’s sister wife, Aslinn. Of course you know Bill, on his right is his second sister wife and her name is Renee. The lady being dandled on Eric’s knee is Minnie.” Minnie waved at her and smiled. “Don’t mistake her as a wall flower, she is a dead shot.” Diantha smiled and displayed teeth that really didn’t look quite like human teeth but not exactly animal teeth. “The young woman standing behind Eric is his second sister wife, Aolani.”
“Hey,” she said.
“You may not know the lovely Jessica Hamby, and I am her human companion. The gentleman with Pam is Len. Len is also married to Aolani. And last but not the very least, Alcide Herveaux, the future pack master of Shreveport.” Barrister ended his introduction. Diantha looked around at all of us. Alcide sighed and looked away. I thought Barrister was counting his chickens before they hatch.
“Two weres?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Barrister.
“And three Witches…no four…but who is the fourth?” she asked.
“I am,” said Jessica. “Well, I am trying to be.”
“Try nothing, you are dedicated first year witch, and pretty talented,” said Aolani, fondly. We never expected Jessica would actually learn magik. There were some things that were difficult for her in magik, and truthfully in life and love, but we were working on a lot of things for her to help her advance in her studies.
“That is so cool,” said the demoness. “So what do you all expect to happen this summer that requires me joining your little group?”
“We should sit down in the parlor, chat about this in more comfortable surroundings. “ Eric stood up to show off his impressive height, handing Minnie off his lap and without letting go of her hand, grabbed Aolani’s hand and walked them over to one of the huge couches.
“Diantha, would you like something to drink?” asked Renee. “We made some iced coffees with Bailey’s Irish Cream.”
“Sure, and can you spike it with a shot of Tru:Blood and a lime?” she asked. Renee made a face.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Of course I am,” she said.
“Bring me the rest of the bottle, for Jessica,” said Bill. We were still forcing Jessica to pound down a Tru: Blood from time to time. She got most of her nutrition from humans, but so long as we got to get her to drink one or two while she was here, we hoped this would stave off her hunger a little and prevent any unfortunate accidents. Renee went off to make the concoction for Diantha.
Finally she brought the drink to Diantha in a tall Irish Coffee cup and she settled by Bill.
“We asked you here Diantha to help our friends deal with what will be happening to us this summer. Bill and I have to be away, and we know things they will see will trouble them. See, the guiding light of True Blood Anonymous is helping our human friends cope with what they will see happen to us, because in these stories, they cannot help us, not really,” said Eric.
“So I am like a counselor?” asked Diantha.
“Funny you should say that, because that is exactly what we thought of ourselves so long ago,” said Bill. “Now we are out in the open.”
“So what do you all expect to happen this summer?” asked Diantha.
“Well, these are really just speculations, but this is what we suspect will happen,” began Eric.
Bill was sitting at the table already, with his chips in front of him and Barrister gave me a stack of $1.00 bills to put with the hundred dollars I usually allot myself to lose to the Big Viking. Minnie brought Eric a warm Tru:Blood and he kissed her and sat down at the table and began to shuffle the cards faster than any human could. “From the top Eric,” said Renee, sitting her margarita on the coaster marked with the Fangtasia logo. I had a bottle of Guinness on a coaster myself.
Aolani and Jessica were watching the fun. Finally Eric began to deal the cards. We picked our up our cards and held our expressions in their patented poker faces. Eric picked up his cards and immediately laughed. “Renee dearest, these cards are filthy,” he said, turning cards one way and then another to look at the pictures. Bill gave her a disapproving look. Well, he tried and did not succeed. She stuck her tongue out at him and he smiled his sweet shy smile.
“Just a wee something for you in advance of the new adventures,” she said, picking up her cards. Now we would not know if the looks of surprise would be over the quality of the cards or the filthy pictures on them. Jessica looked over my shoulder and gasped.
“Oh my god,” she said, putting her manicured fingers to her shocked mouth. “That is filthy.”
“Jessica,” said Bill.
“Okay daddy,” she said, sulky. Bill looked up at her and she smiled. He smiled back. I liked the way they interacted now; they were bonding as maker and child. It was not only good for Jessica, it was also good for Bill.
“What time can we expect our visitor?” asked Bill to my Barrister.
“Any time, he promised she would knock and not just appear,” said Barrister.
“Who is coming?” asked Len.
“Someone we want you to meet, in case you are unable to contact us, you will have someone here to help you,” said Eric.
“Another Were?” asked Minnie, as Eric pulled her onto his lap.
“No, just a friend,” said Eric. “How much do you think I should bet?” Minnie leaned forward to look at his hand, to sneak a closer look at the pictures, I am sure.
“I don’t know Eric, I don’t know about poker,” she said, still staring and blushing at the same time.
“See any cards you like dearest,” he asked.
“Um….how about this one,” she said…pointing at the card in the middle of his hand.
“Excellent choice,” he said. “I bet 5.” We all put in our first bids and choose the cards we want to discard. Eric begins to pass out the cards to us. I shrug a little. Great little orgy but a terrible hand. I sighed. Eric was going to win all my money. We got through another round of bets and we began to bluff. Bill seemed pretty confident, but then it is always hard to figure out the faces of Vampires. They are inscrutable. “I call.”
