Authors Note- Thank you all for hanging in there with me, and for the kind words. Life has been insane over the past year, but I am passionate about finishing this story, and I hope you'll see this through to the end with me. Much love!

Chapter 8

In the months during the devastating effects of Sangue Debolezza, it seemed the vast majority of humans turned against vampires. It was a tricky time to be a Supe, anywhere in the world, but especially in the United States, which seemed to be hit the hardest by the disease.

The Fellowship of the Sun, and other anti-vampire groups had managed to garner a lot of political power over the course of the last year.

It seemed that the events of the last 12 months had completely undone the work vampire political factions had spent nearly a century developing.

While some charismatic vampires maintained their positions in the public eye, advocating for vampire rights, the vast majority of supernaturals returned to lives of secrecy, forced back into the coffin.

Factories where True Blood and other blood substitutes were produced were a constant target for bombings, and other such attacks. The few underground factories that managed to evade these attacks just simply couldn't produce the volume necessary to keep up with the demand.

Despite the vampire authority placing a law into effect that no vampires were to make new progeny until everything was under control, baby vamp numbers were skyrocketing, and feral vampire attacks were on the rise. Which did nothing to help matters with the vehemently anti-vampire groups.

There were stories on the news daily about advancements in weapons against vampires.

It was becoming increasingly more apparent every day that things were going to come to a head very soon, in a very ugly way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mr. Cataliades proved to be extremely helpful in the weeks following Freyda's death. Eric was brought before the authority, and all charges were dropped on the grounds that Freyda herself breeched the contracts' no contact clause when she had me heal her progeny.

I hadn't seen Eric since that night. Desmond thought it would be in Eric's best interest to not be seen interacting with me until he was cleared of any treason and breech of contract charges.

According to Pam, who I was now speaking with constantly, primarily via text, Eric needed time to wrap his head around recent developments.

To say it was utter agony would be an understatement. I resigned myself years ago to never even seeing Eric again. At some point after realizing I was no longer aging at a human rate, I had a glimmer of hope that I may at least see him after his contract was completed. After actually seeing him again, being away from him was more than I could bear.

The phone rang, pulling me from my thought. Months ago, when the vampire attacks started, we preemptively relocated our business from the office building in Shreveport to my home. I figured the fae and witch wards would keep us significantly safer, as I was a known 'vampire sympathizer.'

"Stackhouse residence," Delila answered the phone. "Slow down, I can barely understand you!"

"LET ME SPEAK TO SOOKIE, YOU INCOMPETENT BITCH!" I heard Eric's voice bellow through the receiver.

Delila began to reply, but noticed me running for the phone before she got any words out.

I took the phone from her. Before I had a chance to deliver any form of greeting Eric realized I was on the line.

"We were attacked. Pam was still quite weak, and is badly injured. Karin suggested you would be better suited to heal her than Dr. Ludwig."

"Of course," I responded. "Where are you? I'll be there immediately."

"Can we come to you?"