Swimming to the Light (Southern Vampire Mystery)

Chapter 27 - Sighting by Lights

Los Angeles:

Eric twirled Karin around the floor of the ballroom. Her gown flared slightly around her legs. She smiled brightly and Eric threw his head back and laughed. The outward picture was one of carefree pleasure. Inwardly Eric was acutely aware of Horst and Felipe's positions as they moved around the room.

Felipe had not recovered quickly from the defeat at the Assizes court. The rumor was that he had taken his anger out on his room and that there had been substantial damage to his suite. Eric thought it would do nothing to repair what now appeared to be a schism with the California king. 'Felipe's support is eroding,' Eric thought with some satisfaction. The nightly king's conference had been cancelled. With the ball signaling the official end of the Summit there would not be another gathering of Nevada's assets. Many were leaving on flights tonight. Eric and his party were scheduled to return to Oklahoma during daytime hours tomorrow.

Karin had been discretely inquiring into the reason Angie was absent from the king's side. She had been told that Felipe had released Angie shortly before the Summit. It confirmed what many had been thinking; that Felipe was Angie's maker. According to gossip, Angie had immediately departed from Las Vegas. It was not clear why Felipe had chosen this timing. From Eric's point of view it provided another explanation as to why the king seemed off his game. Angie had been someone who had been a buffering element in the king's life. It occurred to Eric that Felipe de Castro was now surrounded solely by men and most specifically, Horst. It did not seem to be improving de Castro's strategic outlook one bit.

There had been other hearings following Felipe's and the Assizes court had ground on for several more hours. The media outside had gone into a frenzy following the announcement that the suit involving Sookie Stackhouse had been dismissed. The result had been national news attention. Sookie's face had been flashed repeatedly on television sets across America. There had been several reports that linked her to Eric and more that linked her to Bill Compton as the inspiration for Shanna the fictional waitress in his bestselling novel.

The underlying theme of the coverage had been the on-going questions as to the motivation of vampires and how they really viewed humans. Some reports used the speedy dismissal of the suit as proof that fears about vampire prejudice against humans was unfounded. But other media outlets were using the fact that the motion had been brought at all as evidence that there was some sort of conspiracy or secret agenda and that vampires were basically evil. Felipe had managed to become the poster child for vampire bad behavior with his refusal to talk with reporters. At one point, pushed and prodded by lights and cameras he had bared his fangs. Eric was certain that photograph would find its way into becoming the most remembered image of the day. Felipe may have thought he was winning, but from where Eric sat he could see the beginning of the end for the Nevada king. 'The trick,' Eric thought, 'will be staying clear of the vortex when he sinks.'

The evening had started as all Summit balls did. Eric and Karin had made their way to the dais set up at one end of the room. The attending monarchs were seated on thrones surrounded by their closest advisors. Their subjects came forward and bowed before moving away to take part in the dancing. Felipe had made an effort to look less than cordial. When Eric and Karin had bowed he had hissed, "Where is your other child? Where is my sheriff, Pam Ravenscroft?"

Eric had kept his head down as he replied, "She is attending to the general opening of Fangtasia-LA. She wanted to be certain that your faith in her was justified by the success of the venture. She is most grateful for the support you have shown both herself and her partner." Eric could almost hear the king grinding his teeth but there had been no additional questions. Horst had followed them with his cold eyes. Eric worried that the king or Horst might decide to take some action against him tonight. Now, over an hour into the evening, it appeared those fears were unfounded.