Chapter One
Sookie's Bad Night
If Sookie never heard Charlie Daniels singing about the world needing more rednecks, it would be too soon. The bar was swarming with them, most of them drunk and raucous after spending the day at a monster truck and demolition derby at a track not too far from Bon Temps.
Most of them had reached the point where they weren't even tipping her hard work and she wished the night was over. One group in particular was extremely rowdy but she felt relieved to know they had a sober designated driver. She served him another soda on the house and gave him the best smile she could manage even if it was a little tight.
Sam had always provided any designated drivers with cost-free drinks. It didn't cost him much, and it was well worth it. Especially when compared to the saving of even a single human life. Plus, it was a bit of incentive for those that didn't necessarily want to have to pay, just to put up with a bunch of drunks.
Sam sometimes quietly threw in some onion rings or some fries… that sometimes helped get some food into those drinking. It tended to slow the drinkers down some and every little bit helped.
Sookie found it hard to give the designated driver a more genuine smile because one of his companions was thinking some very lusty, alcohol-induced, nasty thoughts while trying to grab her behind. She sidestepped the grab and the drunk's sober buddy slapped him hard on the back of his head. That was one of the rare, genuine smiles Sookie had had all night.
She looked at the clock and groaned inwardly. There were at least a few more hours before things would start to thin out and she was very tired already. Hard work wasn't the problem but when it was this busy, it required a lot of her focus on her keeping all the orders straight. That left her ability to keep her guard up much harder and she was bombarded by thoughts she couldn't fend off. She took a deep breath and convinced herself time would fly by.
She asked Sam for another pitcher of Dixie Draft for one of her tables when she was suddenly rocked with a thought that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. It was vile, dark and violent. She could feel the hatred rolling over her like a dense, evil fog.
The thoughts were disjointed, he was thinking about women he'd raped, she saw his hands beating and ripping the panties off of a struggling woman. There was more than one woman, and then she gasped when saw herself struggling beneath him!
She took hold of the edge of the bar because she thought she might lose her balance. She fought desperately to keep from gagging as she saw the man getting off one of his bleeding, sobbing victims. Her torn panties in his hand. He got into his truck, popped open the glove compartment and shoved the panties in. They were not the only ones in it. He laughed as he slammed it shut.
Sam turned toward her with the full pitcher and his face became one of instant concern. "Sookie! Are you all right?"
She couldn't speak, her eyes large with fright she simply stood there, speechless and terrified.
Sam put the pitcher on the bar and was about to take her hand but she spit out a terse and somewhat vehement, "Don't!" She was grateful that the people at the bar were too engrossed in their own conversations to overhear their exchange.
She closed her eyes and Sam stood before her, wiping the side of the pitcher needlessly, waiting for her to tell him what to do. She opened her eyes and said, in a low and shaky voice.
"Sam, I think you need to call the police." Sam leaned forward and placed the pitcher next to her tray, even though it was unnecessary, but it allowed him to say, "Sookie… Andy Bellefluer and Bud Dearborn are sitting over in Arlene's section."
"Sam, I'm going to take this pitcher out and maybe you could have Andy meet me in the back hall by the restrooms, make it look casual though, okay?"
Sam just nodded slightly at her as she took in a deep, calming breath and blowing it out slowly before she turned toward the crowd and worked her way back to her section with the fresh pitcher but rather strained smile on her face.
The guys, many who worked on the Parish road crew with Jason cheered as she served their beer, one made the mistake of telling her she was the prettiest woman he'd ever seen. His buddies hooted with laughter and she patted the top of his bald, sunburned head and said, "Why thank you Bobby Ray!" acknowledging the compliment.
As she walked away, she tried to sample the thoughts roiling among the crowd. She tried desperately to catch the mind of the rapist, trying to pin down who it was, but he'd buttoned his mind up and she simply could not find it.
She noticed Andy getting up and heading toward the restrooms. She made a circuit of her tables and then she headed to the kitchen. She ducked in and walked through it to the hallway on the other side of it, hidden from sight to anyone watching from the bar. Andy waited for her there. She reached out and took his hand, pulling him into the storeroom and closing the door.
"What the hel…?
"Andy, are you working on any unsolved rapes?"
"Sookie, you know I can't…"
"Did he rip their panties off and keep them?"
Andy's demeanor changed to one of great intensity. "What did you hear?" he demanded of her. Andy no longer bothered to believe her 'gift' wasn't real. "Who is he?"
"I'm not sure… I just caught him in a flash… he puts their panties in the glove compartment of his truck." She held her hand up in a 'wait a minute' pose and said, "The truck is fairly new and it looked to be a silver color, something light. I can't be sure but I think it's a Chevy."
Andy chewed it over in his mind for a moment then quietly said, "Sookie, can you say for sure how many uh, under things there were?"
"A lot Andy, at least five or six."
Andy closed his eyes, his jaw line tight. Sookie easily plucked out the fact that there had been only three rapes reported, at least here in Bon Temps. Sookie hung her head and wanted to cry. Clearly there were other brutalized women out there that could not face the stigma of reporting a rape.
"Did you catch anything else?" he asked his voice hard.
She looked him in the face and said, "Well, he was fantasizing about raping me in the trees at the back of the parking lot."
"What!" the outburst made both Sookie and Andy jump. They hadn't noticed Sam entering the storeroom.
"Jesus Christ Sam!"
"Andy!" Said Sookie sharply. She hated it when people took the Lord's name in vain.
"Sorry." He mumbled quietly.
Sookie quickly brought Sam up to speed and rubbed the goose bumps on her arms absentmindedly. "Look," she said suddenly, "I'm going back out there. Andy I'll try to get more… Sam, don't look so worried and tense. He may pick up on it."
Just then there was a rap at the door and Bill's voice called out, "Sookie?" Great. She wasn't the least bit surprised, he'd just felt her fear and anxiety and had come to the bar immediately.
She stepped to the door opened it, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek then said, "They'll explain." And crossed though the kitchen once again and walked back into the bar. She saw some new people sit down in her section and she fetched their drinks quickly and hung the ticket for the French fries and fried pickles they wanted on the kitchen wheel for Big John.
She noticed Bill sit down at the bar and order a True Blood, his face a revealing nothing of note and a moment later, Andy returned to the booth he was sharing with Bud and began to quietly fill him in. She couldn't help but catch Bud's exasperated "Now what?" thought, but it disappeared as Andy continued to talk.
Soon Bud's eyes were casually glancing at the various bar patrons. While Bud looked, Sookie continued to cast her mind out as well and was frustrated to find only drunken mish-mash, the usual unimportant thoughts, the mental calculations.
Whether or not they should drive with Bud and Andy here to see them, wondering if Matt's girlfriend was going to tell him she thought she was pregnant and so many mundane thoughts than she could barely begin to sift through them.
It was quickly becoming a futile effort. People don't think about the bad stuff they've done or want to do. Their minds are focused on everyday things, speculations and inner debates.
Sookie had simply managed to snatch the dark memories of a drunken mind. That only because that mind was interested in her.
