Sookie Stackhouse Boxed Set (Books 1-8) - Charlaine Harris [405]
“Good work, Portugal,” said Colonel Flood, and the young man looked gratified.
Since we had our backs to the wall, Eric had felt free to let his hand roam over my bottom. I didn’t object to the sensation, which was very pleasant, but I did object to the venue, which was too darn public.
“Claudine didn’t say anything about prisoners who might have been there?” I asked, taking a step away from Eric.
“No, I’m sorry, Miss Stackhouse. She didn’t see anyone answering your brother’s description, and she didn’t see the vampire Clancy.”
I wasn’t exactly surprised, but I was very disappointed. Sam said, “I’m sorry, Sookie. If Hallow doesn’t have him, where can he be?”
“Of course, just because she didn’t see him, doesn’t mean he’s not there for sure,” the colonel said. “We’re sure she took Clancy, and Claudine didn’t catch sight of him.”
“Back to the Wiccans,” suggested the red-haired Were. “What should we do about them?”
“Tomorrow, Portugal, call all your Wiccan contacts again,” Colonel Flood said. “Get Culpepper to help you.”
Culpepper was a young woman with a strong, handsome face and a no-nonsense haircut. She looked pleased to be included in something Portugal was doing. He looked pleased, too, but he tried to mask it under a brusque manner. “Yes, sir,” he said snappily. Culpepper thought that was cute as hell; I was lifting that directly from her brain. Were she might be, but you couldn’t disguise an admiration that intense. “Uh, why am I calling them again?” Portugal asked after a long moment.
“We need to know what they plan to do, if they’ll share that with us,” Colonel Flood said. “If they’re not with us, they can at least stay out of the way.”
“So, we’re going to war?” This was from an older man, who seemed to be a pair with the red-haired woman.
“It was the vampires that started it,” the redheaded woman said.
“That is so untrue,” I said indignantly.
“Vamp humper,” she said.
I’d had worse things said about me, but not to my face, and not from people who intended me to hear them.
Eric had left the floor before I could decide if I was more hurt or more enraged. He had instantly opted for enraged, and it made him very effective. She was on the ground on her back and he was on top of her with fangs extended before anyone could even be alarmed. It was lucky for the red-haired woman that Pam and Gerald were equally swift, though it took both of them to lift Eric off the redheaded Were. She was bleeding only a little, but she was yelping nonstop.
For a long second, I thought the whole room was going to erupt into battle, but Colonel Flood roared, “SILENCE!” and you didn’t disobey that voice.
“Amanda,” he said to the red-haired woman, who was whimpering as though Eric had removed a limb, and whose companion was busy checking out her injuries in a wholly unnecessary panic, “you will be polite to our allies, and you will keep your damn opinions to yourself. Your offense cancels out the blood he spilled. No retaliation, Parnell!” The male Were snarled at the colonel, but finally gave a grudging nod.
“Miss Stackhouse, I apologize for the poor manners of the pack,” Colonel Flood said to me. Though I was still upset, I made myself nod. I couldn’t help but notice that Alcide was looking from me to Eric, and he looked—well, he looked appalled. Sam had the sense to be quite expressionless. My back stiffened, and I ran a quick hand over my eyes to dash away the tears.
Eric was calming down, but it was with an effort. Pam was murmuring in his ear, and Gerald was keeping a good grip on his arm.
To make my evening perfect, the back door to Merlotte’s opened once again, and Debbie Pelt walked in.
“Y’all are having a party without me.” She looked at the odd assemblage and raised her eyebrows. “Hey, baby,” she said directly to Alcide, and ran a possessive hand down his arm, twining