A/N: As some of you may know, I had not planned to write a third fic, but a very angry muse visited me with an idea that would not leave me alone. As with my first two fics, I will stay close to cannon with a few major detail changes that tend to change things in major ways. Thank you to all my readers who have loyally stuck with me from the beginning. I started this as a one shot, with no real intention of continuing, and now I have written 40 chapters. Your reviews have been a driving force behind my continued writing. I hope I can keep you interested through this book as well!

Sookie had been to a New Year's Eve party before, but none quite so memorable. Fangtasia was decked out in an Old Hollywood theme that made her wonder if Eric had given Pam free rein for a night. Whether it was the décor or the slogan "Come End Your Year with a Bite", something had apparently worked because the place was even more packed than usual. It was a little surprising the fire marshal hadn't shown up. Sam had been so unfortunate one year. With a twinge of guilt, the waitress thought of Merlotte's and how busy it probably was. Hopefully Luna was making some good tips. Sookie had invited her along for New Year's, but the were had said a few choice words in reply that her housemate had taken as a no.

For the past several years, she had worked at Merlotte's rather than spend the night at home, the tips were good, and Gran hadn't stayed up to watch the ball drop since Sookie graduated from high school. It was less lonely being at the bar, even if it meant putting up with even more than usual. Now, she could finally get her first New Year's kiss. The prospect had filled her with excitement for a solid week. If anyone had asked, she would not have been able to explain what exactly made a kiss at precisely midnight when it was changing from one year to another more special than any other; it just was.

With that in mind, she clung happily to Eric's arm. Public displays of affection were few and far between at Fangtasia. The thoughts it aroused in the patrons made Sookie uncomfortable, and she knew it was bad for business. However, tonight almost every vampire from the area had been called in, even Godric was there to share in his child's success. And it was quite a year to celebrate. They had all survived some pretty major events in the last few months, and they were still together and happy. Sookie had a boyfriend and a couple new family members: Pam, the too cool cousin, and Godric the father/older brother, and maybe Luna was beginning to attach herself to the family. Even if Godric was still the only vampire she would refer to by name, the new year was looking pretty good from where Sookie stood and her band of merry misfits.

Eric looked absolutely edible in his tux, and Sookie had worn her dress from Jackson after a brief "discussion" with her boyfriend. For a man whose wardrobe only varied from jeans and a black top to jeans and dark blue top (and one pair of red underwear that made Sookie's mouth water), he seemed to think that she should never repeat an outfit. They finally compromised that he could buy her a new dress for the next big party he threw since the old dress would still be new to him, having never gotten to see it on her.

His reaction to seeing her all dolled up was worth the fight. When she arrived, he had threatened to take her back to his office, but she had gotten him to dance instead. That had not helped the situation, and the wicked part of her had known it wouldn't. His sense of duty to the club was almost inspiring, but she did remind have him several times that there was always later, which elicited replies of what exactly he planned to do to her later. If the place had not been so mobbed with people, Sookie might have died from mortification knowing that the other vampires in the room could probably hear. Luckily, she could not see them through the throng of people.

"Ten…"

"Nine…"

"Eight…"

She joined in the counting, smiling up at Eric.

"Seven…"

"Six…"

"Five…"

His hand cupped her face as he joined in as well, though she was fairly certain it was in German.

"Four/Vier…"

"Three/Drei…"

"Two/Zwei…"

"One/Eins…"

She had no chance to wish anyone a Happy New Year as Eric's lips captured her own. Strong hands were lifting her off her feet, drawing her closer, and it really was all the more special for the time. As she wrapped her own arms around his neck, Eric's silence blocked out every invasive thought that might have ruined the moment. They may as well have been alone, like one of those movies, when the camera focuses on the main characters and everyone else just disappears. Only when Sookie opened her eyes again, they were all still there. It didn't matter; Eric's genuine smile made her feel like the only girl in the room.

"And now, madam…" The boss got to cut out early. They had already arranged to stay till midnight, then leave. Eric had some business later that night, but he was going to fly back for it once Sookie was asleep. Only Eric's eyes no longer read excited about the night ahead, but angry.

"They are early." Godric spoke from beside them.

"Damn it." Eric slowly lowered her to the ground as if nothing was wrong, only she had noticed that several of the other vampires had started making their way over.

The new year looked pretty good except for the small witch issue. That was the business Eric was supposed to come back to deal with. Godric had told her a little bit about it, even though Eric was against it.

"Sookie, go ahead home, and I will meet you there."

"I could stay and help, you know."

Eric looked like he was about to outright refuse when Godric laid a gentle hand on her arm. "It would be safer for you not to associate with these people. As I mentioned, the leaders are Weres, so your gift will not be reliable with them. We will see you before the night is out." Godric's way of saying everything would be alright. The smile and gentle squeeze her gave her arm was more comforting that his words.

She looked between the two determined men. If either of them showed a shadow of doubt, she would find a way to stay, but they didn't. "Fine." She conceded with only a minimal pout.

"Pam will escort you to your car." Better her than Chow, in Sookie's opinion.

"Shall we?" Godric hugged her good-bye with a platonic kiss on her forehead, and then Eric placed another kiss on her lips with unspoken promises of what was to come. She had to shake off the shiver that ran down her whole body before she could focus once more. It was a little strange for Godric to take such an interest in Eric's business, but Sookie was not about to come in between them. Instead, she went to Pam, who was standing beside the door to the back with Sookie's fur coat. She could see Eric's head above the crowd, but not who he was talking to. If they could resolve this quickly, maybe she and Eric could still spend some quality time together.

"That dress looks scrumptious on you."