Then it hit her, she made her way up to the bar and stood next to Bill as she recited her refill orders to Sam. "You have to go home Bill" she spoke quietly, smiling at him as if they were sharing their own mundane conversation.
While he didn't so much as raise an eyebrow he just glanced at Sam mixing drinks and then turned toward her and said, "That isn't going to happen, Sookie." He even smiled at her, resting his fingers lightly on her arm.
Sam was placing her drink order on her tray when he said, "Sookie? What do you think you're doing?" his voice clearly tense.
"It's simple; he wants a shot at me. With Bill here, Andy, Bud… no way will he try tonight, but…"
Sam looked at Bill and said, "I don't know about you, but her 'buts' always make me want to cringe."
Bill gave Sam a tight smile and said, "I concur."
Sookie rolled her eyes and said, "Oh for the love of… I'll be right back."
She served her drinks, emptied a few ashtrays, made change… Big John called her order up and she took it to the table along with catsup and a small dish of dill dip. She headed back to the bar to get another bottle of beer and said to Sam and Bill, "If he was drunk enough to think it, if he doesn't think there's any way for him to get caught he might try."
Bill looked at her as did Sam and she smiled brightly while saying, "Or would you rather he waits until some other night after he's thought about it awhile and he tries when you guys aren't around?"
Sam looked down and she was quite surprised when Bill stood, leaned over and kissed her cheek. Play-acting to perfection, exactly what she'd hoped for. "We figured that's what you had in mind." He left the bar and Sam turned his attention to Arlene's drink order. To anyone paying attention, things seemed to be business as usual.
Sookie turned away from the bar with the beer and managed to make her way through the rest of the night without catching any inkling of the rapist's thoughts again. She couldn't help but worry that maybe he'd already left.
The point she'd made earlier about him waiting to come back another night made her all the more anxious as the clock slowed to a crawl on its way towards last call. She hadn't noticed when Bud and Andy had left. She hoped either Bill or Sam had explained her plan to them.
She shrugged mentally, didn't really matter all that much, she knew Bill was waiting for her and that Sam wouldn't be far behind. The guy that had tried to get handsy with her and his buddies were gone, she was very pleased when she discovered two twenty dollar bills under the glass that held the last remnants of soda. At least the evening wasn't a total wash, she thought.
After Sam locked up, she and the other servers made quick work of their nightly close prep. While Sook filled salt and pepper shakers and napkin holders, Arlene gathered up all the catsup and mustard bottles, handed them through the pass to Big John to be put in the cooler, and then she wiped the tables down.
Sam started putting the chairs up on the tables to make it easier for Terry Bellefluer to mop in the morning before they opened. Usually, they only did prep for their sections, but everyone was anxious to get home and off their feet. Before long the girls were taking their purses from the desk drawer and calling out good nights.
Sam had been dragging his feet a bit and soon Sookie said, "Sam, I'm leaving." Just finish up quickly, I don't want him spooked."
"God Sookie, I hate this, I just hate it!" he said with vehemence.
She placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "Sam… you know full well that I'm well protected, and you'll be right in the middle of it so, good night." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
She walked out the back door as Sam began switching off the lights inside and out. When the big front flood light went out in the customer's lot, Sookie was suddenly gripped with fear as the thought of that awful night the Ratts attacked her flashed through her mind.
She shook herself mentally and continued out to where her car was parked.
She heard Sam lock up the bar and call good night to her as he did any other night and she answered in kind. She unlocked her car and got in. She wasn't quite sure if she was relieved, concerned or dismayed when no strange man attempted to hurt her. She began to back her car up when she realized something wasn't right.
She put the car in park and got out to walk around to the passenger side. Her rear wheel was completely flat. "Oh! Crap!" She was just about to call Bill's name when a voice made her jump and set her heart racing.
She spun around and was face to face with the designated driver from earlier in the night. He laughed, and help his hands up in a, "It's only me" gesture and said, "Oh, I didn't know this was your car, I was parked near it and saw the flat, after I dropped all the drunks where they belonged I thought I'd come back to lend a hand."
Sookie's face didn't show a thing but her mind knew better than that. She clearly saw his true purpose and she was also aware of the buzzing of Andy, Bud and Kenya's minds just out of sight.
She was further comforted by the blank spot that was Bill just as she realized Sam had gone out his trailer's back door and was slowly coming around the building from the front, his movement hidden by the fact that the rapist had his back to Sam.
The man stuck his hand out and said, "I guess I should introduce myself, I'm Kyle." True to her Southern upbringing, she immediately extended her hand to shake his. The moment she did, he grasped it roughly in an iron grip and she saw it all. Him squatting alongside her car puncturing her tire, grabbing other women, throwing them down…
And with that thought, he yanked her to him and covered her mouth with his free hand to silence the scream he figured she was about to try. It didn't stop her from trying and she fought hard. He effortlessly picked her up and even struggling as hard as she could, her ineffectiveness against him was scaring the hell out of her.
He was strong, very strong and his mind was filled with sick images and thoughts as he dragged her kicking and clawing toward the trees. Scared beyond belief, she prayed fervently that her protectors wouldn't jump the gun. Even within her own fear, she clearly recognized Sam was ready to rush them, as was Kenya. But Sookie knew it would have to go a bit farther before it could get better.
He knocked the breath out of her when he swept her legs out from under her and she hit the ground hard, before she could recover he'd covered her mouth once more, ripped her shorts open and grabbed at her underwear.
She heard fabric rip and her fear fully took hold of her.
Then he was gone and she heard him hit the ground with much more force than she had when he'd knocked her down. She was pretty sure she heard a bone snap and then the adrenaline fried her system to the point of overload and she began to shake and sob.
Bill held her close and helped rearrange her damaged clothes while a breathless Sam neared and called out, "Sook! You okay?"
She managed to nod her head, and she heard Kyle's howls of pain as Kenya and Andy cuffed the protesting man. "Hey! Goddammit! My arms broke here! Hey! She want…." He was silenced when Andy growled, "One more word outta you and I'll take those cuffs off and let Mr. Compton here ask you just what it was you were trying to do to his girlfriend!"
Fear flooded Kyle's mind as he took in Bill's fangs and pure unadulterated bloodlust in his eyes. He just shook his head and silenced his mouth even though the pain of his broken wrist in cuffs was excruciating. As Andy hauled him to his feet, Bud Dearborn came over and bent down to speak to her.
"I'm real sorry we had to let it get that far Miss Sookie…"
Sookie was quite surprised at his courtesy and more so when it dawned on her that Bud was broadcasting very clearly that he really was concerned about her, saddened by what he'd had let her endure and genuinely appreciative of what she'd done. She stared at him for a moment and with a shaky voice said, "Do I need to come make a statement now?"
"Yes, we'll need that but I'm going to have to ask you to step back into the bar, Sam can you open it for us?" Sam nodded and turned. "Do you have any other clothes? We'll need to take yours into evidence. After that, you can probably just go on home, sound okay to you? Would you go with Kenya?"
As Sookie nodded to Bud, she became aware that Kenya was standing near them. "If it's okay with you Sookie," Kenya said in a soothing voice.
