Disclaimer: I clearly do *NOT* own True Blood or any part thereof, sadly. Also, this is my first True Blood fic attempt and my first fic of any kind in many years, so reviews and constructive criticisms are very much appreciated. Enjoy!

"Bill?"

I froze in my tracks and looked desperately at the empty table. Bill's chair had been knocked to the ground and broken glass lay in a puddle of water on the tabletop. Clearly there had been a struggle. I wasn't sure if that thought should bring fear for his safety or relief that I hadn't driven him away with my hesitation and reluctance.

I slowly let down my guards, trying to locate any thoughts that might be lurking nearby. Nothing. Not the broadcasting of a human nor the characteristic void of a vampire. There was only nothing.

I don't know how long I stood there, dumbly staring at the scene before me, trying to find a clue of any kind. C'mon Sookie, this isn't a movie, there isn't going to be a ransom note telling you to drop a bag of money off at a safety deposit box or something. Snap out of it.

Problem was, I had no idea what to do. Yes, Bill had clearly been taken, but what could I do? I didn't even know where to start. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and walked back to my chair and sat down. Swallowing hard, I reached into my purse and pulled out my cell phone. I dialed a number I hated that I had come to know by heart.

"Fangtasia. This is Pam," came the familiarly detached and emotionally void voice on the other end.

"I need to speak with Eric. It's an emergency," I said, she'd know who was calling. The dead tone of my own voice surprised me, but that thought quickly passed.

"Sookie. To what do I owe this great pleasure?" Eric's voice was silky and full of sex and hunger.

I ignored Eric's tone and got straight to business. "Eric, Bill was taken. I don't know what to do."

"When did the attack happen? Are you okay?" Eric was all business, the sexy huskiness gone from his voice. Mostly.

"There was no attack. We were at a restaurant near Shreveport. I went to the restroom to—freshen up—and when I got back he was gone. It looks like there was some struggle though."

For a moment there was silence on the other end. "Stay on the phone. Get out of the restaurant and walk to the car. Do you remember how to get here?"

"I think so."

"Get here as quickly as you can, park in back. I'll meet you at my office entrance."

I had reached the car and was reaching for the door handle when I realized I didn't have the keys. Bill did. How was I going to get out of here?

"Eric, I don't have the keys. I can't leave," I said; panic finally began to rise within me. I felt my stomach twisting with the realization that I might be stuck here, with a kidnapper (or worse) still nearby.

"Stay where you are, I'll be right there." Just like that the phone call was ended and I stood in the empty parking lot, alone and absolutely terrified. My breath was coming quickly and the world was starting to spin around me. When my vision started to cloud with my growing fear, I let myself slump to the ground, leaning against the driver's side door.

My own thoughts were racing through my head the way other people's would have in a crowded room. I couldn't get a handle on them. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to stop my brain from going into overdrive. A cold hand touched mine and I gasped, whipping my head back in shock, only to slam it into the car door.

"Relax, Sookie. It's me. I'm here."

Never in my life would I have thought I could be this relieved at the sight of Eric.

"I'm glad I could provide such sweet relief, dear one," he said, smug as ever, in spite of the situation we were in. "I knew that you would eventually appreciate the benefits of having had my blood."

I glared at him. "How can you possibly be so full of yourself? Or, at the very least, how can you not have developed enough tact in 1000 year not to show it?" I stood up then, but way too quickly. I reached out and grasped the side mirror of the car to steady myself. Eric was there first, holding me against him. I could just feel the cocky smile on his face at having come to my rescue twice in one night, and I pushed him away.

"We need to get out of here," I said, trying to bring things back to the very pressing matter at hand.

"You're right, but first I need to look inside, survey the scene, try to pick up a scent if I can."

I wasn't about to ask Eric not to leave me alone, although that was what every fiber in my body wanted me to do. I desperately needed not to be alone just then, but I was suddenly more concerned with Eric not feeling my fear and need, which was surely just emanating out from my body in waves.

"Relax," he said, his large hands gripping my shoulders firmly as he looked down into my eyes. And then he was gone, as quickly as he had appeared. Before I could decide if I should stay there alone or follow Eric back into the restaurant, he was back at my side, closer than I would have liked. I wasn't about to complain just then, though.

"Let's go," he said, all seriousness again. Within seconds he had broken into Bill's car and had started the engine. I climbed into the passenger seat, buckled myself in, and gripped the sides of the seats. Eric took off at an insane speed and within minutes of silent driving we were at Fangtasia and making our way into Eric's office.

Bill awoke suddenly and immediately began to take in his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was the searing of the silver against the skin of his neck and the hard clack of something heavy coming down over his head. Now he was in a dark room, clearly underground, and it was quite drafty.

Sookie. Where was she? He couldn't feel her at all, so she must be far away. He must have been out longer than he thought.

"Finally. You know, maybe if you had a decent meal once in awhile you wouldn't take so long to recover from an attack."

The voice was unmistakable. Bill could feel the anger boiling in his cold chest.

"Really, Bill, I expected you to wake up hours ago. I was really starting to get bored. No worries, though. I brought you a present. She's just outside."

"What do you want, Lorena?"

She laughed then. "Oh, Sweetheart, you couldn't possibly think that you're here for my benefit, could you? Believe me, I know how to take a hint when it comes crashing down on my head. Personally, you no longer hold any interest for me. But, as your maker, I was charged with bringing you here."

"Well then, if I'm not here for you, who wanted me? And where is Sookie?"

Lorena rolled her eyes and walked to a sofa on the other side of the room. She slowly and fluidly stretched her body into a relaxed position.

"Answer me, damn it."

Lorena smiled to herself, still not answering Bill. She was enjoying the effect her silence was having on him. He didn't enjoy not knowing what was going on.

"Do you remember that time, oh my, it must have been 1910, when we were staying at that fun little hotel in Paris? And there was that delicious girl…hmmmm," Lorena sighed with remembering. That had been one of the best years of her long life. "Well, I've been thinking about that lately. Do you know, I haven't enjoyed Paris since then? I'm sure it has something to do with human wars completely wrecking the place for decades, but really, it just doesn't hold the same je ne se qua, you know?"

"Lorena, enough! Tell me what's going on. Now!"

Suddenly she was right in front of him, inches from his face and her eyes sparkled with the excitement of a challenge. "You dare raise your voice to your maker?"

"You have no hold over me, Lorena. Now let me go."

"You're free to go. As soon as Sophie Anne arrives. She has plans for you that even I can't imagine, I'm sure."