The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

donuts with Dermot while Sookie showers. As Sookie and Sam get into his truck to head to Shreveport, he comments on how well Dermot treats Sookie. Sam tells her that he has researched fairies in the library of information kept by shifters about supes and that a familial connection would not deter a fairy from pursuing a possible relationship. Sookie assures him that she doesn’t think of Dermot that way, and that they regard themselves as family only. The conversation shifts when they both admit that they believe that the arsonist was a twoey. Although Sam doesn’t think that it was a hate crime targeted at shifters and their supporters, he does feel that there is hatred involved. The question is whose.
    They arrive at Splendide, and Sookie pokes around while Sam picks out a gift for Jannalynn, who loves antiques. He finally selects a pair of earrings, with Sookie’s input, and then she makes an appointment for the shop owners to come to her house to appraise the items from her attic. After leaving the shop, Sam suggests that they stop for lunch. He expresses concern about his relationship with Jannalynn, worrying that they are not on the right track, and then Sookie expresses her own concern about the side effects of her proximity to her fae family. She asks Sam if he could do more research for her in the shifter library, but he suggests going right to the source and asking Claude and Dermot in person. They decide to detour to Claude’s club, Hooligans, on the way back. Remy Savoy calls while they are at the restaurant and asks Sookie if she can babysit Hunter for the weekend, but she isn’t sure of her work schedule and is unable to commit. After asking Sam about her schedule, she calls Remy back to tell him she can’t babysit, and he takes the opportunity to ask her to accompany him and Hunter to kindergarten orientation. Sookie is surprised but agrees.
    Sookie and Sam are greeted at Hooligans by an elf named Bellenos and taken to Claude’s office. Dermot accompanies them. Sam cuts to the chase, bluntly asking why Sookie is feeling more and more fae. He reprimands the two fairies for not educating Sookie about her heritage and suggests that they have ulterior motives for staying with her. Instead of answering, Claude leads them farther into the club, which is filled with beings of varying degrees of fae blood. One of them welcomes her as one of their own, but Sookie declines the invitation and leaves the room, asking Claude and Dermot what is going on. Dermot tells her that he and Claude will speak with her that evening when they get home. She quietly mourns her gullibility on the way back to Bon Temps.
    Sookie works the late shift again and stays up for a while after getting home to wait for Dermot and Claude, who do not come home at all.
    FRIDAY, MAY 26. Sookie works the early shift but stays an extra two hours when her replacement suffers a flat tire, and Eric is waiting for her by the time she gets to her house. He has a dress for her and tells her they are going to Vampire’s Kiss, Victor’s new dance club. Immanuel arrives to do her makeup and hair. On the way to the club, Sookie finds out from Eric that it is Victor who has forbidden Pam from turning Miriam.
    Sookie and Eric arrive at Vampire’s Kiss to find that Pam has been assaulted by Victor’s minions for trying to get into the club to make certain it is safe for Eric. He is furious, as is Pam. Once inside, they see that Victor has brought Miriam there to provoke Pam. Sookie finds out that Victor is also the owner of Vic’s Redneck Roadhouse, the new bar that is drawing patrons from Merlotte’s. Victor serves Eric and Pam bottled blood along with glasses. The server “thinks” to Sookie not to allow her vamps to use the glasses, as they have been rubbed with fairy blood. Sookie sends a wave of negativity to Eric, who drinks from the bottle. Pam follows suit.
    After exchanging words with Victor, Eric, Sookie, and Pam leave, taking Miriam with them. They are approached in the parking lot by two of Victor’s followers, who claim they wish to ally themselves with Eric, but he sends them away, believing they are trying to trap him. When Sookie comments on the tension between Eric and Pam, Pam blurts out that Eric has received a letter. Before she can continue, Eric grabs her throat and orders her to be silent. As he is driving at the time, Sookie is disturbed on many levels. He tells Sookie to leave it be. When they arrive at her house,