Bud and Bill reached to help her; Bud got her to her feet while Bill held her shorts and shirt in place. She became aware of the fact that her tee shirt was torn and she became absurdly embarrassed when she realized one of her breasts had been exposed during the attack.
Bill held her tighter as he sensed her sudden shame and whispered a soft, "I've got you."
"Uh… Mr. Compton, I hope you'll understand but can you not touch her or as little as possible… ah the…?" Bud said uncomfortably.
"Certainly Sheriff, evidence is crucial."
Bud was visibly relieved at Bill's acquiescence. Sookie looked at Bill and said, "Would you mind going and getting me some clothes?"
"Of course. Kenya?" Bill gestured the deputy closer and she took Sookie's arm and together they headed to the bar as Bill flashed out of sight. By the time Sam put down sheets of freezer paper for her to stand on to collect anything that dropped, Bill had returned with fresh clothes.
Holding her hand over another sheet of paper across Sam's desk, Kenya cleaned under Sookie's fingernails carefully, expertly bagging all the scrapings in separate evidence bags, noting the time and date collected.
When it was just the two women in the room, she very carefully helped Sookie disrobe, using great care to collect all debris that fell from her ruined clothing. A drop of water landed on the freezer paper.
Kenya did not look up as she was sealing Sookie's ripped shorts in a large evidence bag, "Don't cry Sookie, we're almost done." Until that moment Sookie hadn't been conscious of the tears flowing down her cheeks.
When the evidence gathering was complete. Kenya sighed heavily and glanced up at her.
"We're going to have to take pictures before I can let you get dressed."
"What!"
Immediately Bill was asking urgently through the door, "Sweetheart? Do you need me?"
"In a minute." She said weakly and she looked at the bruises that were already forming, and starting to throb in a very painful way. "My Lord, how did all this happen?" she was bewildered by what she could plainly see.
Kenya handed her the shirt Bill had brought and said, "Slip this on first." She then took the sweat pants Bill had grabbed and said quietly, "Just wrap these around you like an apron to cover yourself with these until I can get pictures of the top of your thigh."
Holding the modest cover, Kenya took a number of pictures. She told her she could finish dressing, Sookie had never been so relieved to put on a pair of sweats in her life. Kenya then had Sookie lift her tee shirt to expose the bruises and scratches on her stomach. Then the ones darkening on her arms.
"Kenya, I really just want to go home."
"I'll ask Bud." Speaking quietly Kenya said, "I know that sometimes vampires can give people their blood and it helps them heal quicker, and I'm not saying that's right or wrong, or that it's something you've ever done or would do, and it's not any of my business but for the sake of the case, it may be better to let nature take its course."
Sookie could hear Kenya's wondering if Sookie did in fact take vampire blood. Then Kenya just mentally shrugged and thought, so long as she wasn't taking it from little vials she bought on the street, she didn't care… to each his own.
She cleared her throat, "Ah, it'll help a great deal to take more pictures tomorrow when the bruises have fully developed." Kenya put her hand on Sookie's shoulder and said, "That okay with you?"
Sookie nodded and looked at the bags, all so neatly labeled. Kenya opened the door slightly and handed them to Andy. She watched as he wrote his initials on each bag as he took it. He spoke too low for Sookie to hear and she was too exhausted to hear with her mind.
Kenya held the door almost closed, turned back to Sookie and said, "Okay if I let anyone in?"
"Kenya," She looked up at the deputy who was nearly a head taller than her.
"How did he do so much damage in so short a time?"
With a grim set of her lips she said, "Practice."
Sookie frowned and then said, "Oh."
Then she nodded and Kenya opened the office door. Sookie sought Bill's embrace immediately. Bud walked into Sam's office and told her to come to the station the next morning. He said as long as they would have to take pictures of her bruises, she should go get some rest. His thoughts brought tears to her eyes.
Bill's mouth was a grim line, and they walked out the back door, stopping only to give Sam a quick hug. "If you don't feel up to working Monday, just stay home, okay?"
"I'm good Sam, but thanks."
Bill scooped her up and was at her door in mere moments, the tears slid slowly down her face. He laid next to her in bed his arm over her, trying to make her feel safe.
She cried herself quietly to sleep, Bill doing his best to soothe her, but tonight she found no comfort in it.
Her mind was burdened with what Bud's mind had told her. Nine. All she could think of were the nine pairs of ripped ladies panties they'd taken from the glove compartment of the man's truck.
Fallout
Bill woke feeling indignant, frustrated and flat out mad as hell. If he breathed, he would have blown his breath out in annoyance just then. He pushed the button on his watch illuminating the dial. It was only 2:00 pm. He closed his eyes and hoped to drift back into at least some semblance of rest.
Another wave of emotions washed over him. This time he actually did sigh. Oddly enough, it did make him feel a little better. As the various emotions continued to engulf him seemingly without end, he turned on his reading light and picked up a novel Sookie had brought over for him to read.
He was resigned to the fact that by this point, he'd likely not get much more rest the remainder of the day. The novel she'd given him was about vampires, and the book had been written a few years before the real vampires had 'Come out of the coffin'. She'd laughed hysterically through most of it, and begged him to read it.
He had to fake a little enthusiasm for her sake, and was loathed to actually read it but he once he began reading, he had to admit to himself that it'd become a guilty pleasure. And it was, as far as he was concerned, wonderfully funny.
Supposedly written as a dramatic venture, Bill couldn't fathom how an author could justify the decision to have the lead vampire characters not only able to move about effortlessly during the day but to actually sparkle in the sunlight! Very odd that.
He chuckled as he read and the tide of Sookie's emotions seemed to be ebbing. He put the book aside and closed his eyes. He wouldn't rest as deeply as he usually did but it should be enough to prevent the bleeds later. He hoped so, Sookie always got very upset when she knew his rest had been disrupted because of her emotional state.
The sun set and Bill opened his eyes. Across town he felt Jessica blink on. He smiled as he reached up to unlatch the door. He was so very glad things were going so well for her with Hoyt.
He had been thinking about having Hoyt 'trick-out' his resting place after Jessica had excitedly shown Sookie and him the one Hoyt had created especially for her. Bill had to admit it was a lot nicer than lying beneath the floorboards, on top of a blanket laid down on the dirt under the house.
He heard the microwave ding as he opened the door of the closet under the stairs. Sookie's emotions were starting to ramp up again so as he closed the closet door, he braced himself for what was to come.
"You are not going to believe this! That weenie DA is actually considering a plea bargain with
Meadows because his client was the subject of entrapment because allegedly the Sheriff's only probable cause was the word of a psychic!"
She shoved the warm bottle of True Blood into Bill's hand. "Argh! First off I'm not a damn psychic, secondly, none of us even knew who he was and… and… I swear to God… the next time Tom Bradley runs for DA I'm going to picket in front of the courthouse every day until the elect…"
Her words were cut short because Bill had reached out and pulled Sookie close to him and kissed her into silence. He held her tight and his mouth was tender and soft on her lips. His tongue touching hers gently, flicking ever so lightly at the roof of her mouth.
