"Tara, I don't think you should do this." Sookie balked at sight of the line snaking around the corner of the nightclub. The people standing in it looked like a cross between extras from The Rocky Horror Picture Show and a Marilyn Manson concert; which, when thinking of it, aren't really that much different.

"Sookie, I have to have answers. Mickey has some explaining to do, and I know he'll be here." Tara tossed her dark hair over her shoulder, and plumped up her breasts to maximum cleavage as she stalked toward the front door, bypassing the line completely.

Here was Fangtasia, Shreveport's premiere vampire bar. Since the "Great Revelation", all things vampire had been the rage, and Fangtasia was the place to go to glimpse real vamps in rural Louisiana. Sookie wanted no part of it. It's not that she had anything against vampires – to each his own, and all that – but she had a healthy level of self preservation and, invention of synthetic blood or not, she just didn't think it was wise to hang out in a place that invited them to munch on you. People had been known to disappear after visiting places like this, and Sookie didn't want to be one of them.

She didn't want her friend Tara to be one of them either. "Seriously, this isn't a good idea. You're going in pissed with the intention of telling off a vampire. Don't you think this is a conversation better had when you've calmed down a bit?"

Tara scoffed at her. "I know he's cheating on me. Nobody cheats on me. Nobody."

Sookie rolled her eyes as they approached the vampire guarding the door. The woman was gorgeous, with long, straight, white-blonde hair and striking blue eyes. With her black latex bustier and platform heels, she made Sookie feel almost dowdy in a modest black skirt, knee-high low heeled boots and pink v-neck shirt. Sookie's hair was blonde and long, but a more golden shade than the vampire's, and pulled back into a ponytail. Sookie was better endowed, but that attribute wasn't really noticeable when not encased in black latex.

Tara went right up to the blonde vampire, wordlessly insisting on her attention. The blonde took her time, finally turning to Tara with one eyebrow raised.

"I'm here for Mickey." Tara stated firmly.

The blonde didn't react.

Tara grew impatient. "I'm his girlfriend, Tara."

Still no reaction.

Sookie could hear Tara's breathing increase, and she knew an explosion was imminent. Seeing as how the only reason she came along with her old friend tonight was to keep her out of trouble, Sookie stepped in to intervene.

"Tara, he's probably not here. It's best if we go."

"And you are?" The velvet voice surprised me, and I turned to face the blonde.

"Sookie Stackhouse, ma'am. Pleased to meet you." Manners ingrained since birth surfaced, much to Sookie's annoyance. "I apologize for the trouble. We'll leave now."

To their shock, the vampire stepped to the side to allow Sookie and Tara to pass. Tara swept by, but Sookie was stopped with a cold hand on her arm.

"Watch your friend, Sookie Stackhouse." The blonde whispered in her ear. "She's playing with fire."

Sookie nodded seriously. Her arm was released, and she walked into the club.

Other than the presence of cheesy cliché vampire props such as open coffins and Dracula posters, it looked like she imagined any other goth club would; the music was loud, the walls were dark, and the mood was dangerous.

She hurried to catch up with Tara, who was standing in front of the bar and searching the room frantically for her beau. Sookie was no fan of Mickey. She had only met him once, but he was forward enough during that meeting, suggesting the possibility of a threesome with him and Tara, that she really wasn't interested in seeing him ever again. Tara had horrible taste in men; she was always becoming involved in situations over her head, and Sookie found herself rescuing Tara more often than not. However, Sookie had a feeling Tara would be over both of their heads on this one. Mickey was a vampire; combine that with being a real jerk, and this was a potentially dangerous situation.

"He's not here," Tara huffed, still scanning the bar. Sookie sighed, and sat down on the bar stool behind her. She figured this would take a while.

"What can I get for you tonight?" The bartender was an American Indian, with long dark hair and sharp white fangs he liked to flash at humans.

"Gin and Tonic, please," Sookie smiled politely, and was pleased when the bartender quickly made her drink. She noted the economy of his movements and the cleanliness of his bar area. She was a barmaid herself, and could appreciate the craft.

Thanking the bartender and leaving a generous tip, she spun around to face the room, curious to see her first vampire bar.

It wasn't at all what she expected. Goth and cheesy décor aside, it seemed that there were mostly humans there, dressed up as vampires. Sookie didn't get this – if a vampire wanted another vampire, then why would they go for a human dressed as one? Some people had even drawn fake puncture marks on their necks. To Sookie, it seemed like a lot of them had a death wish.

Her eyes wandered more, smiling at the costumes and crazy behavior, until she spied a man on a throne on a dais at the front of the room.

