The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

by Charlaine Harris

  Norris, Terry (panther): Calvin’s daughter by Maryelizabeth Norris, Terry is a forthright teenager who views Sookie with a strange mixture of hostility and respect. She is among the witnesses at the ceremony of the punishment for Crystal’s infidelity, watching as Sookie, standing in for Jason, breaks Calvin’s fingers as he stands in for his pregnant niece. (DAAD, DD, FDTW)

  Northman, Eric (vampire): More than a thousand years ago, a tipsy Viking warrior stopped to offer aid to a fallen stranger and died for his effort, rising as vampire Eric Northman. Fatally cured of his good Samaritanism, Eric uses his innate intelligence and cunning to grow into a powerful and prosperous vampire. He eventually settles in Louisiana and becomes the sheriff of Area Five, a position that puts all the vampires in his area under his protection and his control. He uses his position to his advantage by requiring his vamps to spend time in Fangtasia, a vampire bar he opens in Shreveport with Pam after the Great Revelation.

  Eric is intrigued when Bill Compton brings Sookie to Fangtasia in her search for clues about murders happening in her hometown of Bon Temps, and his interest is further piqued when Sookie reads the mind of an undercover cop in the bar and is able to alert Bill to an imminent police raid. The two signal Eric and bartender Long Shadow on their way out, and Sookie must admit that she is a telepath when Eric questions how she knew. When he discovers that someone is embezzling from the bar, he orders Bill to bring her back to Fangtasia to read his employees’ minds. When she worries that she could be sentencing a human to death by identifying him, Eric agrees to turn the thief over to the police if she will make herself available for further use. Although she cannot read vampire minds, Sookie does get the image of the embezzler from one of the waitresses and names Long Shadow. Eric is forced to stake his bartender when Long Shadow attacks Sookie. Even though the circumstances made it impossible to turn Long Shadow over to the police as promised, Eric holds Sookie to her end of the bargain.

  A maenad passing through the area uses Sookie’s back as a billboard to tell Eric that she expects tribute. Eric arranges for a supernatural doctor to attend to Sookie’s wounds and provide a transfusion, joining Pam, Bill, and new bartender Chow in draining Sookie of most of her poisoned blood. After her recovery, he sends her to Dallas to help locate the missing nest mate of vampire sheriff Stan Davis. Although the deal calls for only Sookie and Bill, Eric decides to go in undercover as a visiting California vampire named Leif. When the Fellowship of the Sun attacks Stan’s house as the vampires are celebrating Farrell’s safe return, Eric takes a bullet while covering Sookie. He uses the situation to his advantage by telling Sookie she must suck out the bullet, even though he knows it will pop out on its own. By getting his blood in her, even a drop, he will have insight into her feelings.

  Eric accepts Sookie’s invitation to an orgy but is taken aback when she requests that he pretend to be gay. Their attendance is, of course, a ploy to gain information on the murder of Lafayette Reynold, Sookie’s friend and co-worker at Merlotte’s. Eric shows up at Sookie’s house on time, resplendent in pink and aqua Lycra, and promises to keep her safe. Sookie does discover the killers through their thoughts and Eric gets her out of the immediate situation, but unfortunately for everyone involved, the maenad, Callisto, attends the orgy as well, attracted by the alcohol and debauchery. She sends her madness into the participants, sparing only Sookie, Tara, Eggs, Eric, and a newly arrived Bill, and the vampires clean up the mess afterward.

  Eric relies on Sookie’s affection for Bill when Bill goes missing along with a valuable project he was working on for their queen, and he sends werewolf Alcide Herveaux to escort her to Jackson in search of her missing lover. Once again, he shows up on the scene loosely disguised as Leif, coming to Sookie’s aid when she is staked at Club Dead. They are taken to the King of Mississippi’s mansion so she can be healed, and after she confirms that Bill is there, Eric finds her transportation so that she can rescue Bill during the day and escape. In the meantime, Eric spends his time with an adorable vampire named Bernard who has taken a shine to the big Viking. Eric plays along to help facilitate their plan. While Eric drives Sookie back to Bon Temps, the two are attacked first at a gas station by thugs (hired by a biker gang involved with Bill’s captivity) and then by the gang members themselves at Sookie’s home. As payment for Sookie’s services, Eric has her entire driveway repaved.