As he drew back and released her from his kiss, he kept his arm around her waist to steady her. He took a drink from the bottle of O-neg and wryly said, "Good evening to you too, sweetheart! Why yes, I rested comfortably most of the day. Did you have any plans? Seeing as you don't have to work this evening maybe we could take a drive down to the lake? Or, why don't you tell me about your day?"
Knowing she had her balance back, he released her and walked into the living room and sat down on one of the red velvet sofas. "Come…" he said, his voice low and sensual, "sit by me."
For a moment Sookie looked as though she'd been smacked rather than kissed. Then she blushed and looked quite guilty as she walked to where he sat waiting for her. She sat down and murmured quietly, "Sorry, I guess that was pretty rude of me, huh?"
He put his arm across her shoulder and drew him close to her. He kissed the top of her head, breathing in scent. He loved that her hair was still warm from the sunlight and sweet smelling; drinking in her scents always pleased and excited him.
"Well my darling, it's not as if I was completely unprepared."
"Oh Bill!" her voice apologetic, "I woke you again didn't I? I'm sorry. Are you okay? Will you get the bleeds?" She had her head resting against his chest and she heard the chuckle low in his chest.
"I'm fine Sookie, I got more than enough rest and we knew this was going to be something that will happen from time to time." Again he kissed the top of her head.
Then with a lightning fast vampire move, Sookie found herself seated in his lap, his mouth an inch from hers, his intentions obvious as she sat against his already responsive hardness. He leaned forward and kissed her slowly, deeply.
His hand traced the curve of her back lightly, with just enough pressure to keep it from being a tickle. He slid his talented fingers into her hair and then gently cupped her head in his hand, effectively keeping her mouth locked to his.
She moaned softly as he took his hand from her head and let his fingers trail down the plane of her jaw, then her throat and finally the swell of her breast. He shifted her slightly in his lap to ease some of her weight away from his hardness.
Doing so gave him a flare of desire. Knowing that only a couple layers of cloth kept him away from such deliciousness fanned the flames of his passion higher. His mouth left hers then and he nuzzled her throat. He flicked his tongue over her luscious skin and his fangs ran out full length with a snick.
At the sound, Sookie's breathing changed and Bill felt her heartbeat pick up its tempo. "Bill?" her voice full of question and promise. Her hand sliding down his chest towards his lap…
"Yes?" he answered back, his voice husky. His moved her again so fast she barely noticed so that she now straddled his lap. He ran his sinewy, sexy hands down her sides, his thumbs brushing lightly over her nipples that were straining against the fabric of her bra and blouse.
"Could you… oh!" she gasped as he bent his head and ever so gently bit her hardened nipple through her clothes. He pulled away from her just then, his hands resting at her waist as he watched the emotions play across her face.
She opened her eyes in surprise at the sudden loss of contact and seemed a bit confused, and then her eyes found the look on his face and drank in the sinful smile, the glint of heady, sensuality oozing from his expressive eyes. "You were saying?" he said, clearly enjoying her flustering moment.
She gazed into his eyes, then leaned forward until the tips of their noses touched and whispered, "What? Oh… forget that, let's take this upstairs." Her smile full of excitement and promise. He stood and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her most sensitive self against his hardness then she felt an immediate change of mood.
He brushed her lips with a kiss and said, "We've got company." Then he moved so it was clear to her that he was putting her down. She took a moment to steady herself and glanced Bill's way. He gave her a strained smile and she could see him mentally calming his readiness away so he could answer the door.
"Who? "She asked her voice a question.
"Pam." Was his unhappy reply.
As Bill opened the door, Sookie headed back towards Bill's kitchen. She opened the fridge door and said, "Pam?"
"A-neg if you have it." Pam's reply, was just barely heard by Sookie she didn't have the super hearing a vampire did, but the kitchen wasn't too deep within the house giving her an edge.
She cracked it open, put the bottle in the microwave, and turned it on. She took a Fresca from the fridge, popped it open and poured it into a glass for herself. Taking a glass down for Pam at the same time.
The microwave dinged and she removed the bottle shaking it lightly, then poured it and walked back to the living room, a glass in each hand. Pam was still standing looking superb in a gorgeous winter-white ensemble, standing in a pair of four inch heels that made Sookie's feet hurt just to look at them.
Bill was already sitting on one couch and Pam gave Sookie an air kiss to both cheeks as she took the glass of True Blood Sookie held out to her. Pam really did look pleased to see her. Something Sookie didn't always quite understand, but it was better than the alternative of having Pam wanting to rip her throat out every time they saw one another.
Sookie sat next to Bill as Pam seated herself across from them. Sookie took a sip of her soda. "What brings you here tonight Pam?" she asked. There was a slight petulance in her voice and as soon as Sookie saw the iota of reaction from Pam she felt bad, her Gran would have given her a harsh look for her rudeness.
Trying to redeem herself, just for Gran's sake she said, "Ah… Pam, it's been awhile since I've seen you. How are you? What is it you need?" She didn't feel that was rude because Pam never came just to visit. Ever.
"Why Sookie! I'm surprised at you! Can't a person just visit another?"
Bill raised his eyebrows halfway up his forehead and Sookie cocked her head slightly as she processed the statement. Nope, Pam wanted something and Sookie suspected it was probably more along the lines of Eric wanting something.
"Oh you two are no fun at all!" Pam said as though she were extremely put out at their lack of enthusiasm. "Eric sent me." Suspicion confirmed.
Still, Sookie noticed, Pam seemed oddly ill at ease, not something you saw much with Pam.
Bill curtly said, "Continue."
"Eric needs your help Bill…"
Once again Bill's eyebrow arched. Pam hesitated for a moment the said, "And Sookie's too."
Bill and Sookie said "No!" at the same time.
Pam put her hands up and said quickly, "It's nothing major it's just…"
"What?" Sookie's skepticism was practically dripping off the word as it hung in the air. She didn't give a hoot at what Gran would have thought at the moment.
"Eric needs… well, he needs… I could kill him for this!" she muttered almost to herself, "He needs character references and you're the only two he could think of in such short notice!" Pam growled. Her utter disdain at what Eric had sent her to do clearly rankled her to no end.
Without so much as a moment's thought, Sookie began to laugh and Bill was using most of his willpower not to do the same.
"You've got to be flippin' kidding me! A character reference? Oh this is too much!" Sookie was laughing so hard at this point that she actually snorted in her amusement.
Sadly, that was all it took for Bill to start laughing out loud as well. Pam just sat across from them, looking highly annoyed. She just drank from her glass and did her best to ignore them.
After a moment, Bill settled down but Sookie was still at the stage were any little thing would send her flying back into hysterics. A tear brought by the laughter slowly rolled down Sookie's cheek and her sides hurt. It was the best she'd felt in weeks.
"Pam," Bill said as neutrally as he could manage. "Why in world would Eric need us as character references?" Although he had little intention of following through, he couldn't help but wonder just what was going on.
Pam shifted a bit in her seat, smoothed the skirt of the vintage, classic Chanel suit and said, "Eric is trying to get an endorsement by joining ah, an, a… club? And so he needs…" she looked at her hands. "He needs a reference from someone he knows but not someone in his employ. And one must be human."
Sookie, having reined herself in by this point asked, "What club would Eric want to join?" Then she barked a laugh and blurted, "Blood Users R Us?" and she was once again on the verge of hysterical laughter.