He was gorgeous.

He had a large frame, his broad shoulders barely fitting inside the chair as he slumped down, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He had golden blonde hair, in a shade very similar to hers, which was also drawn back into a pony tail. Sookie had never found long hair attractive in a man, but this might just be the exception. He was dressed in snug black pants and a loose white linen shirt. The shirt was unbuttoned to reveal the upper part of his muscular chest. Blousy sleeves were rolled up to reveal strong forearms, and Sookie noted the wide leather cuffs on each of his wrists.

Seriously? Leather cuffs? She couldn't help but scoff. Does he think he's some sort of pirate? Leather cuffs could only look good on an actor in a movie, or Conan the Barbarian – but somehow, like the long hair, they seemed natural to this man. She watched as he bent his elbow, bicep bulging, and rested his cheek on his hand. The cheek was chiseled and balanced his strong jaw and broad forehead. His eyes were slightly tilted up at the ends, giving him a glacial, Scandinavian look. He was breathtakingly beautiful. And bored.

"Who is that?" Sookie nudged Tara. Her friend stopped scouring the club to note Sookie's interest.

"That's Eric. He's some sort of bigwig here." Tara shrugged. "Everyone always tries to kiss his ass, but he ignores them all. Like he's above humans, or something."

"He looks like a Viking." Sookie couldn't take her eyes off of him, she found him so intriguing.

Tara laughed. "He probably was. Mickey said he's like over a thousand years old."

A Viking, Sookie thought in wonderment. No wonder he looks good in long hair and wrist cuffs. In that moment, Eric turned his face toward Sookie and their eyes locked.

It was like time stood still. Sookie could still see the movement of the people around her, but her focus was on Eric, the Viking, who held her captive. If she didn't know it didn't work on her, she would have thought she'd been glamoured. Sookie felt a pull toward the man that she had never felt before. She watched his large body straighten in the chair, his attention narrowing in on her like a lion watching a gazelle. The way he looked at her made Sookie feel she was the only woman in the room, the only woman alive. She wanted to go to him; she had to go to him. She was his.

Without breaking eye contact, Sookie reached behind her to set her glass on the bar, and stood slowly. A faint smile graced his supple lips and his hand rose to beckon her to him. She took a step…

"MICKEY, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Sookie was jolted by the sound of Tara's screech. She turned to see Tara try to shove Mickey, who was standing in front of her, unmoving. Sookie gasped as Tara slapped him, and then cried out at the pain in her own hand. Everyone around them stopped, waiting for Mickey's reaction.

Sookie cringed, sure that Mickey's amusement had run out and her friend was going to be hurt. Severely.

To her shock and disgust, Mickey pulled Tara to him and kissed her abrasively. Sookie was outraged, and prepared to come to her friend's defense when she heard Tara whimper and begin kissing him back.

Oh for pete's sake!

Their embrace deepened and began bordering on obscene. Sookie watched, wide-eyed, until she saw Mickey's hand slip up Tara's skirt. In front of the whole bar!

"U-Um," Sookie stuttered, embarrassed, "I'll just, um, head to the ladies' room."

The couple ignored her as she slipped away. Sookie glanced quickly at the dais for Eric. He was gone.

She was suddenly dejected, disenchanted, disheartened and any other "d" word for depressed. She had to have imagined it – the pull, the calling. He couldn't have been that amazing.

As she navigated the crowd to the dark hallway toward the bathrooms, Sookie wondered if she had been glamoured. It had never worked on her before, although she suspected Mickey and a few others had tried. Maybe since he was older he was more powerful with his glamour? She had certainly felt under a spell.

Sookie pondered her reaction to Eric as she finished up in the bathroom and washed her hands. Whatever the cause, Sookie was convinced it wasn't a good idea to be under someone else's control. Now that Tara had found Mickey, Sookie felt she could get out of there. She thanked her lucky stars that she had driven tonight; otherwise, she would be stranded here at Tara's mercy. She decided she would tell Tara she was leaving, and get gone.

Sookie barreled out of the bathroom and collided with something very large and hard. She felt huge cold hands grip her upper arms to steady her, and she looked up into glacial blue eyes.

Eric's eyes.

Her mouth dropped, and she felt her body react to his proximity. He was practically holding her against him, and she could feel the firmness of his muscular thighs and tight stomach pressed against her. She felt the pull toward him again, only this time it was much, much worse. Their closeness, the touching, amplified the affect he had on her, and she couldn't look away. He had that predatory look in his eye again, as if he could swallow her whole. Sookie felt herself shiver at the idea.

