Eric/Sookie. Takes place after Chapter 1 of "Dead and Gone." Warning: Has spoilers from all the Southern Vampires Mystery series books and the Sookie universe short stories as well. Rated M for language and some explicit scenes.

One Night at Hooligans

Chapter 1

It had been overcast and dreary the entire day with storm clouds on the horizon, and the chill had settled in for the evening as I drove home from Merlottes in my Malibu. Patches of wispy fog wove in and around the trees and blacktop, and at times, the fog nearly encompassed the car.

It had been nearly a month since the two-natured had come "out of their skin" to the world. Sam's mother came through the two surgeries and was healing. His step dad was waiting on her hand and foot, feeling guilty as hell about shooting her, and Sam was back at the bar. I was glad to have him back. Not just because running the bar had been a bit hectic, it had, but because I had genuinely missed having my friend around. I was so relieved for him that his mother was okay.

I couldn't believe it was already Friday, the thirteenth of February. I'd been in kind of a funk the entire week because Valentine's Day was coming up, and I'd be spending it alone... again. What was it with me and men anyway? First there was Bill. Enough said on that account. Then there was Quinn. Another betrayal. And Eric.

No, didn't want to think about Eric. That led to remembering our fling a year ago when he'd been staying at my home with no memory of who he was. Since then we'd saved each other's lives, many times, fought, become blood-bonded. We were tied together in so many ways, and I was still torn.

I cared about Eric, and it wasn't solely due to our bond. He'd told me several times that he had feelings as well and that he didn't like having them. He never quite got around to elaborating on those feelings but kept promising that we'd have a talk about the time we'd been lovers, especially since he'd finally remembered the time he'd lost. It had taken the Nevada vampire king's take over of Louisiana and Arkansas and being in my room again to jog his memory.

Eric sent such mixed signals to me. He'd been pursuing me off and on for nearly two years even while I was dating other men. He'd told me that he wanted to have sex with me. He pretty much proposed to me back when he didn't remember who he was. Then he'd forgotten about it as part of being cursed by the witch, Hallow. When he had remembered, and remembered how much he'd enjoyed christening every room in my house, numerous times, he'd wanted to come in person to remind me how much I'd liked having sex with him too.

That was before. Before I hadn't heard from him in... months! I know he'd had the new king and his retinue to deal with, but he could have at least picked up the phone to call me. I found myself wanting him to even if I was pissed about the fact that I did want him to call. I missed him.

Okay, so he did send me an invitation in the mail to the annual Dracula night event at Fangtasia, which had taken place this past weekend. After attending last year's fiasco, and ruining yet another dress, I wasn't about to go to this year's celebration. Eric was just too over the top about it for me. It was one of his weaknesses, I had found out. He kept hoping that one day Vlad would actually show up for his own party. Even Pam thought he was single-minded about it.

I was nearly to the turnoff to Hummingbird Road and caught myself yawning as I went around the curve into a thick patch of fog that was particularly dense. I couldn't see a thing.

"What the...?" I said out loud as my headlights exposed a large animal limping across the road ahead of me. When it saw my lights, it froze.

I slammed on the brakes and swerved to the right to avoid hitting the deer. I lost control but kept my foot on the brake trying to get it back. I swear a tree sprang right up out of the ground through the fog and ran straight into my car. Really!

It didn't hit me too hard mind you, as I had almost got the car back under control and had slowed down, but hard enough to give me a good jarring. I opened my eyes and looked up not seeing quite clearly at first. When I did, I tried to turn my glanced back at the road and saw the deer staring at me.

"Sookie!" exclaimed Claudine as she appeared out of nowhere and pulled open my car door. "Are you alright?"

I was a little dazed, and my heart was pounding, but I was not harmed. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She helped me out of the car.

I leaned back in and grabbed my keys and purse and walked around to survey the damage. "Great, just f'ing great! Now what am I going to do?" Then I burst into tears.

Claudine put her arm around me. "Oh, don't worry, cousin. I'm sure it can be repaired. Come on. I'll get you home." She shivered and looked around nervously at the road, took hold of my arm, and the next thing I knew, we were in front of my house.

I was startled with the suddenness of it. She laughed when she saw my face, and we went into the house together.

My roommates Amelia and Octavia were in the kitchen fixing dinner. I must have looked a mess because they immediately came over.

"Oh my God! Sookie, what happened?" asked Amelia with concern all over her face.

"Tree hit my car. There was a... a deer," I said between sobs. They pulled out a chair, and I sat down. Octavia brought me a glass of water which I took and drank greedily.

