Sookie's POV

Sam had been thanking me ten times over all day at work. I think that if he could, he would've given me full ownership of the bar. I don't want that, I'm just grateful to have him alive and well. What I'm not grateful for is the way my vampire honey has been avoiding me lately. I know I pissed in his blood by saving my good friend's life by using the cluivel dor. He's just going to have to get over it and find another way to be rid of that contract between his maker and the Queen of Oklahoma. She can be the Queen of Sheba for all I care but if my vampire husband truly loves me, he will find a way to end it. I've been through this whole ball of wax before with my ex-vampire honey, Bill Compton. Sometimes being around the undead is more drama than what it's worth with the whole, 'I must listen to my maker' bullshit, even if said maker has met the final death. If he really loves me, he'll find a way.

I pull open the mailbox at the end of my drive like I do every day after work. Bills, T.V. Guide, junk mail and a large brown envelope addressed to me in what looks like Pam's impeccable handwriting. Hmmmm, wonder what this could be? I open it up and find a glossy black and red flyer with Fangtasia emblazoned at the top. I also find a note from Pam written on Fangtasia letterhead.

Dearest Sookie,

I am giving you a personal invite to the first ever Fangtasia Ladies Night. The bar hasn't been doing so well with all the bad publicity Eric has been getting lately. Come as my guest and enjoy the sights. It'll be a night to remember!

Pam

I take another look at the flyer. Food, two free drinks and exotic male dancers, oh my! Twenty dollar cover charge at the door! A little pricy if you ask me to have some strange guy gyrating on your lap and then you have to have the bills to stuff down said guy's G-string. Did it once and realized it's not for me. That was when Hooligans was open and running. Now the building sits empty.

I throw the mail of the kitchen table, ready to shower the smell of stale beer and grease off of me when my phone rings. It's Tara. I haven't talked to Tara since my birthday party. She has been a busy mom of twins so it is always nice hearing from her.

"Sookie, you are not going to believe this. You sitting?" Tara says all excitable.

"What is it? You expecting triplets this time," I joked.

"Oh dear Lord no! JB just got offered a second job," Tara proceeds to tell me. "You sitting?"

I slid my butt down on one of my kitchen chairs. I was curious what all the fuss is about. Tara is usually not the jumpy sort, what with growing up with alcoholic parents and digging her way out of nothing. Tara is the toughest chick I know and my best friend since grade school.

"I'm sitting," I tell her as I glance at the Sonic coupons that came with my mail. "JB found another job, that's great," I then tell Tara. Tara's hubby JB took a second job stripping at my fairy cousin Claude Crane's club in Monroe. He ended up losing that job under mysterious circumstances that JB could never explain. I knew the true reason. My no good cousin double crossed me and got sent back to Faery to be punished, as well as my great-grandfather's decision to shut Faery off from this dimension for good, leaving Hooligan's sitting abandoned thus leaving JB without his well-paying stripper job. Tara and JB has been trying to make ends meet since.

"Yeah, about that," Tara all the sudden sounds deflated. "It's at Fangtasia. Why would your boyfriend hire a human to strip?"

"Fangtasia! What the f-!" I caught myself before I had to get out the Ivory soap to wash the nasty word out of my mouth.

"My thoughts exactly. He got the call the other night from your good buddy Pam," Tara did not sound happy, at all.

"I have nothing to do with this," I went on the defensive. "Pam just sent me the flyer to-day. I don't know what my vamp buddies are up to?"

"Well, he took the job against my wishes. I'm not happy. Sookie, I'm not stupid, I know Fangastia is a dangerous place. I was just wondering," Tara paused.