If Pam had been capable of turning red with annoyance she would have done so. "No," she said levelly. "It's the Shreveport Sunday Southern Gentlemen Businessmen Group. They, well, they have some good ideas for businessmen and there are a lot of things they offer that would be of use to Eric."
"We're talking about Eric? Joining a club? What? Do they hold special night meetings?" Sookie asked dubiously.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, they are currently opening up their membership and are encouraging Vampire-Americans to join."
"Oh." Sookie said. Her mind busy playing mental pictures of Eric in a Fez, smoking a cigar and having his picture taken with the Governor or a state senator. She shook the image out of her head as the more than probable real reason dropped in its place.
"He wants me there to read their minds to determine what he can gain over them as leverage, doesn't he?" Sookie didn't feel like laughing anymore.
While Pam attempted to keep things light she said, "Well… you know Eric, he just wants to make sure he's not being played."
"Right." Bill said quite dryly. "Exactly when does he want us to come and be his, references?"
"Now." She hesitated slightly, then added. "If you can, of course."
Sookie groaned. "Crap Pam! Bill and I have plans for tonight! It's my only night off this week!"
Pam gave Sookie a knowing grin then said, "You know… Eric will owe you for this little favor."
The thought of Eric owing her a favor perked her up a bit. Bill, however, was intent on erring on the side of caution. "Sookie," this isn't part of your deal with Eric. You don't have to do this!"
Pam realized there was likely to be some negotiating between the two of them and she'd rather not be in the mix. She finished her True Blood and stood. "What should I tell Eric?"
Bill said, "We'll call if we're coming…." Sookie started to say something but the look Bill shot her, stilled her.
Now it was Pam's turn to hold back laughter. She'd seen that particular spark flare in Sookie's eyes before. "I'll see myself out." And in a wink she was gone. She didn't bother to stop and phone Eric. She knew that Sookie and Bill would be leaving for Shreveport within the hour.
A Rough Road to Shreveport
Light classical music wafted softly from the surround sound speakers of Bill's Mercedes. There had been no conversation since she'd entered the car. Bill was still sadly brooding about Sookie's utter blindness and lack of common sense when it came to her 'doing favors' for Eric.
Sookie on the other hand was still smoldering over what she felt was Bill's inability to trust her judgment. In such close proximity, at least they both knew it was best not to speak to one another or risk an argument of epic proportions. It wouldn't be the first time and neither wanted to go that route. It was too painful.
A tiny sigh escaped Sookie as she thought about the things he'd said after she'd said she was going home to change clothes before they left for Fangtasia.
"So you're just going to run off and do Eric's bidding just because he snaps his fingers? Sookie, use your head! You may think you'll have the upper hand but he's proved time and again that he's usually two moves ahead of you every time you do something for him!"
"Oh! And what? I'm just supposed to say, "Screw you Eric, I won't do this small favor because it requires so much from me?" She shot back angrily. "Or do you think I'm just plain stupid?"
"Sookie!" his voice full of exasperation. "Of course I know you're not stupid but there's got to be more than Eric joining some businessmen's club than meets the eye, you know how he is! Think it through! There are always strings attached when it's something Eric wants!"
"Fine," she snarled between clenched teeth. "I'll go myself. I'll talk to you later." She turned and stomped off toward the front door, which predictably he already stood in front of, when she reached it.
"You know I absolutely hate it when you do that!" She put both hands and his chest to shove him away. He didn't move an inch but she still pushed. It was the principal of the thing.
"Sookie," he said tenderly. He reached out to capture a lock of her hair between his fingers. "Please think a moment." His voice crooned at a perfect modulation, he was hoping desperately to get her to decide against this rash action, but she was having none of it.
"Good-bye!" she hissed with her hand on the doorknob.
He dropped the lock of hair and she opened, then slammed the door behind her. He heard her head out across the grass. Good, she had walked over. He raced up the stairs.
By the time Sookie walked out her back door a few moments later, he was parked behind her car. She frowned as she knew that it was outright stupid to even argue with him at this point.
Just as she knew she'd never get her car around his and besides, it would be easier on her budget this month if she didn't use up her gas on an unexpected trip to Shreveport.
She'd changed into a lovely, pale yellow scoop necked top and a white denim skirt. She'd left her hair loose and had slipped into soft, white leather sandals that Bill had brought back for her from a trip he'd taken a few months ago.
He also smiled for a the briefest of moments, too quickly for her to even notice, when he saw she was wearing the dainty gold chain with a free floating heart charm and the matching earrings he'd brought back for her as well.
He wondered if she'd subconsciously worn them to remind Eric she was with him or if she'd worn them just because of the outfit. After a small wave of her emotions drifted over him as she silently buckled her seat belt, and he decided it was probably the outfit.
About fifteen minutes out of Shreveport, Sookie reached over and took his hand from the steering wheel. She clasped it tightly for a moment, then kissed the back of it. Relief flooded through Bill. The worst was over, he hoped. He too lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers.
He glanced her way and she said, "I know you're only thinking of me first but really Bill… is it so wrong to want to help a friend?"
He turned his eyes back to the road, lest she see the frustration in them as soon as the words passed her lips. He was struggling with himself, to stay in control, trying not to voice his objections at her infuriating naiveté when it came to her continuing to belief that Eric was "just a friend".
But he could read the tenor of her anxiety and the desperate hope that he would see her point. So, he let it drop. It would do them no good to be at odds in the face of the unknown situation they were walking into. Above all else, Bill just wanted her to be happy and so he firmly locked away his frustration and annoyance.
A smile played at his lips as he decided that if things did go sideways tonight as they so often seemed to, he was definitely going to tell her, "I told you so." Granted if they made it out alive and unharmed.
Sookie, noticing the smile relaxed and looked forward to taking Bill to bed later and showing him how much his trust in her judgment meant to her. She told him this and it was his turn to smile.
But as things so often happen when Eric was involved, it would be much longer than a few hours before she'd be given that chance.
How did we get here?
Bill parked in the back as usual once they arrived at Fangtasia and he opened Sookie's door, "You know… " he had been about to suggest they just return home and better still back to where they had been headed before Pam's visit, but one look at the set of her mouth brought a rather quick, if lame "Never mind." to his lips. Sookie ignored it which he appreciated.
They entered through the employee's entrance and made their way down the hall to Eric's office. A handsome young vampire, wearing only a red satin thong, leather chaps and a vest happened to step out of the walk-in cooler carrying three cases of bottled beer balanced on his shoulder as they passed. Sookie couldn't help but think how much easier it would be at Merlotte's if they had a vampire to tote the heavy stuff from the walk-in.
Then she saw that he had multiple body piercings. Having seen as much as she had in the last couple of years, she rarely noticed things like that anymore. She wasn't even fazed at the wicked looking nipple ring. The three graduating sizes of bar-bells outlined in the bulge of his thong, however captured her undivided attention.
She couldn't help but stare and if Bill hadn't picked her up off her feet just then she would have collided quite painfully with the wall. "Thanks." She said distractedly and Bill couldn't help but smile slightly as he reached over and gentle pushed her chin up to close her mouth his finger.