"She's a little shaken up but unharmed. I think a hot meal and hot shower, and she'll be right as rain," said Claudine. "I'll leave her in your capable hands. I am going to have to run though. I have to get back to Monroe. It is ladies night at Hooligans. We've having a special event tonight 'A Valentine Vampire Revue.' All the dancers are portraying famous vampires. Did you get my invitation, Sookie?"

"Yes, I got it. I wasn't planning to come."

"Oh but you must. You all should come as my guests. I insist."

Amelia said, "Wow, that sounds like a great idea. Is your brother going to perform? He is hot."

"Oh yes, he has quite the routine worked up."

"Be still my heart," said Amelia. "Oh Sookie, we've got to go. I had so much fun the last time I went to Hooligans. You will like it. Just the thing to cheer you up."

"Oh... I don't know, Amelia. I just don't think I could. I mean, you know. They strip." I took another sip of water and closed my eyes.

"Oh Sookie, that is the entire point. Loud music, drinks, watching hot guys dance provocatively in the near nude. What's not to like?"

There was a knock on the door just then. I opened my eyes as Tara poked her head in the back door.

"Hey, y'all havin' a party in here? I just came to invite you for a girl's night out and saw Sookie's car down the road. Are you okay, Sookie?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just fine," I said as I stood up, feeling a little out of control. I just had to get out of there. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll take that shower now." Trying not to forget my manners, I forced a smile on my face and added, "Tara, please help yourself to something to drink from the fridge and stay for dinner." I turned to Claudine, "Thanks, Claudine, for your help."

I was feeling better after my shower and let Tara and Amelia talk me into going to Hooligans. Actually, there was no talking them out of it. I curled my hair and had started applying my make-up when I got an eerie feeling and thought I saw something at my window reflected in my mirror. I got up from my vanity and walked over to the window and looked. Nothing was there. Could have been Bill, I supposed. I pulled down the shade and went back to the vanity.

Tara had brought me a dress from her shop, a blue number that matched my eyes and was the same shade of blue as one of the dresses I had worn in Rhodes. It was cut low in the front, which accentuated my natural bounty. Feeling soft against my skin, the dress came to about my mid-thigh, and fit me like a glove, energizing my ego a bit. Tara was good.

I slid on some black three inch heels and found myself feeling even better now that I was 'gussied up,' as Gran used to say. I added a touch of Obsession in the usual places. I was ready to party and damn the consequences. No more moping for me.

Since she was the emcee of the night, Claudine had already left. She and her twin brother, Claude, owned Hooligans now though she still worked at Dillards in customer service during the day. Her twin brother, Claude, still had hopes of being the next romance cover super model. It was too bad that he didn't have a personality to match his amazing good looks.

After we ate dinner, Tara drove Amelia and I to Monroe. Octavia had decided that she would stay at home and catch up on some reading. I pointedly didn't look at the malibu when we passed it on the road.

Tara and Amelia chatted amicably back and forth on the trip over, and by the time we got to Monroe, I was joining in. As Tara pulled into the parking lot, we were all singing along to Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'N' Roll" which was blaring out of Tara's car stereo.

The parking lot was jam-packed, and women were lined out the door waiting to get in. As we got out of the car, Tara said, "Claudine said we could just go to the front of the line and say 'la fée verte' to the bouncer and that he would let us in without paying the cover charge."

"La fée verte? Seriously?" I laughed. "What does that mean?"

"Beats me."

"So, did either of you ever rent Bram Stoker's Dracula?" asked Amelia.

"Of course," I replied. "That's the one Coppola directed with..."

"Exactly. Don't you remember that he introduced her to absinthe in that film?"

"Right, yes. I remember that," said Tara.

"La fée verte means green fairy. Another name for absinthe."

I started laughing, and Amelia joined in. Tara just looked at us oddly because she didn't know that Claudine was a full fairy, pointy ears and all. "What?"

"It's nothing, Tara. Let's go."

Jeff Pucket, the bouncer, looked a little startled when he saw me, having a case of déjà vu. I had interrogated Jeff back when I was still dating Bill. Claudine and Claude's triplet Claudia was killed, and they had hired me to question three suspects in her murder. Jeff was Claude's ex-lover, so I was surprised to see him still working at the club. Maybe they'd reconciled after Claudia's death.

We walked past the others in line, and Tara motioned to Jeff at the door. When he leaned over, she gave him the password. As he let us by him, we got not only outraged looks but some nasty remarks as well from the women behind us in line. Some verbal and some non-verbal.

Well, just who the hell do they think they are?

Bitches! We've been waitin' in line forever!