"If I get Eric's word that nothing bad will happen to JB. I don't know Tara, Eric and I haven't really been on speaking terms lately," I tell my best friend the truth. I haven't talked to my vampire honey since that night with the Long Tooth Pack. "Tell you what. If you can swing it with Maxine Fortenberry to watch the twins, we can have a girl's night out, just you and me. Nobody has to know where we're going. We can go to Fangtasia and make sure JB is safe." There is no need to drag Holly or Kennedy along, besides Holly prefers to stay as far away from Weres and vamps as much as possible after the whole Hollow Stonebrooke incident a.k.a. The Witch War.

"I'll see if I can do that. I don't like JB going alone to that place. Nothing against your friends and all, it's just that I've heard stories," Tara tells me something I haven't heard before. Fangtasia has a reputation of being a rough place but I like to think of it as Disneyland for vampires.

"Look, there's no point in dragging Kennedy and Holly along. They'd be just as rowdy as the crowd," I said to reinforce my point that I didn't want to drag anymore of my friends into this. "Show starts around ten, pick you up around eight. We can get something to eat on the way there."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Sookie, thanks for doing this for me. Be honest, I'm not really in the mood for strippers after Hooligans. I just want to see JB strut his stuff and get the hell out of there," Tara tells me. It doesn't take a telepath to know just how unhappy Tara is about the situation. Maybe I'll call Pam and give her a heads up in case she reserved a special table for me?

I sort through my miniscule closet deciding what I should wear. I found a pretty red sundress that I haven't worn in a while. Practical yet sexy with the low plunging halter top and full skirt. It looked sort of like the one I wore the night I first met my vampire honey. Ironically, I was on a date with my ex-vampire honey, Bill Compton. I still had the red fuck me heals that went great with the dress and simple black wallet that I stow away in one of the hidden pockets. I don't like carrying a purse to something as rowdy as ladies night. I'm sure ladies night at Fangtasia will be doubly rowdy with the vampires mingling in with the humans.

I pick up Tara since I can practically drive to Fangstasia blindfolded. Tara is dressed in a nice top with a pair of jeans. She is very self-conscious of her post baby body. She looks really nice and ready for a girl's night out. More like spy on JB and make sure he's okay which is what I was getting from her thoughts. Tara doesn't like that JB enjoys showing his body to a bunch of strange women much less get paid for it. She is even subconsciously cursing me on the drive to Shreveport for having a much better body than her. Yep, Tara is fighting a lot of post baby issues like all new mothers do I suppose.

We pull into the parking lot of Fangtasia where the white paint has been cleaned off the front of the building and where some Fellowship members are protesting across the parking lot. Funny that all the picketers seemed to be men? I did not see one woman in the whole group. The Fellowship of the Sun church is still going strong despite the fact the church's founders have been either missing or killed under questionable circumstances. Seems vampire haters have been coming out of the woodwork since the body was found in Eric's flower bed. Under city ordinances the picketers cannot step foot on Fangtasia property so they all stay a safe distance across the parking lot. It also helps that a few vamps are patrolling the parking lot. Maxwell Lee doesn't seem too happy as he gives me a small nod.

Fangtasia seems packed to the gills tonight as a long line of horny women flows out the door. Some are hooting and hollering ready to get inside. The flyer promises a special guest stripper from Europe and these women are ready to check out the fresh foreign talent. Some of the faces I remember from Ladies Only Night at Hooligans. No doubt they are here to get their fix since Hooligans shut down under mysterious circumstances. Just yesterday I saw it under the foreclosure listings in the Bon Temps paper.

Pam comes out to greet Tara and me personally. She is dressed in her usual work clothes of Fangtasia Goth. In reality Pamela Ravenscroft dresses more like a soccer mom. She loaths wearing the lacey black Mortica Addams getup she's is wearing now. I can't read her mind but I can see it written all over her face.

"Sookie! You look delicious tonight," Pam says as she kisses my cheek. She completely ignores Tara which really doesn't bother Tara all that much. Tara is not a big fan of my vamp buddies. "I have a special table reserved for you and your friend. Eric is so happy with the turnout tonight. We are going to have to turn some of the customers away. We haven't had to do that in quite a while. The main attraction is quite divine. He was trained by the famous stripper, Ms. Poppy Cherry," Pam rambles on. Pam is not one much for sharing much less appearing excited, tonight she is both. Something strange is definitely in the air.

