Fangtasia

[onceaviking]

They return early in the evening and Eric locks himself in his office and dedicates his time to phone calls.

He'd been tempted to push it off, ignoring the harsh reality of the utter clusterfuck they were returning to, but there had been no chance of that. The first thing they'd seen upon returning to Fangtasia - the literal first fucking thing - had been Russell Edgington. Not in the flesh, but on the small television set in his office.
Russell Edgington, raving like a madman. Oh, and ripping the spine out of the news anchor's back.

Yeah. Clusterfuck. Not to be put off.

So he gets Pam to go get the club ready and starts making calls. His stock brokers, his banks.
A lawyer.


He'd rather hoped that things could be taken care of like this, but the lawyer is insistent that he will need face time as well as signatures. So they schedule an appointment that same night, after closing time at Fangtasia.

When the Sheriff of Area Five wants business taken care of, even busy lawyers can find a free slot in their time manager.

And then it's time to work the crowd. His edginess permeates everything, tinting every interaction with danger.
The crowd loves it. The humans anyway. Somehow, most of them seem to miss that it is not an act.
The vampire staff and vampire customers on the other hand, give him a wide berth.

The night drags on.

Closing time comes round.

As does the lawyer. A nicely dressed man with grey hair and discrete, gold rimmed glasses. He waits by the bar as the last stragglers are ushered out and everything is wiped down.

Comments

[lazy_but_loyal]

So, there was the spine-ripping on TV. What a wonderful welcome back to the real world. They couldn't get a break, could they? No, of course not.

After Eric shoos her out of his office, she has no choice but to prepare the club for the evening. If any humans show up after seeing that spectacle on live TV, she'd be surprised. They'd be dumber than she originally thought.

She gets dressed (a violet satin blouse, black pencil skirt, underbust corset), and as the staff trickle in, they are quiet and subdued. Pam tells them to liven it up, because nothing is wrong.

Nothing is wrong.

When Eric comes out...well, there's something wrong, but no one will dare bring it up to either of them.

The humans? Dumber than she thought.

The last of the customers are leaving when the man in a suit and tie arrives looking for Mr. Northman. He looks and smells like a lawyer. Pam tells him to wait.

As he crosses the room, she tells the remaining staff members to finish up and leave. She then climbs up onto the stage where Eric is still brooding on his throne. It's only when she leans in toward him that he seems to snap out of his thoughts.

"Eric. That gentleman by the bar is here to see you."

She's already not liking this. She hates when lawyers are involved.

[onceaviking]

Eric rubs a hand over his face.
"Right," he says. "Let's do it."

He gets up and heads for a table close to the bar, nodding at the lawyer.
Indicating that he may approach.

Eric does not shake hands with humans.

He sits down and says, "Have you drawn everything up as I told you to?" even before the lawyer has gotten seated.

The man opens his briefcase and takes out a folder, opening it with the precise movements you'd expect from a heart surgeon.
"Yes, Mr. Northman. And as I told you on the phone, we need to go over the various sections in person. Now - "
He looks up at Eric with a small smile.
"I'll do my best to be quick about it. You are a busy - vampire, I'm sure."

Eric just looks at him. Stone faced.

And so he begins reading.

It's a will.

A will.

A 'this is what to do with my shit when I am no longer here' will.

The lawyer reads with practiced ease and looks up from the papers whenever he needs Eric to confirm something. Such as amounts. And names.
"I give all my residences, subject to any mortgages or encumbrances thereon, to--"

Eric replies, "My progeny, Pamela Swynford de Beaufort."
His voice is calm. His face unreadable.

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam stands at Eric's shoulder as Eric seats himself. She eyes the lawyer warily. Nothing good ever happens when a lawyer is around. And her misgivings are confirmed when the man starts reading from a very official-looking document.

...It's a will.

A fucking will.

She looks at Eric, incredulous, but he's not turning to face her. Only staring straight ahead at the lawyer sitting across from him, stone faced.

She huffs an irritated sigh and starts to pace.

Eric then names the beneficiary of his will out loud. And she snaps a little.

"Why are you doing this?" she says abruptly, interrupting.

[onceaviking]

"Because, Pam," Eric replies with forced calm, "Russell Edgington was maybe the oldest and strongest vampire on the planet - before he eviscerated a newsman live on TV."
He casts a glance at her.
"Now he's also the craziest, and his rage is directed at me. Do the math."

The lawyer pretends not to notice their interaction. Which is hard given that he is sitting right across from Eric. Who gives him a small, impatient wave.