"In a hurry, Miss Stackhouse?" Dear god, his voice was pure velvet.

"H-how…"she stammered. "How did you know my name?"

His hands tightened on her arms, just not quite painful. "Your friend came in here looking for trouble," his eyes hardened at the mention of Tara. "I make it my business to identify troublemakers."

Sookie had to reassure him. "I don't want any trouble."

Eric face transformed, a sly, cocky smile twisting his lips. He leaned down, placing his mouth inches away from Sookie's. She swore she could see sparks arching between them. "Don't you?" he whispered.

Sookie stared up at him, wide-eyed and shook her head.

"Then why are you here?" His voice poured into her, rich and hot.

Sookie wrinkled her brow, trying to concentrate, to remember why she was there in a vampire bar trying to avoid dangerous vampires and ending up in the arms of the most dangerous one around. "I'm trying to keep my friend safe," she whispered.

"I would suggest you quit trying to save your friend and focus on saving yourself."

Sookie's heart raced at his words, wondering if he was warning her away from him. His words penetrated the sensual fog. "But, she needs to be saved."

"Your loyalty is misplaced." His words were hard.

Sookie felt her ire climbing. "What do you know about it?"

"Your friend wants to die," Eric stated bluntly. "You seem to have more sense than she does. I hope you don't suffer for her mistakes."

Sookie's spine snapped to attention, and she looked at Eric with shock. "What are you talking about?"

Eric's hands stroked down Sookie's sides to grip her hips, rocking her against him. She gasped. "Have a safe evening, Miss Stackhouse," he breathed into her ear, and she felt his lips brush her cheek. And then suddenly, he was gone.

Damn vampire speed left her disoriented.

Worried about Tara, and with Eric's warning replaying in her mind, Sookie hurried back into the bar. She scanned the room, but caught no sight of Tara or Mickey.

She must have left with him, Sookie thought, and hurried toward the door.

"Come again." She heard the blonde female vampire drawl as she walked past.

Sookie did not see Tara in the parking lot, she had no idea what Mickey's car looked like, or if he even drove one. She was in a quandary; should she leave her friend, assuming she was okay? Should she search for Tara further? Call her cell phone?

"Sookie!"

She heard Tara's hiss, and turned toward the call.

"Tara?" She was crouched down between cars, motioning frantically for Sookie to come toward her. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Come on!" Tara grabbed her arm and practically ran toward the car. "Get in, quick! Let's get out of here!"

Sookie, already spooked from her conversation with Eric, quickly started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "Tara, what's going on? Where's Mickey?"

Tara didn't answer right away, continually looking behind them and out the side windows as they drove farther away from Fangtasia. She was making Sookie nervous. "Fucking asshole," she swore. "He's back at the bar."

Sookie groaned. "What happened, Tara?"

"I knew the dickhead was cheating on me! I knew it!" Tara snarled. "He admitted he 'auditioned' another woman to see if she would be 'appropriate for a threesome'. Like it was no big deal. What a crock of shit!"

Sookie couldn't help cringing. This didn't exactly come as a surprise. "Are you okay?"

Tara cackled. "Oh yeah, I'm great!"

Uh oh. "Tara, what did you do?" A feeling of dread closed over her.

Tara pulled something out of her cleavage. "I stole his cell phone!"

"What?"

"He's got all these important numbers in it. He's always taking business calls and leaving in the middle of the night, he's on this phone every goddamn second of every goddamn day, with no time left for me. So I took it off the bar when he wasn't looking, and I left." Tara's smile was maniacal in the green glow of the dashboard. She stroked the phone.

Sookie realized suddenly that Eric was right. She was a fool to try to save Tara, time and time again. She was only putting herself in danger, while her friend learned and appreciated nothing. And now, they would have an angry vampire chasing them. This was bad.

Sookie slowed down to turn onto the next road. She backed the car up, and turned around, heading back toward Fangtasia.

"Sookie, what the fucks are you doing?" Tara screeched. "You're going the wrong way!"

"I'm saving your ass, for the last time!" Sookie yelled. Tara reached over, trying to wrestle the wheel from her as Sookie struggled to maintain control. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the middle of the road, and the women screamed.

Sookie jerked the wheel to the side, and the car went off the side of the road. She was able to maintain control and stop the car.

"What was that?" she panted, and then heard Tara scream. Outside the passenger window was Mickey, snarling at Tara. He broke the window and grabbed her friend.

"No!" Sookie screamed as she reached for Tara. She felt a breeze behind her as the driver's door opened. Something hit her head, hard, and then everything went black.