It never ceased to amaze him that she could be so forward thinking and unflappable in one moment, and yet be so completely blind-sided by a youngster's decision to pierce his scrotum that she almost walked headlong into a wall, the next.
He considered their lovemaking for a moment. The things he had helped her learn, the things she had chosen to learn on her own. Her shyness when asking because she was curious, and how he gently answered her questions about the things a man and woman could do together. Her passion, her joy… her playfulness, her desires. His insides quivered at the thought of her desires…. He shook his head slightly to clear it, and marveled at how little it took to prove just how sweet and uncomplicated she really was. Or maybe it was just that he was too jaded.
Pam stepped out of Eric's office. "Oh good, you're finally here." She said as though she'd been waiting for hours.
"Pam," Bill said with a note of caution in his voice.
"Bill," Pam replied with a note of taunting in her voice.
"Knock it off you two. Where's Eric?" Sookie said.
"He's in the bar at his regular table, there are two men with him and he wants to know if you pick up on any… deceptions."
"Why is Eric so concerned about this?" Sookie asked genuinely curious. "It's just like joining the Rotary Club or something right?"
"Well…. I'm not quite sure that's all there is to it, contrary to popular belief he doesn't share everything with me."
Bill rolled his eyes and Sookie cocked an eyebrow, waiting to see if Pam would say more. She didn't.
Suddenly Pam said, "Damn! You have to come in through the front. So go do that, then just find a table near his. He'll call you over once he decides he's ready for you. He doesn't want them aware that he wanted you to join him during his meeting."
Sookie held her hand towards Pam, palm up. Pam looked at it, then almost comically to Sookie's face. "What?" she said, clearly confused.
"Free passes or cash Pam." Sookie didn't move a muscle.
"You can't be serious!" Pam exclaimed having been taken completely off guard at Sookie's request.
"You bet I'm serious!" Sookie shot back. "This is my only night off, and either Eric is purposely keeping you in the dark or you're in on whatever game he's playing. I don't really know for sure, and I don't really care. But I'm not about to spend forty bucks of Bill's money and I'm absolutely not spending any of mine…. So, fork over the cover charge or when we go out that door we go back to Bon Temps. Your choice."
It was Pam's turn to roll her eyes as she zipped into and out of the office in a flash. She held out two cards, "One is to get in, the other is for some free drinks. I can only assume you need financial help with that as well." She said acerbically.
"Why, thank you Pam!" Sookie said with her sunniest smile as she snatched the cards from Pam's fingers. "Why, I hadn't given drinks much thought, so free drinks is a wonderful idea!"
Bill kept his eyes averted slightly, lest he chuckle aloud at the look on Pam's face. He wasn't quite sure why Sookie seemed so annoyed now, but he was enjoying it. They turned and headed back outside. As they walked around the building Bill asked quietly, "Would you like to tell me why you're suddenly unhappy?"
"It was just the way she said he'd call us over, like he's some vampire godfather or something, it just rubbed me wrong that's all. Besides, if he wants me to help him make a decision that's not about his typical vampire shit, he can foot the bill!"
"Hmmm." Was the only response Bill made. Not surprisingly she ignored it.
They entered the bar and found a table a short way from Eric's. When the waitress arrived at their table to take their orders, true to form, she wore a tight black gown with filmy, trailing sleeves and a handkerchief hemline. Her boots were thigh high, shiny black patent leather platforms with at least five inch stiletto heels.
Sookie couldn't imagine what it would be like to walk a few feet in those boots much less wait tables for an entire shift. Her feet hurt when she had a busy night and she wore high end tennies!
Bill suddenly got a wicked spark in his eye as Sookie told the waitress she'd have a gin & tonic, she looked at Bill with question in her eyes, and she knew he was definitely up to something.
"What brands of blood to you have?" his smooth voice intoned. The waitress ran down the list ending with Royalty Blended. She told him that all but the Royalty Blended was served by the bottle. "The Royalty Blended is served only by the glass sir… and its $100 per glass."
The girl bit just a bit of her lower lip between her teeth and arched her neck somewhat. Sookie was reading her thoughts perfectly clear and was ready to smack the girl and her shameless hussy thoughts into next week!
Then Bill made his choice. "I'll have the Royalty Blended, O Negative, please."
"Certainly sir, I'll be right back with it." She quickly made her way to the bar.
Sookie gave Bill a pointed look. "You realize of course that she thinks that you're rich beyond belief and that she could get rid of me in a heartbeat because she's got a couple of vampire friends that she'd gladly have take me out, then you could be all hers."
Bill's eyes narrowed and Sookie tried to quickly change the subject. She said, "And what the hell? Since when do you order Royalty Blended?" even though she already knew the answer.
Bill picked up the card Sookie has laid on the table that was signed by Pam. It read, "Good for two rounds of drinks from the bar. Pam was kind enough to forego any restrictions when she so generously decided to throw in a little bonus with the cover charge. I thought it a rare oversight that will result in a very special treat. You know my evening was disrupted too." He smiled one of her favorite smiles.
"You are a sinful man sometimes Bill Compton, her voice was somewhat seductive. She caught movement in the corner of her eye and a little alarm began ringing in her head, she realized why, when the waitress returned to their table and leaned far forward so Bill could see her cleavage.
She plunked Sookie's drink in from of her with barely a glance, then made a show of placing the black lace napkin with Fangtasia embroidered in red on the edge of it. It was without the caveat of "The bar with bite" Too classy for Royalty Blended evidently.
She then placed the crystal goblet in front of Bill with great ceremony. Sookie was livid as she read the young woman's thoughts. What the girl didn't expect was when Bill caught her gaze and the server was instantly riveted at his voice.
Calmly but with an undercurrent of pure menace Bill coolly said, "I am not interested in you in any way. You will not think for a single moment that I would care enough about you to even ask your name."
"Bill…" Sookie hated it when Bill spoke with that composure. She had no one to blame but herself and she knew it. But it still bothered her when he chose to glamour someone right in front of her. Even if it was her fault.
Never so much as flicking a glance toward Sookie, he continued. "Furthermore, if you consider for a moment, of having anyone, mortal or immortal, hurt this woman in any way… I will hunt you down, and make you pay and believe me when I tell you there is no place you can hide from me. No place at all, and I have an eternity to find you."
"Bill!"
Bill ignored Sookie his full attention was on the waitress, "Do you understand me?"
The waitress's eyes were wide, terrified and brimming with unshed tears. She nodded her head in agreement. She was far too frightened to try and speak.
"Now… turn around, forget we spoke and go on with your evening and don't ever think about either of us again. Oh… and get another waitress to wait on us for the rest of the evening."
The girl gave him a brilliant smile and said, "Of course sir! I'll have Karen come right over." She pivoted and left the table with a speed that was impressive considering those boots.
Bill didn't have to look at Sookie, to know she was furious. He turned his eyes to meet hers, prepared to try and explain his treatment of the girl was quite mild, all things considered.
"Don't even start Bill." Her voice was as cold as the lowest depths of the ocean.
"Sookie she could have…." He began, but her eyes bored into his like acid.
