Sam’s a pureblood shifter, so he can change into any kind of animal form, though he prefers that of a dog. Most shifters tend to stick to a form they’ve become comfortable with, like a favorite shirt or a pair of shoes that fits just right. But Sam makes a great lion, let me tell you.
The wolves are a lot more secretive than the vampires. Let’s face it—not having to sleep in a coffin and remain unseen during the day lets them blend in a lot easier. I know a lot of Weres, and I’m still finding out things about them. If someone had told me there is a hidden shapeshifter bar in Shreveport, I would have thought they were nuts, which is probably the pot calling the kettle black, if you stop and think about it. Quinn took me to a drinking establishment called the Hair of the Dog, and it’s not a place for the fainthearted.
Most wolves group together in packs, with the strongest taking the role of packleader, a position that must be defended against challengers. I’ve been around Shreveport’s Long Tooth pack mostly, and it certainly isn’t a democracy. What the packmaster says goes. And if the packmaster needs backing up, the pack enforcer steps in.
There are some negatives to dating one of the two-natured, though the facts that they can go out in the sun and are physically warm are huge plusses as far as I’m concerned. But the icky part is that the necessity to keep breeding true can dominate mating choices. And if you’re a rare breed, like a weretiger or a werepanther, you’re kind of obliged to seek out a same-breed mate of the opposite sex and try to have a baby. Take Hotshot, for example. It’s a tiny enclave way out in the boondocks, and the werepanthers who live there form a nearly closed society.
Breeding true is all the more important because the two-natured have a high mortality rate. So the leader of a pack is required to have children with as many of the pureblood women in his group as possible. I found this out from Calvin Norris when we were semiromantically involved for a while. As much as I thought I might care for him, this secret breeding program was something I couldn’t handle. I’m the sort of woman who wants her husband home in bed with her, not out having kids with the nice lady down the street.
The two-natured young start manifesting their abilities when they hit puberty, as if teenagers don’t have enough problems already. According to what I’ve been told, the kids are mentored and taught how to handle both the physical and emotional changes that their condition entails.
Sometimes, though, shapeshifters will find that they have to mentor a nonchild. That’s what happened with my brother, Jason, though there are times when (with the way he acts) you’d think he was a prepubescent kid. After he got involved with Calvin’s niece Crystal, one of her werepanther ex-boyfriends took it into his head that the only thing that attracted her to Jason was that he was a full human. So he decided to turn Jason into a werepanther and win Crystal back that way—which, by the way, didn’t work. This transformation is not an easy thing to go through, but my big brother survived. In fact, after the first time he changed, Jason described it as “the most incredible experience” of his life.
Go figure.
THE FAIRIES
Just when I thought I had things figured out, with the vampires and the shapeshifters and all, I ended up having everything turned upside down again.
I found out that fairies are real; and no, I’m not talking trash about gay guys. I am talking about fairies—you know, those guys with the pointed ears? They’re actually a lot like the elves in The Lord of the Rings. I’m sorry, but Tolkien got them wrong. You don’t want to meet a real elf. They can take off your hand with one bite.
Unlike vampires and shapeshifters, fairies aren’t actually from the world we know. They come from a world that is pretty darn close to ours but is separated by some kind of magical barrier; at least, that’s the way I understand it. This world is called Faery, and all the . . . well, the creatures that live in it are the fae. Fairies are only one branch of the fae, but they’re the most populous and the most humanlike in form.
I’ve met elves, demons, and goblins. You don’t want to know them, though Mr. Cataliades, the mostly demon lawyer, is an okay guy.
Why am I interested in the fairies? I found out that my brother and I are part fairy. Out of nowhere my great-grandfather Niall Brigant invited me to dinner in Shreveport. He explained that his half-human son had been my grandfather and that he wanted to get to know me better; after all, we were family. Now I’m pretty sure that explains my being able to read minds.
He wasn’t the first fairy I met. That was Claudine Crane, six feet tall and drop-dead gorgeous, who turned out to be my fairy godmother. She definitely was not one of those fairies in a kid’s story; you know the kind I’m talking about, small, winged things that giggle and dart around like a demented firefly? No, Claudine wasn’t one of those; she knew magic, but she knew sex appeal as well and didn’t hesitate to use it. There wasn’t an eye, male or female, that didn’t look up and notice her when she walked into the room. Though she didn’t tell me so, Niall had sent her. Claudine was a full fairy, and she was also my cousin.
Magic is part of the very nature of the fae, and although they might all have the ability, it can manifest differently in each branch. Kind of like the way we humans have the same basic bodies but wildly different talents and capacities. I wonder if I should even be saying “we” anymore. Can I include myself with humans, since I’m part fairy? That’s something I’ve got to give some thought to.
