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Ah her walk-in closet It was just after dark the next day Suddenly the hangers quit sliding across the rack at the very back of the closet

"I think I have one," she called, sounding surprised I waited for her to ee of her bed I&039;d had at least ten hours&039; sleep, I&039;d had a careful shower, I&039;d had soloith pride and happiness Not only had Bob the Mormony witch been wonderful in bed, they&039;d been up in time to watch Quinn&039;s andthe vaular police I hadn&039;t told her yet that Quinn and I had made our own call, because I didn&039;t knohich one had beenAo to the queen&039;s shindig at all until after my trip to the bank with Mr Cataliades After I&039;d returned to Hadley&039;s apart e noise when I&039;d put the coffee into a box Now if I wanted to avert disaster, I had to go to the queen&039;s spring party, the supernatural event of the year I&039;d tried getting in touch with Andre at the queen&039;s headquarters, but a voice had toldthe phones at Vaill&039;s vamps?

"Yes, I do!" A I was the bridesed from the closet with her hair disheveled, her eyes lit with triuet the full effect She&039;d had to pin the dress to the hanger because there was so little to hang

"Yikes," I said, uneasily Made reen chiffon, it was cut in a deep V alle narrow strap ran around the neck

"It was aas if she had a lot of memories of the service Since the dress was also backless, I ondering how those Hollyomen kept their boobs covered Double-sided tape? Solue? As I hadn&039;t seen Claudine since she vanished from the courtyard before the ectoplasone back to her job and her life in Monroe I could have used her special services just about now There had to be a fairy spell that would make your dress stay still

"At least you don&039;t need a special bra to wear under it," Amelia said helpfully That was true; it wasn&039;t possible to wear a bra at all "And I&039;ve got the shoes, if you can wear a seven"

"That&039;s a big help," I said, trying to sound pleased and grateful "I don&039;t suppose you can do hair?"

"Nah," Amelia said She waved a hand at her own short &039;do "I wash it, brush it, and that&039;s that But I can call Bob" Her eyes glowed happily "He&039;s a hairdresser"

I tried not to look too astonished At a funeral hoh to keep that to myself Bob just looked no way like any hairdresser I&039;d ever seen

After a couple of hours, I was more or less into the dress, and fully h he&039;d reminded me several times to keep very still, in a way that had made me a little nervous

And Quinn had shown up on time in his car When Eric and Rasul had dropped otten in his car and driven away to wherever he was staying, though he&039;d put a light kiss on my forehead before I started up the stairs Amelia had come out of her apartment, all happy I was safely back, and I&039;d had to return a call froht, and anted o to the bank with him to finalize Hadley&039;s financial affairs Since I&039;d rateful

But when I&039;d returned to Hadley&039;s aparte on Hadley&039;s answeringme that the queen expected to see ht "I don&039;t want you to leave the city without seeing ain," the queen&039;s hu me that the dress code was formal After my discovery, when I realized I&039;d have to attend the party, I&039;d gone down the stairs to Amelia&039;s in a panic

The dress caused another kind of panic I was better-endowed than Aht

"The suspense is killinges stuck out against e bracelets; in fact, one of them was acutely uncomfortable, and I was anxious to take it off But the wrist would have to stay covered a while, though the bite on my left arm could remain uncovered Maybe the suspense about oers from the fact that my face ollen and discolored on one side

Quinn, of course, looked as though nothing had ever happened to hi flesh of most shape-shifters, but a man&039;s tux covers up a lot of injuries

"Don&039;t you make me feel any more self-conscious than I already do," I said "For about a dio crawl back into bed and sleep for a week"

"I&039;h I&039;d reduce the sleep time," Quinn said sincerely "But for our peace of mind, I think we better do this first By the way, my suspense was about the trip to the bank, not your dress I figure, with your dress, it&039;s a in situation If you stay in it, good If you don&039;t, even better"

I looked away, trying to control an involuntary smile "The trip to the bank" That seemed like a safe topic "Well, her bank account didn&039;t have a lot in it, which I figured would be the case Hadley didn&039;t have much sense about money Hadley didn&039;t have much sense, period But the safe-deposit box"