Too bad I didn't have one of my bar trays with me. They came in handy at keeping the peace. Or getting revenge.

Inside, Claudine met us cheerfully and led us to a table in front of the stage that had been reserved for us. "This is Max," she said, indicating the buffed server who was passing. "Max, please bring these ladies anything they want. They are my special guests."

Claudine pulled Amelia to the side and began talking in earnest with her and then looking over at me as they talked. They were serious for a bit, saw me watching, then changed their expressions and smiled at me. I wondered what that was about.

In the meantime, Max smiled handsomely at Tara and me and then over at Claudine and Amelia. He bowed his head slightly and said, "It will be my very great pleasure to serve you this evening, ladies." He let his gaze move to my cleavage and gave me a major eye fuck which pretty much killed it for me. I hated it when guys I wasn't dating did that to me. Happened at Merlotte's all the time. Though when it was someone you were dating, it was a lot of fun. But I wasn't dating Max, so it was just plain rude.

'I'd love to get these three alone and fuck them senseless. Especially the blonde. Fuckin' great tits,' he thought. Then aloud, he asked, "What can I get for you ladies?"

I closed my eyes, disconnected my mind from his thoughts, reopened my eyes, and then replied, "Margarita."

Tara and Amelia opted for margaritas as well.

"Coming right up,"said Max as he winked at Amelia.

Amelia watched his tush as he walked away from us and started fanning her face with her hand. "Oh my God! He's so gorgeous! I could kiss Claudine."

I rolled my eyes. "My, my. What would Tray say?"

Amelia sat down at our table and replied, "He knows me well enough to trust me. Lighten up, Sookie! We're here to have fun, remember?"

"If only you knew what Max was just thinking. You might not be so enamored of him."

"Do tell," said Tara, leaning forward with her arms on the table.

I pursed my lips and then told them word for word what I'd heard. Their mouths dropped open, and their eyes widened. Tara started giggling.

"Tray would kill him if he'd heard him say that out loud," said Amelia. "Hmmm... I think I'll just mess with Max a bit when he comes back." She smiled wickedly.

"Oh no, Amelia, what are you going to do?" I asked, starting to get a little worried.

She smiled cryptically and replied, "You'll see."

"Just don't use any magic. Remember what happened with Bob."

The DJ was playing "Barracuda" by Heart as Max eased through the crowd with our tray of drinks. When he got to our table, he smiled as he placed bowls of bar snacks on our table. Then placed our drinks down on marketed Hooligans napkins and smiled expectantly.

Amelia smiled up at him a little breathlessly. "So, Max," she began as she ran her fingertip slowly down his bare chest to his belly button. She looked at his crotch longingly and then looked up at him. "How late do you have to work tonight?"

He smiled a bit warily and looked back at her. "T-two. Why?"

"Oh, just wondered. My friends and I will be pretty pumped up after the show. Think you can handle all three of us stud?" she asked in a breathy, sexy voice.

Max's smile faded. He gulped, looking from one of us to the other and then back to Amelia in utter shock. "Uh... uh. I would love to ladies but... but... my girlfriend, she's the jealous type. She would kill me. Excuse me," he said as he hurried away with his tray placed strategically below his navel.

Amelia busted out laughing with Tara and I joining in.

Tara said between snorts of laughter, "Girl, I can't believe you just did that. He ran like his feet were on fire and his ass was catchin'."

"Serves him right for thinking that he could do all three of us. Perv. I am woman. Hear me roar."

"You scared that poor boy to death," I said. "Just leave him alone. Look where we are honey. We're in a strip club. We're about to watch guys get naked and dance in front of us."

"Yes, we are. You are going to love every minute of it, Sookie. I kid you not."

I rolled my eyes, took a sip of my drink, and looked around the room. The club was packed to capacity. I had to clamp down on my block to keep out all the stray thoughts. It wasn't always easy being a telepath.

The music died down, and the lights went out. It got really quiet.

The spotlight came on and Claudine was on the stage in a goth outfit similar to what Pam wore at Fangtasia. There was a mic stand in front of her. She removed the mic and said, "Good evening. Welcome to ladies night at Hooligans. We have a special treat for you tonight. In honor of Valentine's Day, we are doing a bit of a bloody valentine twist by bringing you our first ever all vampire revue. You'll have to determine which are the real vampires and which are merely portraying famous vampires. Or both. You decide. Without further ado, straight from gigs on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Give it up for Spike!

She put the mic back on it's stand, started clapping, and the lights went out again. The ladies started screaming when they heard the motorcycle rev up backstage.

TBC