"Thank you, Pam." Better to take the compliments you could get with her. "You did a great job decorating the place."

"Not that these plebeians appreciate it." Sookie was proud to know she had guessed correctly as to the decorator. "I could have handed out fake vampire teeth and they would have been excited."

"Well, I love the feel. It brings a certain class to the place."

"Thank you, Sookie. You really are my favorite human." Ah, another Pam compliment, such a wonderful evening.

They had made it to the parking lot without incident, so Sookie slipped into the driver seat, while Pam helped tuck in the extra fabric from her full skirt.

"Make sure one of them call me once this is all over."

"You will be the first to know."

As she drove off the lot, Sookie tried to do some math. Was the time it would take her to drive home greater than, less than, or equal to the amount of time it would take Eric to deal with the witches plus fly to her house? Unfortunately, she didn't know a very important variable to her equation. How long does it take to deal with witches? Godric had not been very specific about the whole situation, but it was more than she had gotten from Eric.

The witches had moved into town and wanted a piece of Eric's business. Some sort of blackmail was involved, them threatening to run his business into the ground and what not. A second proposal had been given later which Godric had been surprisingly tight-lipped about, but the general consensus seemed to be that it was a no go. Both vampires in her life seemed oddly alright with the fact that they were about to tell some Were-witches to affectively screw themselves, but if they were confident, she would just have to be confident in them.

She did not know much about witches. In fact, she had not actually thought they existed until Godric had told her. Every time she learned something new about the supernatural world, she lost a little respect for fiction writers. Apparently, they weren't as creative as they all thought they were… or maybe they were all Supes writing non-fiction?

When she got home, there was no sign of Luna's car, which meant she was probably still cleaning up at Merlotte's. That helped a lot if Sookie wanted any privacy. She should have just stayed at Eric's, but it was too late now that she had driven all the way home. It was lucky that Luna worked so many nights because the were was not as good at making herself scarce as Godric was. Next time someone wanted to move in with her, Sookie would have to make sure to have that question on the application. She tucked her coat in close and made her way through the back door.

Now, she was faced with a dilemma. Stay in the dress until Eric got there to let him take it off her or get comfortable because she had no idea how long it was going to take. There were no messages on her house phone, so if Pam did as promised, then they were still in their meeting. Sookie decided to give him a half hour. If she hadn't heard anything by then, she would change. It seemed fair.

Fifteen minutes later, her phone was ringing.

"Eric, you on your way yet? I'm not staying in this dress forever." She tried to make her voice sexy, but Eric had always been better at the double entendres.

"Sookie, something has gone wrong. Godric has disappeared." Eric sounded… panicked? Eric didn't do panic.

"What do you mean disappeared?" She tried to keep her own voice calm rather than add to his, but she wasn't quite sure of her success.

"I mean he was standing right here beside me, and now he is gone."

"Hold on." Sooke experienced the strangest sensation. While at home, she kept all her shields down so she would know when anyone, or anything approached. Only a void had just popped up on from her front porch. There was no approach, no movement towards there, just… bloop. There. "I think he may be here."

Sookie rushed as quickly as the dress allowed to the front, swinging open the door. "Yeah, it's him, hurry over!" She said excitedly, as far as bad things happening from a witch encounter, at least he had just been transported. He could have ended up fighting a dragon, mute, or turned into a frog. That is, if Disney is a reliable source on witches.

She leaned out to wrap him in a quick hug. Only, he didn't hug her back. When they first met, that wouldn't have been weird, but lately, Godric had been showing his affection for her hugs and even the occasional chaste kiss.

"Godric?" She asked, backing up a step into the house to give him space. Maybe witchy teleportation takes some recovery.

He cocked his head to the side in a sharp movement, studying her, then leaned forward to breathe deeply of the air she had previously occupied as so many vampires had done before.

"My, you do smell good. Godric, you called me?"

Sookie took another step back… something was not right. He was smiling, but it wasn't a Godric smile. It was predatory.

"You are frightened… and you have had my blood. Very interesting. I wonder…" Hesitantly, he picked up a foot and put it inside the doorway. A huge, terrifying grin took over his whole face. Godric had never looked more vampiric, not even with a bloodstained hand from killing Lorena. He moved fully into the entry hallway, and Sookie took another step back, keeping the same distance between them. Having seen him in action, she knew it was useless, but her body was acting on its own.

Some instinctual part of her had taken over, recognizing the danger in the man that had become almost like a father to her. "Godric, you are no longer welcome in my house." Luckily, her mind was still working, and the words spilled from her lips almost incoherently, but Eric had once told her it was more about the intention than the actual words.

For a second, he look disappointed, and they both waited for something to happen. Sookie had never un-invited a vampire before, but she had always imagined them falling over and being dragged out by some invisible force. Godric hadn't moved.

His disappointment quickly turned to triumph. "Very interesting indeed."

Sookie's jaw dropped as Godric took another step towards her. Eric told her that would work. She had been careful who she invited into her house now, but he said that she could always rescind an invitation. Godric had apparently lost his mind, and she was not safe in her own house. Sookie knew running was useless, but she could feel the muscles in her legs bunching, ready to spring. It felt like being trapped in a horror movie, where the killer is always walking, but no matter how fast you run, you can't seem to escape him.

"Do you have any idea how wonderful you smell when you are scared?" Godric's fangs snapped down. "I will have to try and not drain you. Unfortunately, I find myself very thirsty." The apologetic look on his face lacked all sincerity, but no scream would leave her lips as Godric took another step towards her, his smile all the more sinister for his fangs.

MUAHAHAHA!

I love my cliffhangers! Hope you all do... this should be a fun twist!