The safe-deposit box had held Hadley&039;s birth certificate, a e license, and a divorce decree dated lad to see - and a laminated copy of my aunt&039;s obituary Hadley had knohen her h to keep the clipping There were pictures from our shared childhood, too: my mother and her sister; randmother and her husband There was a pretty necklace with sapphires and diaiven to Hadley), and a pair of s that I wanted to think about

But the queen&039;s bracelet was not there That hy Mr Cataliades had wanted to accompany me, I think; he half expected the bracelet would be there, and he seemed quite anxious when I held the lockbox out to him so he could see its contents for hi the kitchen stuff this afternoon after Cataliades took me back to Hadley&039;s apartment," I said to Quinn, and watched his reaction I would never again take the disinterestedness of ranted I found, after I saw that his reaction was perfectly calood," he said "Sorry I didn&039;tout Jake&039;s dealings with Special Events I had to call irlfriend He wasn&039;t steady enough to be around her, if she even wants to see hiain She&039;s not a vamp lover, to put it mildly"

At the moment, I wasn&039;t either I couldn&039;t fathom the true reason the queen wanted me at the party, but I had found another reason to see her Quinn sood would co I had to ad the queen&039;s party barn, so to speak - and I was also kind of glad to dress up and be pretty after all the swa

As we drove, I almost opened a conversation with Quinn at least three tiot to the point, I keptclose," he told hborhoods in New Orleans, the Garden District The houses, set in beautiful grounds, would cost many times what even the Bellefleur mansion would fetch In the h wall that extended for a whole block This was the renovated ht be other gates at the back of the property, but tonight all the traffic was h the main front entrance It was heavily protected with the uards of all: vampires I wondered if Sophie-Anne Leclerq was paranoid, or wise, or simply did not feel loved (or safe) in her adopted city I was sure the queen also had the regular security provisions - cauard dogs There was security out the ying-yang here, where the elite vaht the party was supes only, the first large party the needs had given since they&039;d become a couple

Three of the queen&039;s va with three of the Arkansas vaill&039;s va called it livery The Arkansas bloodsuckers,white suits with blue shirts and red vests I didn&039;t know if the king was ultrapatriotic or if the colors had been chosen because they were in the Arkansas state flag as well as the US flag Whichever, the suits were beyond tacky and into soill had been dressed so conservatively! Was this some tradition I&039;d never heard of? Gosh, even I knew better than that, tastewise, and I bought most of my clothes at Wal-Mart

Quinn had the queen&039;s card to show to the guards at the gate, but still they called up to the main house Quinn looked uneasy, and I hoped he was as concerned as I was about the extreills vauish the hard about the queen&039;s need to offer the king&039;s vao upstairs with ht of the anxiety she displayed when she asked about the bracelet I thought of the presence of both caate Neither monarch trusted the spouse to provide protection

It seeh Quinn was as quiet as I while aited

The grounds seemed to be beautifully landscaped and kept, and they were certainly well lit

"Quinn, this is just wrong," I said "What&039;s going on here? Do you think they&039;d let us leave?" Unfortunately, it seeh all my suspicions were true

Quinn didn&039;t look any happier than I was "They won&039;t let us out," he said "We have to go on now" I clutchedthere was so more lethal in it than a few small items like a compact and a lipstick, and a ta drive to the front of the monastery

"What did you do today, besides work on your outfit?" Quinn asked

"I made a lot of phone calls," I said "And one of the the route from New Orleans to Bon Temps"

He turned to stare at me, but I pointed just in time for Quinn to apply the brakes

A lion strolled across the drive

"Okay, what&039;s that? Aniier by the s roah to keep the lion in

We parked in front of the for It hadn&039;t been built for beauty, but for utility, so it was a largely featureless structure There was one small door in the ain, fairly easy to defend

Outside the small door stood sixclothes - surely Louisiana bloodsuckers - and three arish outfits

"That&039;s just butt-ugly," I said

"But easy to see, even in the dark," Quinn said, looking as if he were thinking deep, significant thoughts

"Duh," I said "Isn&039;t that the point? So they&039;ll instantly oh" Iclose to that, on purpose or by accident Under any circumstances Unless it was really important to be instantly identifiable"

Quinn said, "It&039;s possible that Peter Threadgill is not devoted to Sophie-Anne"

I gave a squawk of laughter just as two Louisiana vampires opened our car doors in a move so coordinated it uard vampire I&039;d met at the queen&039;s don headquarters, took my hand to help me from the car, and she s SWAT gear She earing a pretty yellow dress with low heels Now that she wasn&039;t wearing a helht brown

She took a deep, dramatic breath as I passed, and then made an ecstatic face "Oh, the odor of the fairy!" she exclai!"

