The hum of the usual thoughts followed me throughout my lunch shift at Merlotte's. Drinks, orders, serve, repeat.

Just like all the other lunch shifts I'd been working lately. I tried to ask Sam for a dinner shift or two, but he changed the subject.

Eric's doing, no doubt.

Not that he's been taking advantage of my free evenings. I've barely seen him since his maker and brother were killed in my yard.

"Sookie, order up," the latest in a line of cooks broke my wool gathering.

"Thanks."

I served Andy Bellfleur his typical burger lunch and for once didn't catch a nasty thought in his mind.

That's when I felt it – the vampire mind. Only it was the middle of the day, and sun was definitely out.

I turned around to find a woman smiling at me in the same booth I'd first seen Bill in – my section.

I strode over to the brunette, pretty but not too much.

"Hi, can I get you something drink?" I said, plastering my Crazy Sookie smile on to cover up my uncomfortable feeling.

"Sure, how about a water with lemon and a glass of white wine? Whatever you have is fine." She smiled at me as if she'd known me for years.

"Coming right up." I bounced to the bar and gave Terry the order.

"You all right, Sookie? You look pale."

Great, if Terry thinks I look pale, I must look awful.

"I just need to get something out of my purse." I took off for Sam's office.

I bounded through the open door and met with Sam's gaze.

"Cher, what's wrong? Did someone say something to you?" Sam was out of his chair before I could open my mouth.

I wrestled with telling him but decided against it.

"Sookie, take a break soon." He squeezed my shoulder.

"Great, I'd better get the drinks to my table." I took off before he could stop me.

Terry had the drinks ready, and I grabbed the tray in single motion. The amount of Eric's blood had helped heal my torture scars, and it made me more agile – a good thing for a barmaid balancing trays of drinks and food.

I scanned again for her thoughts. Nothing.

I noticed her fine-knit sweater and dark jeans finished with those red-soled shoes Pam and celebrities were always wearing. So she had money.

I put the drinks down. As I started to ask about her order, she interrupted me.

"Sam Merlotte? He owns this establishment, no? Is he here?" She sought my eyes with her gray ones. Still nothing on the thought or the sensing her front.

"Yes – actually he's about to be finished in his office." More of the Crazy Sookie.

"Great. I'll have the fish, Ms. Stackhouse. Will you tell him Em would like to say hello?" Em wrapped her porcelain fingers around her wine glass and took a sip. "A German Riesling, my favorite."

"Well, I sure will." I spun on my heel.

Wait, she knew my name. But I didn't tell her.

Sam decided to sidle out by the time I'd turned the order in.

I pushed my thumb in the newcomer's direction. "She wants to say hello. Said her name was Em."

"Em? Wow. I haven't seen her in years. Sookie, she's always been a friend to me." He smiled at me reassuringly. His thoughts read warm and familiar when he saw her.

I was not reassured. I did not trust any supe – which she had to be – that I didn't know to not be after me. Bad track record with all of them – vampires, weres, fae.

She stood up and flitted a few steps to meet him. The way she took him in her arms was almost motherly. The embrace drew notice from the regulars who had probably barely seen Sam touch anyone, and here was this strange woman Sam had lifted and spun before sitting her back on her expensively clad feet.

My customers were set for the moment, so I leaned against the bar and watched him slide into the booth across from her, lit from ear to ear while the pair chatted.

It made me think of chatting with my Viking at his bar. Maybe I should just go see him. That's it, Stackhouse, take some initiative. I just wish he would make a consistent effort. Call more or schedule some time, something.

"Sookie, fish up."

I snagged the basket and focused on my job.

"There you are. Did you need anything else?" I took the moment to study her face – round with high-cheek bones and thick brows, no markings save mole on her right nostril.

"Thank you, Ms. Stackhouse." There's my name again.

"How did you know my name?" I had to resist popping a hip out.

Em smiled – tightly but not snobbishly – looked down while she unfurled the napkin and then met my eyes.

"I know just about everything." It was as though I already should have known this fact. Sam seemed unperturbed (last Tuesday's word) at this statement.

All I could get out was an "oh" before she continued.

"I don't need anything else. Thank you." She turned back to Sam and listened while he told her about the bar.

I watched as she squeezed the lemon into the water and licked her finger where the juice ran down in. Definitely not a fairy.

I cleared tables while I puzzled over Em. Her brain was a void, nothing, but vampires do not come out in the sun. Weres are a fuzzy, red mess, and while I cannot clearly read a fairy, I can definitely get an emotion off one.

Then came the laughter.

It was rich and throaty, like from her core. And I was drawn to it.

I turned and watched as she rose, laughter pouring from her. She threw some money down. Sam grabbed and tried to give it back.

"I don't think it's your decision whether I tip my waitress,Sam. If you choose to not let me pay for the lunch, give it all to her as a tip."

She grabbed Sam in a hug and kissed his cheek, saying goodbye.

Em turned and locked eyes with me. I stopped wiping as she approached.

"Ms. Stackhouse, it was a pleasure to meet you." She stuck her hand out. I took it. Cool, but not walking dead cold. "I hope the remainder of your shift is uneventful. I will be seeing you. Good day."

"Goodbye, Ms. …"

"Everyone worth knowing calls me Em." She turned in her shiny blue heels and left.

Sam was staring at me as he walked over, bill in hand.

"Sookie, I'm not charging her, so this is all yours." He held out a $100 bill.

"What? Sam, why did she leave so much?" I stared dumbly at his hand.

"Sometimes, she just knows what people need. Before I knew you, I thought she was a mind reader." He smiled at me as he wrapped my fingers around the cash. "Em's been a great friend to me. She said she had business in northern Louisiana, so she'll be in again. I'll be in my office."

Em – a mysterious woman who I cannot read like a vampire – just tipped me $100.

What does she want? What is her business? And who does she work for?

Sam seems to think she hung the moon.

I pondered her for the rest of my boring shift.