Pam escorts us to a table at the front of the stage in almost the same spot Victor Madden was taken down. The thought made me shudder but there really is something in the air around us. Something much more magical and powerful than anything I've ever experienced before. It makes the fairy side of me take notice.

"Eric would like it if you stay after the show. He has someone very important he would like you to meet," Pam tells me. I look over at Tara after we've sat down.

"It's okay Sook, I'll just hitch a ride home with JB after his set," Tara tells me. "I don't plan on staying here any longer than I have to."

"You sure?" I ask already knowing the answer. Pam gives me an exaggerated pout as if to say boo-hoo look at Tara the party pooper.

"I'm sure," Tara responds.

"You're going to miss quite the show bloodbag," Pam says with her best snarkiness as she glides away. Tara has been extremely uncomfortable since the moment I picked her up. We didn't have much to say to each other. Tara's only thoughts are of JB and his safety. I can't say as I blame her.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Pam standing on some steps leading up to the stage. She appears to be talking to a human woman with curly red hair and a cane. It takes me a bit to recognize the woman. Her eyes light up behind her glasses as she talks to Pam with a smile on her face. She has on a cream colored tunic with a blue flower print and boot cut jeans. She's not dressed like the usual Fangtasia crowd but once upon a time she did. That was before she met the Were witch Hollow Stonebrooke who caused her to have a terrible accident. The cane is proof she never fully recovered as I recognize the woman as one of Eric's waitresses from long ago, Belinda. The one I found still alive that fateful day I paid Fangtasia a visit during the daytime.

Pam stands aside and actually helps her up the steps as she hobbles along with her cane. Funny thing is Pam didn't seem to mind. Maybe Pam has changed after that tragic relationship with Miriam? I guess stranger things have happened?

Pam escorts Belinda behind the curtains to the backstage area. This made me curious but I didn't want to leave Tara all by her lonesome.

"You mind if I go powder my nose real quick?" I ask Tara. Be honest, I didn't want to watch JB do a repeat performance of his act he used to do at Hooligans but I wasn't going to tell Tara that.

"Sure," Tara reluctantly tells me. I promised her that I won't be long. I understood Tara's uncomfortable thoughts about being in Fangtasia considering she's never been before.

I make sure nobody spots me going behind the stage curtains. I wasn't interested in the talent as much as I'm wondering about Eric's former waitress. I see her standing in the dim backstage lights with her cane leaning against the wall and her arms wrapped around the neck of a six foot tall cool glass of Cajun swamp water. Unlike Rene, this guy is the real deal. He is dressed in animal pelts like an old fashioned fur trader. He looks down at the red head with a gentle gaze as he runs his fingers through her hair before both their lips meet in a passionate kiss. His thoughts are fuzzy like that of a shifter or Were but he wasn't quite like both. Belinda's thoughts were going a mile a minute. She is thinking of how lucky she is and that she can get a private show anytime she wants. Then her thoughts shifted to how this man saved her life from becoming a junkie again and how much she truly and honestly loves him.

"Does Eric know you're here?" a deep southern voice makes me jump. I turn around to see that it is my ex-vampire honey Bill Compton. He gives me a smile as I take in the fact that he is wearing a terry white robe with a Confederate soldier hat. The hat isn't authentic; it looks too costumy to be the real deal.

"What are you doing here?" I ask instead of answering.

"Eric has me working. None of the Weres are available because of the full moon so he had me fill in."

"You're going to be stripping?" I ask in surprise.

"Appears so. Pam wanted to but Eric told her no. He needed another male stripper, so I got the job." I couldn't help but laugh. Cool, calm, straight laced Bill Compton is going to parade his goods around on stage? This is going to be something to see.

"Personal Trainer, you're needed," I heard Pam say from the other side of the curtain.