  A witch coven composed mainly of shifters who drink vampire blood comes to Shreveport to try to take over Eric’s business network. He refuses the coven leader’s offer of a better deal if he pleases her sexually and is cursed with amnesia when Chow attacks the witch who delivers the offer. Frightened, confused, and alone, he finds himself running down the road toward Sookie’s house early New Year’s morning and is taken in by a sympathetic Sookie. Jason makes a deal with Pam and Chow for Eric to remain at Sookie’s house as a paying guest while the witches are dealt with, and Eric and Sookie begin a brief, passionate affair. The witches are defeated in a joint effort by the local vampires and local Weres, and Eric and Sookie return to her house because his memory hasn’t yet returned. Upon entering the back door, they are surprised to find Debbie Pelt waiting for them with a gun. Eric steps in front of Sookie to take the bullet, giving Sookie time to grab a shotgun and blow most of Debbie’s head off. Eric disposes of the body and Debbie’s car while Sookie cleans up the mess. He returns in time to kiss her good night and climb into the hidey-hole in her guest room closet. By the time he awakens the next night, his memory is restored, but he has no recollection of what happened while he had amnesia, although he suspects it was more than a simple stay-over at Sookie’s.

  When Sam is shot and it’s discovered that shifters are being targeted, he asks Sookie to ask Eric if he can borrow a bartender. Eric readily agrees, always happy to be owed a favor, and sends Charles Twining, a newly hired bartender from Mississippi. Eric is unhappy to learn that Mickey, vampire child of Salome, is in the area and tells Sookie to stay away from him. Tara becomes involved with Mickey, passed to him by another vampire she was dating, and Sookie asks for Eric’s aid again, this time for her friend. Eric uses the favor to call in one from Sookie: He wants to know everything that happened while he had amnesia, and she tells him. In return, he calls Salome to call off her child, who is violating the new rules the vampires are trying to live by. Eric becomes suspicious of Charles Twining and decides to further check his references. To his horror, he discovers that Charles is pledged to Hot Rain, the sire of Long Shadow, and is there to take vengeance on Eric by harming Sookie. By the time he reaches Merlotte’s, the human patrons have taken care of the problem.

  Eric is unhappy when he has Pam call Sookie to a meeting and Sookie will not attend as she has a date with weretiger Quinn. Eric goes to her house instead and becomes enraged that not only is Sookie going on a date with the weretiger, but Quinn has delivered the news that vampire Queen Sophie-Anne Leclerq is claiming Sookie’s services for the upcoming vampire summit, usurping Eric. Eric travels separately to New Orleans as Sookie is heading down with Mr. Cataliades to take care of her late cousin Hadley’s apartment and legal affairs, with Bill as a passenger. Eric finds her in the hospital after she is attacked by Jake Purifoy and, when Bill enters as well, forces him to tell Sookie that he was sent by Sophie-Anne to gain her confidence. Because Sookie and he have had each other’s blood, Eric is called upon to track her after she and Quinn are kidnapped. When the melee breaks out at Sophie-Anne’s spring party, Eric slays the Arkansas vampire who decapitated Wybert.

  As planned, Eric, Bill, and Sookie all travel to the summit as part of the queen’s entourage. The King of Mississippi and the King of Indiana conclude their marriage contracts and decide to marry at the summit, but the priest doesn’t show up for the wedding. Ordained online by the Church of the Loving Spirit, Eric steps in as priest and performs the ceremony, keeping the ceremonial knife and cloak afterward. When Andre decides to force Sookie into a blood bond to tie her closer to the Louisiana vamps, Eric steps in aga
in and offers himself in Andre’s stead, using the ceremonial knife to cut himself for Sookie. Eric and Pam are saved by Sookie during the bombing of the hotel and return to Shreveport to recover.

  After calling in all his vampires, Eric himself is cut off from Fangtasia when the Nevada vamps arrive to take over Louisiana. He makes his way to Sookie’s house but has been tracked by Victor Madden and his crew. Victor makes an offer of surrender to Eric and Bill, informing them that he has Fangtasia surrounded and ready to burn. The vampires accept his terms, and Eric becomes the only sheriff from the old regime to survive the takeover. Fearful that King Felipe de Castro will force Sookie to work for him, taking her from her home, Eric sends her a wrapped bundle containing the ceremonial knife from the summit with instructions to present it to him in front of Victor. The formal presentation and acceptance signify a vampire marriage, making Sookie off-limits to other vamps. They eventually begin a romantic relationship, and though Sookie does not truly acknowledge the marriage, as it is not legal in human terms, Eric considers her his wife in every way that matters to him.

  When Eric’s maker, Appius Livius Ocella, arrives with another child in tow, Eric takes them in. Ocella hopes that Eric’s presence will calm the child, Alexei Romanov, whom he saved from execution by Bolsheviks, but Alexei is a drain on Ocella and Eric and, through their blood bond, on Sookie as well. Alexei becomes uncontrollable, killing Bobby and Felicia at Eric’s house and badly injuring both Eric and Pam. He is finally stopped by silver chains in Sookie’s front yard, and Eric stakes his brother with a tree branch. Ocella is killed by a crazed fae intent on killing Sookie, and Eric mourns his maker even as he rejoices in his freedom.