Claudine said that the fae live a very long time, but they’re not immortal; they just don’t age at the same rate that humans do. I don’t think that fact really sank in until I met my great-grandfather. He doesn’t look much older than late fifties or early sixties, and he’s been alive for centuries, maybe even millennia. The fairies don’t keep track of time very well.
Not all that many of the fae actually live in our world for any extended period. Most of them prefer to stay away because of iron. That stuff is to them like Kryptonite is to Superman; oddly enough, so is lemon juice. I’m not a scientist, but that allergy seems a little weird to me. However, I went to school with people who were allergic to things like eggs and peanuts, so why not? Of course, that also means that a squirt gun full of lemon juice is an effective weapon against them.
I wonder if I could go to the world of the fae for a visit? I doubt I would be very well received. Most of those who reside in Faery look at humans as if we were an insult to their own wonderfulness. But a few fae choose to live on earth because humans are full of energy and emotions of a type that they can’t enjoy anywhere else. Claudine’s twin Claude lives among us, and Claudine did until her death.
Some fairies enjoy finding humans to mate with. Though these unions seldom result in a pregnancy, some do. The resultant kids have a compelling quality and sometimes strange abilities. Though it makes me squeamish to think of Gran and a fairy, I’m glad she was able to have my father and my aunt Linda.
The gateways, or portals, into Faery are hidden away in a number of places around the world, and those locations are guarded jealously. I can take a few guesses on general locations based on things that my great-grandfather and Claudine have said. The fae don’t like extremes in temperature, so I doubt that there will be any portals off in Siberia or down in Central America somewhere.
I know there’s a portal in the woods in back of my house.
The biggest danger for fairies who choose to reside in the human world—beyond even iron or lemon juice—is vampires. They find the very presence of a fairy intoxicating, and if they have the chance to drink the blood of a fairy, it’s an orgy of sensation for the vamp. So it’s not always fun to see them in the same room together. Thankfully, I’ve never been pushed into having to choose between the vampires I know and my cousins who are fae.
God willing, I never will be.
SOOKIE’S FAMILY TREE
Sookie Stackhouse Trivia
How Much of a Sookie Fan Are You?
BY BEVERLY BATTILLO AND VICTORIA KOSKI
As Sookie herself migh
t say, “The devil’s in the details.” We’ve assembled a whole host of trivia questions to test your knowledge about Sookie and the people, places, and things in her world. The first set is pretty easy, and then we’ve thrown in some stumpers later on. Turn to pages 236–44 for the answers. Have at it, and have fun!
Part One: The Easy Stuff
Dead Until Dark: 1. What are the names of the couple who attempt to drain Bill?
2. What is Gran’s full name?
3. What are Gran’s two favorite organizations in Bon Temps?
4. What is Rene Lenier’s sister’s first name?
5. What is the name of Sookie’s uncle whom Bill arranges to have killed?
Living Dead in Dallas: 1. What is the name of the Bellefleur mansion in Bon Temps?
2. What is the name of the vampire cook who worked at Merlotte’s the night before Lafayette’s body is discovered in the parking lot?
3. What kind of creature uses Sookie to send a message to Eric?
4. What airline do Bill and Sookie use on their trip to Dallas?
5. In Dallas, Sookie interviews a girl named Bethany, who later turns up dead. Bethany has a roommate. What is her name?
Club Dead: 1. Name the road where Belle Rive is located.
2. What is the name of the vampire King of Mississippi?
3. What hold do the vampires have over Alcide Herveaux’s dad?
4. What is the name of Debbie Pelt’s fiancé?
5. Whom do Sookie and Alcide find dead in the closet?
Dead to the World: 1. What is Sookie’s New Year’s resolution for January 1, 2005?
2. What color is Tara’s new Camaro?
3. What amount of money is Sookie to receive for taking care of Eric?
4. Name the manager of the bridal shop who is murdered by the witches.
5. What is the witch Hallow’s true name?
Dead as a Doornail: 1. What is the name of the early-night DJ for the all-vampire radio station KDED?
2. What is the name of the sniper’s first were-victim in Bon Temps?
3. What was Charles Twining’s profession before he was turned?
4. Name the two detectives who come to interview Sookie about Debbie Pelt.
5. How does Sookie’s insurance agent, Greg Aubert, protect his clients’ property?
Definitely Dead: 1. What is Bill Compton’s favorite bar beverage?
2. What is the name of Sookie’s cousin who died in New Orleans?
3. What is the name of the little boy whom Sookie uses her gift to find?
4. What theater and what play do Sookie and Quinn enjoy on their first date?
5. What do the names of Sophie-Anne’s guards Wybert and Sigebert mean?
All Together Dead: 1. What state was Thalia thrown out of after the Great Revelation?
