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"No one knew her, and she hadn’t cohtful

"That’s what they all said"

"Then someone sent her, someone who knew there would be a party at Eric’s Soed because there were strangers at the house How did she get past the guard at the gate?"

These were all pertinent questions, and I added another one "How could anyone know in advance that Eric wouldn’t be able to resist taking blood from her?" I sounded forlorn, and I could only hope I didn’t co Unhappiness will do that to you

"Obviously she was selected because she had two-natured blood of some variety, and then she enhanced that with the s to the deaders Since Mustapha’s phone callto yield to temptation," Dermot said, "Mustapha ured that out" I wasn’t happy about this conclusion, but it fit the evidence

"He may not have knoould happen as a result, but he otten instructions from someone to make you late"

"But who? He’s a lone wolf He doesn’t answer to Alcide"

"Someone has power over him," Dermot said reasonably "Only someone with power over him could make afor his friend Warren Would Warren have some reason to want Eric behind bars?"

Dered batteries today I was having a hard ti up with him

"That’s the key, of course," I said "His friend Warren Warren himself would have no reason I can think of to want to harm Eric, who, after all, provides Mustapha’s livelihood But I think Warren’s being used as a lever So him to ensure they have Mustapha’s cooperation I need to think about all this," I said, yawning with a jaw-cracking noise "But right now I just have to sleep soans?"

"Later," he said

I looked at hi of all the questions he’d never answered about the strange accumulation of the fae at a remote strip club in Louisiana Claude had always told me it was because they’d all been left out when Niall closed the portals But how had they knohere to co in Monroe? Noas not the time to ask, since I was too exhausted to process his answers-if he would givea nap," I said It was Sunday, and Merlotte’s was closed "Just let the answering machine take the calls, if you don’t er volume down even further on the kitchen phone and would do the same in the bedroom

I took my cell phone into my bedroom and called Alcide He didn’t answer, but I left higed my weary body into my bedroom I didn’t even take off my clothes I fell over the bed and fell asleep

I woke two hours later feeling like so a cat spit up I rolled onto ed The air conditioner was fighting the afternoon’s worst heat, which shimmered in the air outside I sat up to look out theat the dry grass We needed rain

More randohI didn’t knohat "effaced" meant I wondered what had happened to Mr Cataliades He was odparent I’d last seen the (ray streaks frootten back from France yet? What were Claude and Niall up to in Faery? What did it look like there? Maybe the trees looked like peacock feathers and everyone wore sequins

I checked ain, but it went right to voice e on Bill’s cell to tell him that Mustapha had ator

Though I’d showered at Eric’s that ot under the water again Then I pulled on old denim shorts and a white T-shirt and flip-flops and went out in the yard withdown my back I positioned the chaise perfectly to keepover the end in the light because I liked the way it sone The yard and house were eround noises were the ever-present sounds of nature going about its business: birds, bugs, and an occasional breeze fluttering the leaves in a lazy way

It was peaceful

I tried to think of s: a possible date for Jason and Michele’s wedding, what I needed to do at Merlotte’s tos I could actually solve with a phone call or a pad and pencil Since ht, I noticed that one of et Wardell at the tire place to checkabout having enough hot water; that was the upside to Claude’s absence

It was good to think about things that weren’t supernatural

In fact, it was blissful

Chapter 6

When it was dark, ht, this far into the summer I’d had a very pleasant few hours all by ood to me anyhtening in the kitchen, read a little, turned on the television just to have voices in the background Nice Not exciting I’d had enough exciting

I hadn’t checkedit a pass for a couple more days I found I didn’t really want to answer the phone, either But I’d left , I yielded to habit and picked it up "Yes?" I said

"Sookie, I’m on my way over to see you," Eric said

See, I knew there’d been a good reason for not answering "No," I said "I don’t think so" There was a little silence Eric was as surprised as I was

"Is this a punish from another woman when I was present? No, I think I have that issue squared away"