  His freedom is short-lived, as he soon receives word that Ocella arranged a marriage for him to Freyda, the vampire Queen of Oklahoma. He tries to extricate himself from the contract, even as he struggles under Victor Madden’s rule as Regent of Louisiana. Fangtasia is facing stiff competition from Victor’s new club, Vampire’s Kiss, and Victor himself is causing pain for Eric’s child Pam, denying her permission to turn her seriously ill lover. Eric includes Sookie in planning Victor’s demise but tries to hide his seemingly unavoidable nuptials to Freyda, finally admitting to the contract after pointed prodding from Pam. He tells Sookie that he will have to dissolve their vampire marriage. Unable to convince her of the need to honor his maker’s wishes, Eric concentrates his efforts on the assassination of Victor, persuading Bubba to sing at Fangtasia after hours to lure Victor to the club. The event goes fairly smoothly and culminates in the death of Victor at the hands of a vengeful Pam, while Eric kills Victor’s powerful second, Akiro. Eric becomes angry and frustrated with Sookie for what he perceives as her hypocrisy in not rejoicing over the death of Victor (when she knew it was necessary and even participated in both the planning and the deed), and without regard for her comfort, he takes the blood she offers to help him heal from his battle wounds. He lets Bill take Sookie home as he and his vampires begin to clean up the club. (DUD, LDID, CD, DTTW, DN, DAAD, DD, ATD, FDTW, DAG, DITF, DR; mentioned L, GW, TB, STW)

  O:

  Ocella, Appius Livius (vampire): Appius Livius Ocella was turned around the time of Jesus, so he is already centuries old when he turns Eric, his first success at siring a child. He teaches Eric how to be a vampire, educates Eric in Ocella’s own sexual proclivities, and finally sets Eric free after several centuries. Ocella is also successful in saving Alexei Romanov, the tsarevitch of Russia, from execution shortly after the Russian Revolution. Able to track the royal family because Rasputin has been giving hemophiliac Alexei his blood, the ancient vampire finds the royal family and watches as their bullet-ridden bodies are first thrown down a well and then dug up and reburied. Sensing a spark of life in Alexei, he can’t resist trying to save him. He arrives at Sookie’s house with Alexei in tow, hoping the presence of Eric will calm his troubled child. Spoiled in life, Alexei has descended into madness in death, haunted by the memories of the slaughter of his entire family. Even with Eric’s assistance, Ocella is unable to control Alexei, who sneaks out twice, resulting in a human death both times. Alexei finally completely snaps, killing Bobby Burnham and Felicia and badly wounding Eric and Pam. Ocella goes after his child, but Alexei severs his spinal column. Ocella lies in Sookie’s front yard, incapable of stopping Alexei, who is gleefully battling fairies Claude and Colman. After Alexei is finally killed by Eric, Ocella knows that Sookie is tempted to kill him as he lies helpless. She approaches him while Eric pleads for her not to do it, and she decides against it. Ocella realizes that Sookie is about to be impaled by Colman and mentally tells her to move, taking the fairy’s sword to the chest and dying almost instantly. For all his sins, Ocella is mourned by Eric, who soon learns that his maker has arranged a marriage between him and Freyda, the Queen of Oklahoma. Eric feels he must honor Ocella’s contract. (Dies DITF; mentioned DAG, DR)

  O’Fallon, Miss: No first name given. Pretty Miss O’Fallon teaches in the Puppy Room of the kindergarten in Red Ditch. Her outward appearance belies a sick mind, as she fights the temptation to hurt the children in her care. Her thoughts frighten Hunter and cause Sookie to tell Remy to exclude Miss O’Fallon from consideration as Hunter’s teacher. Miss O’Fallon is surprised when Sookie approaches her and urges her to get help before she actually does damage. Stunned and scared by Sookie’s perception, the woman promises to do so. (DR)

  Older Lisle brother: No name given. Deidra’s oldest brother is one of Craig Merlotte’s groomsmen, along with Sam Merlotte. (STW)

  Olympio, Togo (unspecified shifter): Togo is in Wright to visit his lover, Trish, when he finds himself in the midst of the controversy over Craig Merlotte and Deidra Lisle’s wedding. Angered by the deaths of the shelter dogs, Togo joins in with Quinn, Trish, and other shifters to protect the Merlotte family and ensure that the ceremony does take place. Walking alongside the car as they head out for the actual ceremony, both Togo and Trish become battered and bloody by the time they reach the church. (STW)