"Hey Sookie," JB says as he runs past me in his breakaway track suit and sweat bands. JB must've thought nothing of me being backstage with a bunch of oily men. I don't know if I would call the one with the teased blond hair a man. In fact he looks a little too slight to be stripping but then again Bill wasn't the most buff either. Bleachy gives me a wink as he lights his cigarette. He has sharp features and very sharp teeth. He is also wearing a silky Dracula cape and an obvious cod piece.

"Never seen a bloody goblin before love?" says Bleachy with the two tone gaze and English accent. He must be the foreign talent. Not much if you ask me. I hope Eric is offering refunds. Pam stands right in front of the goblin before I know it. She glares at Bleachy as she takes the lit cigarette and crumples it up in her bare hand. The goblin just shrugs like nothing happened.

"I told you no smoking backstage you stupid goblin," Pam growls. Bleachy rolls his eyes and puffs up his eighties rock star hair. He seems to be enjoying his costume. "You're on after The Confederate. Don't screw up, you got me Goblin King." Pam rolls her eyes as she glides away.

The magic is extremely strong and it only got stronger when I spy strange pink swirls of smoke. An odd little creature appears out of thin air. It is a woman as small as Doctor Amy Ludwig. She is barely five feet tall if even that and to the untrained eye looks like an ordinary high school girl but I know this is no child. She has unusually large pale blue eyes with dark lashes and fine white hair hidden underneath a black knit hat with cat ears.

"Oops! I'm sorry, I almost teleported right where you're standing. Forgive me," said the little hurried supe. She looks up at me with recognition. "Oh my! You're Eric's Sookie! My, you're even more beautiful in person. I'm Eric's friend Augustine Spark. You can call me Auggie," the little creature says as she takes my hand and gives it a shake. Not quite sure what to make of her because most supes never greet you in such a fashion. Maybe this is who Eric wants me to meet? She smiles up at me with razor sharp teeth. She has an almost fae vibe to her but she sort of reminds me of Dyanthia in a way. Maybe it's the flamboyant way she's dressed, red and black stripped tights under an oversized sweater with red hearts and a matching stripped tee underneath.

"Pleased to meet you," I say returning her shake and giving her some southern hospitality.

"Oh my! I'm sorry but I'm in kind of a hurry. Has the show started yet?" she asks me.

"First act is on right now," I say to her relief.

"Good, I'm not here for that one. Tell me, have you seen a woman about five foot eightish hanging around here. Dark blond hair with kind of a Katherine Hep… I mean Cate Blanchet sort of look. You kids probably don't know who Katherine Hepburn is anymore. Great actress," the little creature rambles on. I can't help but smile even though I can't help her.

"No, I haven't seen anybody that looks like that back here. By the way, loved her in Little Women," I say and Auggie smiles.

"Oh good, she must be out front then. I'll catch you around Sookie Stackhouse. Oh yeah, try watching Bringing Up Baby or The Philadelphia Story. Very good movies and Carrey Grant is to die for!" Auggie says as she skips away. I swear that is exactly what she did, skipped like a little girl.

"Huntsman! You're on in ten!" Pam yells.

I spot the Cajun handing Belinda her cane and giving her one last peck. "Break a leg!" she tells the man dressed in fur. He smiles. "Save some for me," Belinda then tells him as she gently slaps his exposed butt cheek.

"You know I will, 'Lindy," said that cool Cajun accent. He pecks her cheek and gives her a playful grin before heading to the direction JB is coming from. Pam announces JB as the women out front go crazy. JB is walking to his dressing area in nothing but a navy blue G-String full of bills. He figured I was here because of Eric.

"I'm taking Tara home with me. I think she's had enough," JB tells me. "I know you probably want to hang around."