"Not. A. Word." Then she turned away from him and began glancing at other bar patrons. Some were the inevitable tourists there to walk on the wild side, the standard motley crew of fang bangers and a few genuine vampires as required by Eric and his 'face-time' commitment.
Bill knew there was no reason to try and explain further. She was good and angry now and he looked at the glass of $100 blood, so be it, Bill thought to himself and picked the goblet up and drank from it.
His fangs ran out as he swallowed. It was delicious. Probably not worth the larger-than-life argument he knew he faced with Sookie at some point tonight but still pretty damn good. He looked at Sookie as she pointedly ignored the fact that he sat across from her.
He glanced Eric's way and caught Eric's eyes. Eric smiled and Bill wished fervently he'd had a chance to stake Eric at the same time he'd staked Longshadow. Just then Eric gave him a nod and Bill said, "Sookie?"
She looked at him and her eyes were snapping with the fire of defiance. All she did was lift her brows. "Eric wants us." Bill didn't bother to smile, without saying a word, Sookie stood and didn't wait for Bill to join her.
Luckily, Bill's vampire speed made it appear as though they'd moved in tandem, but Eric didn't miss the moment. As they neared Eric's table, Eric glanced up and acted like he'd had no idea they were stopping by to say hello. As Eric's guests couldn't see his face, Bill rolled his eyes.
"Bill, how nice to see you!" he said as he stood, "Sookie, you look delectable as always."
The two men with Eric also rose to their feet and Eric made introductions. "This is Joe Maxwell and Alan Kentwood." Both men were aware of the fact the vampires didn't like to shake hands so both extended their hands to Sookie only. Eric pulled the chair next to him and said, "Please join us, Sookie?" he motioned for her to take the seat next to him.
They sat and Karen came to the table with Bill and Sookie's drinks and asked if anyone else needed anything. They declined and Eric's nose sniffed delicately, "RB old sport! I didn't think that was part of mainstreaming."
"It's a rare treat… one I was happy to indulge this once." Bill replied with just a hint of irony in his voice.
Afraid that disaster was just around the next sentence, Sookie smiled brightly and said, "What is it that you do Mr. Kentwood?"
"I'm in marketing and investment trends." Sookie opened her mind and clearly heard his motives behind his desire to sign up Eric as one of the Sunday Southern Gentlemen's Club. Not surprisingly it was all about money.
While he was a little iffy as to Eric being a vampire, he was seeing clearly that Eric had the kind of cash business that in the right hands, namely his, he could market and get Eric to involve himself in Alan's ideas. Investments that would launch the bar into the stratosphere.
Evidently Alan also harbored a death wish. He was working the percentages in his head. He thought that he'd be able to skim at least one if not two percent off the top without Eric's catching on. Her momentary distraction had caused her to miss the question Mr. Maxwell had asked her, "I'm sorry Mr. Maxwell, what was that again?"
"Please! Call me Joe! I asked what brought you to Shreveport tonight Miss Stackhouse."
"Oh… just felt like getting out a little and please, call me Sookie." She opened her mind to take a dip into his head and she was rather startled. There was nothing there. She knew from shaking hands with him that he wasn't a vampire. Further evidenced by the scotch and soda he sipped from. No... Nothing there, wasn't quite the way to describe it. There was something there. It was almost like white noise. A radio not tuned to a station, just a humming of sorts.
She tried to remember if she'd ever encountered something like this before. Not that she could remember… it was very odd. Alan Kentwood asked where they were from. Bill sensing her hesitation, told the men they were from Bon Temps, it started a discussion about Bill's return to his heritage and Sookie managed to explain her family's humble beginnings.
Alan bought a round and Bill very politely declined another glass of RB, much to his relief Sookie caught, and the discussion turned to the Civil War, then a progression to the south in general and current affairs. Sookie lost interest in listening to Alan altogether. She would pass on the man's foolish notions to Eric and let him decide how he would handle it.
It was Joe's mind, or the lack thereof, that had her riveted. She followed the conversation, laughed at different things but she kept wandering back, trying to figure out what in the world he was. She had decided that he had to be a supe of some sort but couldn't imagine what.
Werewolves tended to switch from words to emotions rather quickly. Some people were broadcasters so vivid it was like listening to a public address system. She'd met people that thought in bursts of words and those that thought mainly in run on sentences.
There were people that only thought in emotions or images. One of her favorites was Danny. His mom and dad owned the Grabbit-Kwik. He had been born to them late in life, he was their only child and he had been born with severe Down's Syndrome.
His heart of the purest of anyone she'd ever met and she loved him and his extraordinary mind. He thought in colors and smells, joy and love. His thoughts were pictures strung one after another, music and gossamer beauty filled his mind. There were times before she met Bill that Sookie would stop in for one thing or another, just to allow her mind the happiness and relief his mind provided.
Right in this moment however, she was becoming more and more frustrated. It was causing her to receive a lot of spillover of the other minds active in the bar. She excused herself to visit the ladies' room. All of the men stood and she felt a little embarrassed.
She almost commented that they really were southern gentlemen, and quickly had to remind herself that the reason for being at Fangtasia tonight had yet to be brought up and she was very glad she'd censored herself before speaking.
On the way to the restroom, she almost laughed out loud when she tried picturing Eric the Viking as a Sunday Southern Gentleman. If there was ever someone that was never, ever going to fit in to the southern gentleman category, it was Eric.
Once inside the restroom she was able to relax for a moment. There was a pair of pathetic fangbangers primping in front of the mirrors. They glanced at her and the one with numerous and gross fang marks thought Sookie was trying to look like a corny, virgin of a hayseed. This was the mildest of the thoughts Sookie fielded.
One in particular, was one too many and as Sookie stepped into one of the stalls and caught the girl's eyes in the mirror and said, "I sleep with my vampire lover every night… and at least he loves me enough to keep from making me look like an overused pincushion. But, oh… I'm sorry, I guess that can't be helped seeing as you've never been with the same vampire more than once can it?"
The stunned look on the girl's face wasn't something Sookie should have been proud of and as the young woman stomped out of the room, Sookie realized she should have kept her mouth shut. Then she decided she didn't really care. Her aggravation at being unable to figure out what she was encountering was putting her in a bad mood.
As she did her thing in the relative quiet, she thought very hard about what she had stumbled upon with Joe. She forced herself to search her memories from childhood. Did she remember anything like this? She exited the stall and washed her hands. No, she decided… if she'd ever felt something like this as a kid she probably would have asked the person why she couldn't hear them.
By the time she knew better than to speak up, she would have been old enough to be aware of what she'd bumped into. She opened her purse and ran a comb through her hair. She freshened her lipstick and ran down a list in her head.
Okay, vampire? No. Werewolf? No. Shifter? No. What else was there? Did she really want to know? No!
Two young women entered the rest room chattering with excitement. Coming to the bar had been done on a dare and they were beside themselves because the incredible, blonde hunky vampire had smiled and winked at them.
One of them was thinking about a lot more than just a wink and a smile from Eric. Sookie decided it was definitely time to leave when the woman began to picture Eric, her friend and herself all together naked on a very large bed.