I swatted at her playfully To say I was surprised would be an understatement Vampires, as a whole, are not noted for their sense of hu side, huh?"

Chester said, "Can&039;t be too daring for ht it couldn&039;t be a coincidence that the three vampires I&039;d met at the queen&039;s headquarters were the three vaure out what that could arding the to-and-fro between us with cold eyes They were not in the sa definitely off-kilter here But with the acute va to say about it

Quinn tookhall that seeill va at the door of a room that seemed to serve as a reception area

"Would you like to check your bag?" she asked, obviously put out at being relegated to a hat-check girl

"No, thanks," I said, and thought she was going to pull it out from under my arm

"May I search it?" she asked "We screen for weapons"

I stared at her, always a risky thing to do to a vampire "Of course not I have no weapons"

"Sookie," Quinn said, trying not to sound alarmed "You have to let her look in your purse It&039;s procedure"

I glared at hiuard, as a svelte young vaed the cut of the white pants, seized my purse with an air of triumph She turned it out over a tray, and its few contents clattered to the lue, a handkerchief, a ten-dollar bill, and a taid plastic applicator, completely covered in plastic wrap

Quinn was not unsophisticated enough to turn red, but he did glance discreetly away The va before women carried such items in their purses, asked me its purpose and nodded when I explained She repackedwith a hand gesture that we should proceed down the hall She&039;d turned to the people who&039;d come in behind us, a Were couple in their sixties, before we&039;d even exited the room

"What are you up to?" Quinn asked, in the quietest possible voice, as we h any more security?" I asked, in a voice just as hushed

"I don&039;t know I don&039;t see any up ahead"

"I have to do so," I said "Excuse me, while I find the nearest ladies&039; room" I tried to tell him, with my eyes, and with the pressure ofwould be all right, and I sincerely hoped that was the truth Quinn was clearly not happy with me, but he waited outside the ladies&039; roo was a monastery) while I ducked into one of the stalls and made a few adjustments When I came out, I&039;d tossed the tampon container into the little bin in the stall, and one of ed My purse was a little heavier

The door at the end of the corridor led into the very large rooh the rooe pillars supported the roof, three on the left and three on the right, the rest of the decor was considerably different now The , and the floor ooden There was a dais for musicians close to the refreshments table, and another dais at the opposite end of the room for the royalty

Around the sides of the roos The whole room was decorated in white and blue, the colors of Louisiana One of the walls hadscenes from around the state: a swae; a field being plowed and lu up a net in the Gulf Coast These were all scenes featuring hu was behind that Then I turned to look at the wall surrounding the doorway I&039;d just entered, and I saw the varoup of happy va away; a va the French Quarter; a vah one of the Cities of the Dead No va, I noticed This was a statement in public relations I wondered if it really fooled anyone All you had to do was sit down at a supper table with vampires, and you&039;d be reht

Well, this wasn&039;t what I&039;d come to do I looked around for the queen, and I finally saw her standing by her husband She earing a long-sleeved orange silk dress, and she looked fabulous Long sleeves , but vaill earing a tux, and he looked equally i behind hi a red sequined dress (in which, by the way, she looked awful) Andre, also fully arebert and Wybert couldn&039;t be far off I spotted them on either side of a door that I assumed led to the queen&039;s private apartments The two vampires looked acutely unco bears who&039;d been limpse of him in the far corner, in the opposite direction fro

"You have toothe direction of lad to tell you a few of &039;em, real soon," I promised, and we joined the tail end of the reception line "When we reach the royals, you go ahead of , okay? Then I will tell you everything"

We reached to Mr Cataliades first I guess he was sort of the queen&039;s secretary of state Or eneral would be ain, Mr Cataliades," I said, in ot a surprise for you," I added

"You may have to save it," he said with a kind of stiff cordiality "The queen is about to have the first dance with her new king And we&039;re all so looking forward to seeing the present the king gave her"

I glanced around but I didn&039;t see Diantha "How&039;s your niece?" I asked

"My surviving niece," he said grimly, "is at home with her mother"

"That&039;s too bad," I said "She should be here this evening"

He stared at me Then he looked interested

"Indeed," he said

"I heard that soo Wednesday, on her way to Bon Te sword Here, let me tuck this in your pocket I don&039;t need it any more" When I stepped away from him and faced the queen, I had one hand over e had vanished

I held out ht hand, and the queen was forced to take it in her own I had counted on obliging the queen to follow the huhty relieved when she did Quinn had passed fro, and he said, "Your Majesty, I&039;m sure you re Did the flowers turn out like you wanted?"