"Eric wants me to," I said and JB just went about his business of counting his booty so to speak. "Never made this much at Hooligans. Let me know if your man decides to do this again. Tara will be happy to see this," JB then said. In JB's mind this is his contribution. He doesn't feel like much of a man because Tara is the main breadwinner. To JB this made him feel like more like a man. JB wasn't what you would call a smart man but he is sure growing up fast since the twins were born.

"I'll tell Tara you got hung up with something," JB said with a wink as he put on his track suit and made an exit towards the back. He got on his cell to call Tara and tell her to meet him at the car. JB wasn't about to make a repeat appearance tonight with this rowdy crowd that only seemed to get rowdier with the next act.

Belinda smiles when our eyes met. She looks much healthier than I remembered her to be. Her blue eyes seem to sparkle despite the fact she is wearing glasses. She seems natural and comfortable despite her bad legs requires her to walk with a cane that looks to be specially made for her with a wolf's head and vining flowers. She always seemed to have a nice smile but tonight it looks radiant in the dim light.

"Hello Sookie, remember me? I forgot to thank you for calling that ambulance. It's a shame about Ginger," Belinda says as she leans her weight against the ornately carved cane. I'm surprised she didn't take vampire's blood like the other fangbangers; she could've healed herself as good as new. I should know.

"Belinda?" I say as if still unsure of her name.

"The one and only. As you know, my waitressing career is dead. Eric can't quite have a lame waitress serving drinks," she says with a whip smart tongue. Out of all the girls Eric has working for him; Belinda seemed to be the only one with any sense. I never really made it habit of getting to know any of them but Belinda made a small impression on me that night Eric had to stake Longshadow. "How have you been?" she asks me as she holds out her hand to touch mine.

"I'm fine," I said as I let her take my hand and give it a gentle squeeze. I decided to let my shields down and realize that there is a brick wall blocking her thoughts. I have never had a human being do that to me before. I look for cracks and what I could see makes me want to smile. Tall dark gangly teenage boy and a precious girl who looks to be about ten. The boy looks oddly familiar but he has his mother's smile. The girl has her mother's eyes and dark blond hair. There seems to be something wrong with her that couldn't be seen unless you know the signs. She must've been autistic. I also get the reason Belinda refused vamp blood for her present condition. She's a recovering drug addict and taking vampire blood seems wrong to her.

"So you and my ex-boss? I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. He sure beats that weenie Bill Compton if you ask me," Belinda says as she gives me a nudge and laughs at Bill's reaction to her comment that she's well aware his vampire hearing picked up. Pam looks over from the stage with a smirk. Bill lets out a growl but abruptly stops when we all hear a thick deep accented voice coming from the dressing room.

"Belinda, I need you for a moment. I'm not sure I can do this," said the deep sexy voice that sounds sort of like Eric's accent.

"The bloody main attraction is getting stage fright," said The Goblin King as he tries to sneak in another cigarette that Bill crushes this time. The goblin growls and rolls his eyes. "He doesn't want anyone else to see him. Just you Belinda."

"Here I go again. It's a good thing I know how to be a den mother," Belinda says and the goblin smirks like it is some sort of inside joke. For all I know it could be. I did see a strange windowless van in the parking lot advertising some sort of camp. It looked like one of those vans that doubles as a bus parked next to an old junky Volkswagen minibus with an ugly green paint job. I think it said something like Daddy Karma's Haven. Weird if you ask me.

"Mag, what's wrong sweetie," Belinda answers him in a gentle voice that sounds motherly. She leaves the door open a crack but I cannot make out who she is talking to. He is sitting in a chair with his back towards me and a closed circuit television in front of him with the action out front playing on the screen. The Huntsman sure has some moves.

"I don't like this plastic helmet or hammer. Father would be angry if he saw this pathetic weapon. Why can't I wear my own armor and carry a real hammer?" The voice sounds a bit upset. I make out Belinda's smile as she plays with the man's long dark locks. She is braiding small sections.