When she stepped out into the hallway Pam was waiting for her. "Eric wants to know what you've heard."
Sookie's face was a question when she said, "How did he…?" she casually leaned against the wall of the hallway.
"I pretended I had to get him to approve a check and we spoke in our language." Pam surprisingly enough did not seem to mind telling her this. Pam then leaned next to Sookie against the wall as if she were taking a break.
That surprised Sookie most of all.
"So, what have you heard?" Pam asked rather than demanded.
"Eric will do well to stay away from Alan in any kind of business venture. It seems as if he has schemes, which he runs off of other schemes that are run off of still more schemes in order to siphon off funds."
Pam let out a low chuckle, "Clearly the man's a fool if he thinks he can bilk Eric out of money."
Sookie shook her head slightly, "No, he's not a fool, he's just never had any business dealings with vampires before, and he just doesn't realize that vampires aren't like your average human when it comes to money matters. He's gotten away with it for years with others."
This time Pam let out a short bark of laughter, "Well, mortals haven't had the eons of time we've had to learn how to anticipate every possible angle of a con inside and out."
"True," Sookie said.
"And the other?" Pam asked.
There was no change of tone in Pam's voice, no odd inflection, no impression of something being off. But Sookie knew in that instant that Joe Maxwell was the only reason she was here tonight.
She wanted to scream out loud instead of groaning silently in her mind. Bill had been right... again. When the hell will I learn? She thought to herself as she mentally smacked herself in the head with a brick.
Pam was still waiting for a reply and Sookie just shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not getting much of anything from him, Alan is a pretty strong broadcaster. It's difficult to pick up much with him around."
"I see." Pam said thoughtfully. She straightened up and patted Sookie's arm, "Whatever you can find out will be great and remember… Eric will owe you!" She gave Sookie a smile and walked down the hall towards the office.
Sookie placed a mental bet that Pam would need another check approved. As she returned to her seat, the men stood. Sookie noticed a fresh gin and tonic at her seat and Bill looked at her oddly. He was probably wondering why she'd been gone so long. She noticed he was now drinking a True Blood.
She won her bet almost immediately. Pam apologized to the table for interrupting again and conversed quickly with Eric. He nodded, and Pam left. It appeared that the conversation must have turned to business in her absence because it wasn't too much longer after that when Eric said, "Alan, would you like to see the quarterly projections I've worked up? They're back in my office. Joe?" Eric looked to the man inviting him to join them.
Joe just smiled and said, "Oh no thank you Eric, Alan's the idea man, I'm usually just around as window dressing!" He laughed and the others chuckled along. Eric and Alan left the table and Bill was clearly intrigued. He knew full well it was not by chance that Eric was leaving the table.
Sookie smiled at Joe and said, "I hope this isn't very forward of me Joe, but where are you originally from? You don't quite sound like you're from Louisiana."
Joe beamed at her and said, "You must have a very refined ear Sookie, most others don't pick up on my small nuances of speech."
Sookie grinned and said, "I'm a waitress and I hear a lot of accents, I don't think that makes me too refined."
"Nonsense!" Joe exclaimed. "This bar is packed full, there's loud music playing and yet you were able to pick up the fact that I'm different. That's a talent."
Even though he was still smiling at her and his tone of voice was open and friendly, Sookie felt as if she'd been threatened. Before she could react, she felt something odd.
It was if a door had been opened in her head. She wasn't sure if she felt as if someone was walking through her mind or if she was the one doing the walking. She met Joe's gaze and she realized with a sharp stab of fear that he was allowing her to see into his mind!
Just that quick, she was receiving nothing but white noise again and that was a big reprieve for her. Bill picked up on her anxiety and as luck would have it, a slow song began to play.
He looked at Joe and said, "I hope you won't mind, but I haven't danced with Sookie in far too long, Would you excuse us?"
Joe stood and said, "By all means!" Sookie no longer felt any hint of threat in his words, mind or smile. She was extremely confused and was grateful that Bill had pulled her onto the dance floor.
It took all of Sookie's willpower to keep from shuddering visibly. Once on the dance floor Bill held her close to him and murmured, "What's wrong sweetheart?"
She had her eyes closed and she turned her head so she could lay her cheek against his chest. Very quietly she said, "I don't know what he is, but there's no way he's human."
Bill thought about this for a moment then said, "Why did Eric leave with Alan?"
Sookie swayed in Bill's arms and whispered, "Pam questioned me in the hall, and I told her I couldn't get a read on Joe because Alan was a strong broadcaster."
"I see. What else?" Bill was slowly rubbing his hand up and down her back then way you'd soothe a babe in your arms. It was helping, she began to relax some.
"Did you know?" she asked him.
"That he wasn't human? Yes. It took me a moment though…. I think he can disguise whatever he is."
This time she did shudder a bit and said, "Well… I'm fairly certain I have no desire to find out anything else!"
"If you're that frightened Sookie, we can leave. I don't think this has anything to do with any organization Eric is interested in, do you?" He kissed the top of her head.
"Truth?" she asked in a whisper.
"I'd prefer that, yes." He answered giving her a small squeeze.
"This doesn't have one damn thing to do with any club." She sounded miserable and if he'd been a lesser vampire, he probably would have said, I told you so, right then and there. Bill just continued to dance and said, "I think that after this dance we should head back to Bon Temps."
Sookie lifted her face to his and she lightly kissed his lips. "That's the best idea I've heard all night." The song ended and a faster one began. They began to thread their way back to the table.
They sat and Joe complimented them as a lovely couple. The menace Sookie had felt earlier was completely absent and she was highly relieved by it. Since she was calmer, Bill decided he would wait for her to decide when they would leave.
They began to talk to Joe about the types of things you talk about with someone you didn't know well. Conversation filler as it were. Joe asked Bill if he traveled much, Bill told him not all that often since returning to Bon Temps and they were then joined by Eric and a somewhat paler Alan.
Sookie was immediately aware of the fact that Alan Kentwood was praying to pretty much any and every deity he could think of to get him out of Fangtasia alive. He was vowing to never again help himself to as much as a nickel of someone else's money for the rest of his life. If God or whoever else might be listening were able to keep the length of his life longer than just the rest of tonight.
After a moment, Sookie gently nudged Bill's leg and he said, "Well, if you'll excuse us, we're going to be heading out. Eric, as always nice to see you,"
As Bill stood so did the others, Bill put his hand in the small of Sookie's back and as they started away from the table, Joe reached out and took Sookie's hand.
It wasn't fear Sookie felt, not even true peril but she knew instantly that there was more to come and she was filled with thick and heavy apprehension. She didn't know how, she didn't know why but she knew instinctively this night was not yet over.
Eric was having a hard time keeping his face calm. His eyes were full of question, clearly he had expected Sookie and Bill to stay longer than his guests so he could get a full report. He was not happy about their decision to leave.
One look at Bill's face however, was the deciding factor in his remaining quiet about his annoyance at their departure. Shaken by the feeling that had threatened to overwhelm Sookie, Bill applied a small amount of pressure on Sookie's back and that was all it took for her to move out of the sway of Joe Maxwell's silent grip.
To be continued…