Deadlocked

Chapter Two

Fairies. Never simple. My grandmother, Adele, would definitely have agreed. She d had a long affair with Dermot s fraternal twin Fintan, and my aunt Linda and my father Corbett (both dead for years, now) had been the results.

Maybe it s time for some plain speaking, I said, trying to look confident. Niall, maybe you could tell us why you re pretending Dermot isn t standing right here. And why you put that crazy spell on him. Dr. Phil to the fae that was me.

Or not. Niall gave me his most lordly look.

This one defied me, he said, tilting his head at his son.

Dermot bowed his head. I didn t know if he was keeping his eyes down so he wouldn t provoke Niall, or if he was concealing rage, or if he just couldn t think of where to begin.

Being related to Niall, even at two removes, was not easy. I couldn t imagine having a closer tie. If Niall s beauty and power had been united with a coherent course of action and a nobleness of purpose, he would have been very like an angel.

This conviction could not have popped into my head at a more inconvenient moment.

You re looking at me strangely, Niall said. What s wrong, dearest one?

In the time he s spent here, I said, my great uncle has been kind, hard working, and smart. The only thing that s been wrong with Dermot is a bit of mental fragility, a direct result from being made crazy for years. So, why d you do that? He defied me isn t really an answer.

You haven t got the right to question me, Niall said, in his most royal voice. I am the only living prince of Faery.

I don t know why that means I can t ask you questions. I m an American, I said, standing tall.

The beautiful eyes examined me coldly. I love you, he said very unlovingly, but you re presuming too much.

If you love me, or even if you just respect me a little, you need to answer my question. I love Dermot, too.

Claude was standing absolutely still, doing a great imitation of Switzerland. I knew

Charlaine Harris is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse and Midnight, Texas, fantasy/mystery series and the Aurora Teagarden, Harper Connelly, and Lily Bard mystery series. Her books have inspired HBO’s True Blood, NBC’s Midnight, Texas, and the Aurora Teagarden movies for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. She has lived in the South her entire life.

"Suspenseful...Worlds collide, setting up the perfect stage for Charlaine Harris's final words and her ultimate plans for the future of dear Sookie."--"New York Journal of Books" "Plenty of southern wit, humor and no small amount of grace on Sookie's part...Harris has a few more surprises up her sleeve."--"Monsters and Critics" "As loyalties realign and betrayals are unmasked, Harris ably sets the stage for the ensemble's last hurrah."--"Publishers Weekly" "Vampire politics and nefarious plots run amok...Harris has taken both Sookie and readers on an unforgettable ride with biting humor, treachery, and blood-soaked violence. "Deadlocked "features all the elements that have made this series such a pleasure. Get ready to roll!"--"RT Book Reviews"

Praise for #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris s Sookie Stackhouse novels

It s the kind of book you look forward to reading before you go to bed, thinking you re only going to read one chapter, and then you end up reading seven. Alan Ball, executive producer of True Blood

Vivid, subtle, and funny in her portrayal of southern life. Entertainment Weekly

Charlaine Harris has vividly imagined telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse and her small-town Louisiana milieu, where humans, vampires, shapeshifters, and other sentient critters live...Her mash-up of genres is delightful, taking elements from mysteries, horror stories, and romances. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The series continues to be inventive and funny with an engaging, smart, and sexy heroine. The Denver Post

Blending action, romance, and comedy, Harris has created a fully functioning world so very close to our own, except, of course, for the vamps and other supernatural creatures. The Toronto Star