"Well Mag, Eric went to a lot of trouble to get you that helmet. You're only going to wear it tonight after that some lucky lady will have it for a trophy. I can't let you do that with your armor, now can I? As for the hammer, you could hurt someone really bad if it was the real Mjollnir. Besides I don't think your dad would appreciate it if you borrowed his hammer for a strip tease," Belinda tells the strange mystery supe. She pats his cheek after braiding one small braid and starts on the other side.

"If that's the case, Modi better not borrow his wedding dress," this only causes Belinda to laugh. "He said he was going to wear it so he could get in the bar to see me dance. Sometimes I wonder if he's Loki's son."

"I can't believe your dad ever cross-dressed. I bet it was something to see," Belinda says with a laugh.

"He had to. To save the Mjollnir and Freyja. Freyja had no intention of marrying Prymr and he had stolen father's hammer. It was the only way father could kill two birds with one stone. Although he wasn't too happy when Prudor wanted to marry that dwarf. His solution was a bit more practical for that one," the deep voiced man said and Belinda keeps laughing and shaking her head.

"You'll have to tell me some other time sweetie. I want to be there for Remy when he finishes. You'll do just fine. Just be your sweet little self," Belinda tells the man and kisses his cheek. From what I could make out, there was nothing little about this guy. Especially after I saw a bigger than average hand reach out and gently caress the red head's cheek. She gives him a gentle smile.

"I wish Brooke could be here to give me a good luck kiss," says the deep voice.

"You told her you wanted it to be a surprise. Besides you don't need any luck and she's already out there with Auggie ready to see your moves. I told Pam not to bother stopping her if she wants to get closer. I introduced her to the vampires earlier," Belinda tells the rather large mystery man.

"I hope Uncle V is okay with watching Izzy?" mystery man rumbles.

"They're just fine. The babies will leave Izzy alone and they can't get into his house without an invite. I left 'em with oodles of True Blood and some DVDs," Belinda tells him. Killer babies? The only killer babies I know of are recently turned vampires abandoned by their makers. "Besides, the new kids are really starting to show some self-control."

"What if Izzy has to use the bathroom? There is quite a walk back to the house," Mystery man seems very concerned for this Izzy.

"She'll be fine. Auggie told me that V has been carrying her back to the house if she needs anything. No baby troubles. I swear you worry about my kids more than I do," Belinda says, giving mystery man another one of those caring smiles. "Andy is out hunting in the woods with his girlfriend and Auggie said she would pop out of here as soon as your set is over. You have nothing to worry about," Belinda pats and holds the gigantic hand in both of hers as she leans against the chair.

"If I have nothing to worry about, can I at least get a good luck hug from my very good friend," mystery man says as he stands up and up out of his chair without hitting his head on the drop ceiling. Jesus Christ Shepard of Judea, I have never in my life seen a man so big! His silhouette nearly blocks my view of a smiling Belinda looking up at him. She reaches her arms up as he bends down and easily picks her up off the ground. She laughs as he holds her.

"Magni Frost, you know I have to be the biggest sucker in the world when it comes to your hugs. Now get ready. There's not much time. Pam is going to be calling Compton out next, then Jareth and then the grand finale. Remember, clothes first, helmet last. Don't go too crazy with the arms. You're liable to knock somebody out. We want them to take all of you in before they get to see that beautiful face of yours. Also remember too, those women aren't like me and Brooke. We're used to looking at you and knowing who you truly are. They won't see that, they'll see you as sex on a stick," Belinda tells the wall of guy as he puts her gently back down.

"Tell me something I don't know. As long as Eric can keep his bar and his woman. That's all I care about. He's been good to you. That is the only reason I am helping. Without him, I would've never met you or my Brooke. This seems to be the only way I can help without breaking the rules," Mystery man tells her. This has me thinking. Has Eric found a way out of his maker's contract? Who is this very big and very powerful man? What kind of supe activity is Belinda involved in? This is a night of questions. While I'm at it, why is Bill Compton shaking his moneymaker for Eric?