We laid out our hands. I had a pair….well if you counted all the tits and other paired up bits, you had waaay more than a pair, but that was neither here nor there. To my surprise, Bill won this hand. He scooped up the chips and money and smiled, pleased with himself. He lifted a card and winked at me and I stuck my tongue out at him. My thigh still ached from the cramp I got in that position.
Bill gathered up the cards and began to shuffle them, again, his hands a blur. Jessica perched on the edge of the chair Renee was sitting in. Bill began to deal the cards. About the time Aolani came up with a slice of cake, there was a knock at the door. “Don’t bother Aolani, I will get it.” Alcide got up and went to the door, looking out the peep hole. “It’s a strange looking girl; at least she looks like a girl.”
“How is she dressed?” asked Pam.
“Tank top over a…plastic see through skirt and a pair of pink and black leggings and combat boots. Her hair is pink too,” said Alcide.
“That would be our guest,” said Barrister. Alcide unlocked the heavy steel door and slid it back to admit the stranger. It was Diantha Cataliades.
Of course we all knew about Diantha, the niece of Desmond Cataliades. She was a half demon. Not a go to hell demon with horns and a bifurcated tail, but a magikal creature, like her uncle. She came in, bouncing like she was dancing to a song only she could hear. “Hey,” she said.
“Welcome Diantha,” said Bill. “Thank you for coming.”
“You didn’t tell me your friends were witches,” she said, looking at those of us who were practicing the craft.
“Do you have something against witches?” asked Aolani.
“No, I just didn’t know,” she said. You had to pay attention to what Diantha said, not because it was uber important, but because she talked justlikethis and you had to let your mind sort out the words so you understood her. Listening to her was like listening to a speed reader read a teletype machine aloud.
“So, why do we have to have a demon among us?” asked Alcide.
“Do you really have to ask that?” said Eric. “Bill and I will be away and you have your own troubles. I don’t want our friends to have to deal with any problems without help. Who would you have suggested? Lafayette?” Pam snickered. She had a twisted sense of proportion when it came to Lafayette. She would rather aggravate him than drink blood.
“I think introductions are in order,” said Barrister. “Diantha, you already know me, but let me introduce you to my lovely wife and Bill Compton’s sister wife, Aslinn. Of course you know Bill, on his right is his second sister wife and her name is Renee. The lady being dandled on Eric’s knee is Minnie.” Minnie waved at her and smiled. “Don’t mistake her as a wall flower, she is a dead shot.” Diantha smiled and displayed teeth that really didn’t look quite like human teeth but not exactly animal teeth. “The young woman standing behind Eric is his second sister wife, Aolani.”
“Hey,” she said.
“You may not know the lovely Jessica Hamby, and I am her human companion. The gentleman with Pam is Len. Len is also married to Aolani. And last but not the very least, Alcide Herveaux, the future pack master of Shreveport.” Barrister ended his introduction. Diantha looked around at all of us. Alcide sighed and looked away. I thought Barrister was counting his chickens before they hatch.
“Two weres?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Barrister.
“And three Witches…no four…but who is the fourth?” she asked.
“I am,” said Jessica. “Well, I am trying to be.”
“Try nothing, you are dedicated first year witch, and pretty talented,” said Aolani, fondly. We never expected Jessica would actually learn magik. There were some things that were difficult for her in magik, and truthfully in life and love, but we were working on a lot of things for her to help her advance in her studies.
“That is so cool,” said the demoness. “So what do you all expect to happen this summer that requires me joining your little group?”
“We should sit down in the parlor, chat about this in more comfortable surroundings. “ Eric stood up to show off his impressive height, handing Minnie off his lap and without letting go of her hand, grabbed Aolani’s hand and walked them over to one of the huge couches.
“Diantha, would you like something to drink?” asked Renee. “We made some iced coffees with Bailey’s Irish Cream.”
“Sure, and can you spike it with a shot of Tru:Blood and a lime?” she asked. Renee made a face.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Of course I am,” she said.
“Bring me the rest of the bottle, for Jessica,” said Bill. We were still forcing Jessica to pound down a Tru: Blood from time to time. She got most of her nutrition from humans, but so long as we got to get her to drink one or two while she was here, we hoped this would stave off her hunger a little and prevent any unfortunate accidents. Renee went off to make the concoction for Diantha.
Finally she brought the drink to Diantha in a tall Irish Coffee cup and she settled by Bill.
“We asked you here Diantha to help our friends deal with what will be happening to us this summer. Bill and I have to be away, and we know things they will see will trouble them. See, the guiding light of True Blood Anonymous is helping our human friends cope with what they will see happen to us, because in these stories, they cannot help us, not really,” said Eric.
“So I am like a counselor?” asked Diantha.
“Funny you should say that, because that is exactly what we thought of ourselves so long ago,” said Bill. “Now we are out in the open.”
“So what do you all expect to happen this summer?” asked Diantha.
“Well, these are really just speculations, but this is what we suspect will happen,” began Eric.
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