  O’Malley, Jake: Competing businessman Jake O’Malley plans to screw over Herveaux and Son by bribing one of their office staff for information on bids. His much younger wife has plans of her own for Alcide. (CD)

  O’Malley, Mrs.: No first name given. Some twenty years younger than her sixtyish husband, Mrs. O’Malley thinks of jumping Alcide’s bones while her husband thinks about screwing him over another way. (CD)

  O’Rourke, Sean (vampire): Lovers and dance partners, Sean and Layla Larue Lemay work for Blue Moon Productions, dancing in front of both human and vampire audiences. Sean turned Layla when she was mortally wounded by a former boyfriend. They seem to be beating the odds, because most vampire couples, even makers and children, don’t have long-term relationships. They dance at the summit in Rhodes and help defuse the tension between Sookie and Eric on the dance floor. Sean and Layla have their own novella. (ATD)

  Osburgh, Mrs. Charles III: Elderly Mrs. Osburgh is one of Alcide’s neighbors at the condo building in Jackson, living in #502 with her nurse. (Mentioned CD)

  Owens, Lucky (wolf): After receiving word from waiter Kendell Kent that Sookie and Eric are headed back to Bon Temps, Lucky, pretending to be a policeman, pulls them over and takes a shot at Sookie. Eric protects her, taking the bullet in the neck before he grabs Lucky and begins pulling him into the car. Lucky begs Sookie not to let Eric turn him into a vampire, but that is not Eric’s intent. The vampire has a fresh meal to help him heal from the bullet before disposing of Lucky’s body somewhere off the interstate. (Dies FDTW)

  P:

  Palomino (vampire): No last name given. After surviving Katrina, vampires Palomino, Parker, and Rubio get permission to settle in Area Five in Minden. As Eric’s vamps, they are called to take part in Victor’s assassination. Palomino struggles with Antonio until Maxwell Lee is able to stake him, then goes after Unknown Enemy Vamp #2 with Parker. (DR)

  Pardloe, Preston (fairy): To repay a debt to Niall, fairy Preston pretends to be a Were and lies naked
in Sookie’s woods on Christmas Eve, waiting for her to find him and counting on her innate kindness to get him into her home. Once safely inside, he uses just a touch of magic to spark the attraction between them, and they spend a satisfying night together. As the fairy magic fades, so do Sookie’s detailed memories of the encounter, but she retains the feelings of guilt-free pleasure and happiness. Preston retains all his memories but knows he must follow Niall’s instructions and have no further contact with Sookie, no matter how much he would like to. (GW)

  Parnell (wolf): No last name given. Amanda’s partner at the meeting of the Weres and the vampires at Merlotte’s, Parnell almost overreacts when Eric leaps to Sookie’s defense after Amanda calls her a “vamp humper.” (DTTW)

  Patty: No last name given. Michelle Stackhouse’s best friend, Patty does her best to be an honorary aunt to Sookie after Michelle’s death. (Mentioned LDID)

  Paul, Andre (vampire): Andre is Queen Sophie-Anne Leclerq’s faithful second-in-command. Orphaned as a teenager, he was found in the woods and turned by Sophie-Anne a few years after her own turning and has been her most loyal bodyguard, companion, and lover ever since. During the ectoplasmic reconstruction of Jake Purifoy’s turning at Hadley’s apartment, Andre is able to read lips and let the other watchers know what is being said. Afterward it is Andre who tells Sookie that she has fairy blood when they pretend to have sex as an excuse for time alone with Sophie-Anne to tell their story. Andre’s only concern is the well-being of Sophie-Anne; he kills her husband, Peter Threadgill, after Peter’s vampires attack at the reception for the couple at Sophie-Anne’s monastery and escorts his queen safely away. After the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, Andre arranges a meeting with Sookie, Eric, and his vampires to make plans for the upcoming vampire summit, where Sophie-Anne will face charges for the death of Peter. Once at the summit, Andre demonstrates his willingness to do anything he feels necessary to benefit his queen by trying to force Sookie into a blood bond to strengthen her connection to him. He is interrupted by Eric, who bonds with Sookie instead. Quinn comes upon the scene and is furious that the vampires are attempting to control Sookie. After the hotel explodes, an injured Andre is found by Sookie at the same time she finds Quinn, and she walks away knowing that Quinn is moving toward Andre to eliminate the threat to Sookie’s free will. Andre meets his final death in the ruins of the Pyramid of Gizeh. (DD; dies ATD; mentioned FDTW, DAG)