2. Where was Pam living when Eric summoned her?
3. Where and at what age was Pam turned?
4. Name the three conscious travelers in the airplane with Sookie on the trip to Rhodes.
5. What is the name of the security officer who handcuffs Sookie?
From Dead to Worse: 1. Sookie takes the place of which bridesmaid in Halleigh’s wedding?
2. What is the name of Copley Carmichael’s chauffeur and bodyguard?
3. What is the name of the restaurant where Sookie first meets Niall Brigant?
4. Name the female Were who instigated the Were war.
5. What position does Sandy Sechrest hold?
Dead and Gone: 1. Name the two cohosts for the show The Best Dressed Vamp.
2. Who is the FBI agent from New Orleans who visits Sookie and is shot at Arlene’s?
3. What is the full name of Eric’s maker?
4. What is the name of the church where Crystal’s funeral is held?
5. What are the real names of Thing One and Thing Two?
Dead in the Family: 1. What is Jannalynn’s last name?
2. Why was Kennedy in jail?
3. Where is Basim from?
4. Where is Debbie Pelt’s car? Bonus: What kind of car is it? (This info is from another book.)
5. What does Sam buy as a wedding gift from the Merlotte’s employees for Tanya and Calvin?
Dead Reckoning: 1. What is Brenda’s last name?
2. What is Claude’s secretary’s name?
3. Who teaches in the Puppy Room?
4. What color are Colton’s eyes?
5. What’s the first song Bubba sings for Victor?
Part Two: The Tough Stuff
Think you’re a real Sookie Stackhouse fan? Prove it by answering these harder questions about the world of Sookie Stackhouse.
Dead Until Dark: 1. What town does Bon Temps “love to hate?”
2. What color is the Rattrays’ car?
3. Who calls Gran with the news about the Rattrays?
4. What is the name of the funeral home used by people of color in Bon Temps?
5. What color is Dawn’s car?
6. What plants are in the hanging basket by Dawn’s front door?
7. Where does JB’s cousin live?
8. Where is JB working?
9. What does Sam eat at the Crawdad Diner?
10. What kind of mattress does Bill buy?
11. Where does Diane dance naked?
12. On what street is the house of the Monroe vamps (Malcolm, Liam, and Diane)?
13. How much money does Sookie find in the couch while cleaning with Sam?
14. What is the “Secret Vampire Knock” Bill uses when he takes Sookie to read the humans about the stolen money?
15. What is Bruce’s wife’s name?
Living Dead in Dallas: 1. What color are Lafayette’s toenails?
2. What game do the Merlotte’s employees play while waiting to open after the discovery of Lafayette’s body?
3. Where did Khan work prior to Merlotte’s?
4. What color is Dr. Ludwig’s hair?
5. Who did Sookie’s best friend Marianne hook up with on the senior trip to Six Flags?
6. What is Stan’s former name?
7. What is the name of the bar owned by Stan and the Dallas vampires?
8. When Bethany was a little girl, what was her dog’s name?
9. What is Bethany’s hairdresser’s name?
10. What is the name of the detective investigating Bethany’s death?
11. What is the name of the church attended by Hugo Ayres?
12. What is the name of the bartender at the party at Stan’s house?
13. Where is Jan Fowler’s cabin?
14. What is the name of the physician whom JB du Rone dated for a few months until she had to move to Baton Rouge?
15. What were Bill’s children’s names?
Club Dead: 1. What is the name of Jane Bodehouse’s son?
2. What is the name of Arlene’s new beau?
3. Whose Depends failed?
4. Who gives Sookie a manicure and pedicure at Janice’s salon?
5. What does Janice’s customer attempt to steal?
6. What song do Sookie and Alcide dance to at Josephine’s?
7. Who calls with word that Bill’s house has been searched?
8. What is the name of the Shreveport packmaster?
9. What is the name of the Were motorcycle gang based in Jackson?
10. What is Alcide’s nephew’s name?
11. Where do Alcide and Sookie dump the body from the closet?
12. What is the color of the dress Sookie’s wearing at Club Dead when she’s staked?
13. Who keeps the doctor company at Russell’s house?
14. Who is the vampire who heals Sookie after the stake is removed?
15. What is the name of the Were who tells Sookie about the crucifixion?
Dead to the World: 1. Who is sitting beside Chuck Beecham at Merlotte’s at the New Year’s Eve party?
2. Where does Holly Cleary’s ex-husband live?
3. What is Cody Cleary’s stepsister’s name?
4. What day o
f the week is Verena Rose’s Bridal and Formal Shop closed?
5. What is the name of the officer Sookie and Alcide speak with at the bridal shop?