He continues, "Article IV. I give the rest of my residuary estate to--"

"My progeny, Pamela Swynford de Beaufort," Eric says. Back to stonily looking at the lawyer. Not at Pam.

[lazy_but_loyal]

She sets her jaw.

Okay, so maybe that's a good point. But still, crazy isn't everything.

And besides, how is a fucking will supposed to solve this? Is this what he'd been thinking about the entire time they spent in Milliways?

"You're not even gonna put up a fight?"

[onceaviking]

"Of course I am," Eric says with a hint of testiness in his voice.
"But until I come up with a brilliant plan to beat him, I am covering my bases. And your ass."

Once again, the lawyer pretends not to notice.

[lazy_but_loyal]

She keeps pacing back and forth behind him.

She can't believe that this is all he has.

Essentially preparing to die. This is not what he's supposed to be doing.

"Eric--"

[onceaviking]

He turns on her, back rigid, shoulders taut with tension.
"Unless you have a plan for me to defeat Russell Edgington, do not distract me."

Snarling.

He turns his attention back to the lawyer, who, almost apologetically (he's used to vampires) says, "Your signature requires two witnesses, but the witness cannot be the beneficiary of your estate."
Smiling. Apologetically.

Eric turns and yells, "Yvetta!"

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam doesn't flinch at Eric's temper, but she does avert her eyes, glancing aside.

Distract him. From what? Signing on the dotted lines?

And no, she doesn't have a plan. When Eric said he was going to take care of her, she assumed he was also responsible for coming up with said plan. What with him always wanting to be in control, doing things his way. But he hasn't done a fucking thing yet.

The door to the back rooms opens, and Yvetta emerges, obedient to Eric's call. She's wearing a tight black little number that shows off all of her assets. She stands next to Eric with an expectant smile on her pouty lips.

[onceaviking]

He doesn't look up at her, as he asks, "Are you mentally competent and under no duress at this time?"

Ignoring Pam. Not just as she stands there, but the emotional turmoil he can feel churning inside of her. Inside of him.

He cannot let himself be distracted.

[lazy_but_loyal]

Yvetta considers this for about a second and then nods a little blankly. Well, she does feel pretty good right now. Eric wants her for something important, it seems, so yes, obviously.

"Da," she replies, still smiling.

Pam looks on. Knowing that Eric can't keep ignoring her.

[onceaviking]

But for now he is, as he addresses Yvetta.
"Good. Watch this."
He signs the will and the lawyer immediately starts lining up the papers and putting them away, saying, "Congratulations. According to the state of Louisiana, should Mr. Northman meet the true death, you will become a very wealthy vampire."

He shuts his briefcase and adds, "I'll show myself out, " as he gets up.

Clearly used to vampires.

[lazy_but_loyal]

Pam looks away when the lawyer addresses her. So she's going to become a very wealthy vampire if or when Eric dies.

Whoop-de-fucking-doo.

This is not what she wants.

Yvetta, meanwhile, realizes what she'd just agreed to sign. She turns to Eric, shocked and pretty damn pissed-off.

"You're giving her everything?" she demands in irate Russian. "You promised to take care of me!"

Pam is just as stunned, but she doesn't say anything.

[onceaviking]

He glares at Yvetta.
He is not in the mood for this.

"I promised you a job and good sex. That is all," he replies in Russian. He really isn't in the mood for this.

[lazy_but_loyal]

Yvetta's lips turn into an angry pout. Lies, all lies and empty promises, yet she still can't believe he'd treat her this way.

"So I mean nothing to you?" she says, stung and hurt by his callousness.

[onceaviking]

He is this close to the True Death. This close to total annihilation.

And she is choosing to give him shit about things that are none of her fucking business. She dares to make demands on him. Demands, that she has no right to make.

He turns his full wrath on her, roaring, "You mean less than nothing, You gold-digging whore!"
His face contorted from anger.

[lazy_but_loyal]

Yvetta might burst into tears. Instead she slams a chair against the table and storms off, shoving her way through the door to the back rooms.

Pam watches her go. It's not that she feels sorry for the girl. It's just that she knows what's fair and what isn't. And not even whores like to be called whores.

Arms firmly crossed, she hovers just behind Eric's shoulder.

"You can be a cold-hearted bastard," she mutters.

She abruptly turns away and leaves him.

[onceaviking]

He doesn't look at her.
Not when she mutters at him. Not when she leaves.
He stays seated, staring into the air.
Working on unclenching his jaw.

He'll go see Sookie.
And then he'll be ready.