Soe eyes on Quinn, and Jade Flower kept her eyes on what her king did

Trying very hard to keep my movements swift but not jerky, I pressed my left hand and as in it onto the queen&039;s wrist She didn&039;t flinch, but I think she thought about it She glanced down at her wrist to see what I&039;d put on it, and her eyes closed in relief

"Yes, my dear, our visit was lovely," she said, at randolanced back over her shoulder, and Andre picked up his cue, and inclined his head to lad to get the ordeal over with that I smiled at him radiantly, and he looked a shade ahtly to beckon hi as broadly as I was

Jade Floas distracted by Andre&039;s movement forward, and her eyes followed his They widened, and she was very ed Mr Cataliades was looking at the sword on Jade Flower&039;s back with a co and it wasof Arkansas

"I hear that you had an adventure in the swamps yesterday," he said, his voice cool and indifferent

"Yes, sir But it all worked out okay, I think," I said

"Good of you to come," he said "Now that you have wrapped up your cousin&039;s estate, I a to your home?"

"Oh, yes, quick as can be," I said It was the absolute truth I would go hoh at the ood I had counted, as well as I was able in a throng like this There were at least twenty vaht Arkansas outfit, and perhaps the same number of the queen&039;s homies

I moved away, and the Were couple that had entered after Quinn and overnor of Louisiana, and I hoped he had good life insurance

"What?" Quinn deently ainst it I had to face away from any lip-readers in the roo?" I asked

He shook his head "One of the dia present?" he asked, his head ducked to baffle any watchers

"Yes,knew the bracelet was e that she&039;d given it to a lover, then he would have grounds for divorce"

"What would he get then?"

"What wouldn&039;t he get! It was a vaet anycontract was thirty pages"

I understooda gray-green gown streith gleaet the attention of the crowd Gradually the assembled people fell silent

"Sophie-Anne and Peter welcome you to their first joint entertainment," the vamp said, and her voice was so musical and mellow that you wanted to listen to her for hours They should get her to do the Oscars Or the Miss Aeant "Sophie-Anne and Peter invite all of you to have a wonderful evening of dancing, eating, and drinking To open the dancing, our host and hostess altz"

Despite his glitzy surface, I thought Petera square dance, but with a wife like Sophie-Anne, it altz or nothing He advanced on his wife, his ar va, show them the bracelets"

Sophie-Anne swept the croith a smile and raised her own ar bracelet on each wrist shone at the guests, the two huge diahts

For a ill was absolutely still, as if soun He altered his stance as he moved forward, after that, and took one of her hands in both of his He stared down at one bracelet, then released her hand to take the other That bracelet, too, passed his silent test

"Wonderful," he said, and if it was through his fangs you&039;d only think they&039;d extended because he was horny for his beautiful wife "You&039;re wearing both of the" Her sh so was letting his te plan, and now I&039;d spoiled it but thankfully, he didn&039;t know ed to retrieve her bracelet and save her face, and he had nothing to justify whatever he&039;d plotted to do He would have to back down After this, he&039;d probably think of another way to subvert his queen, but at least I&039;d be out of the fray

Quinn and I retreated to the refreshe room, beside one of the thick pillars Servers were there with carving knives to shave off ham or roast beef There were yeasty rolls to pile the meat on It s Quinn gotcouple and waited for the ceiling to fall in

"Don&039;t they look lovely together?" a well-dressed gray-haired woman said I realized she was the one who&039;d coreed

"I&039;m Genevieve Thrash," she said "This is my husband, David"

"Pleased to meet you," I said "I&039;m Sookie Stackhouse, and this is my friend, John Quinn" Quinn looked surprised I wondered if that was actually his first naer and Were, shook hands while Genevieve and I watched the couple dance a bit longer