SPOV

"Morning," I grumble as I shuffle through the kitchen of the small house I share with my two fae cousins. Claude looks up at me from his coffee with a smirk.

"Claudine here tells me you got to meet the vampire sheriff last night," he says with a wide grin. I roll my eyes as I pour myself a cup of coffee. He chuckles as he adds, "She also says the two of you managed to be at each other's throats in a matter of minutes, not that I'm surprised." I glower at him as I join him at the table.

"He called me fucking Tinkerbelle," I inform him, making him burst out into laughter.

"Yes, but that was only after you referred to him as leach," Claudine chides as I shrug. Claude only laughs harder before a tear rolls down his cheek.

"Priceless," he chuckles, shaking his head.

"You know you're gonna have to put aside your personal issues and get along with both the sheriff and his Maker in order to solve this case," Claudine tells me with a solemn expression. I let out a defeated sigh.

"I know," I concede as she opens the case files over the table. "I promise to try harder," I tell her with a weak smile, earning me a wide grin from my cousin. She looks back down to the open files and her smile is replaced by a studious frown. I scoot closer to look over the files with her as Claude stands to refill his coffee.

"I just can't figure out what these two vics have in common," she says softly as I pick up the files.

"They don't seem to have anything in common," I add. The first victim, Dawn Greene, was in her early twenties, a runaway who had many run-ins with the law, while the woman from last night, Maudette Pickens, seems to be on the opposite end of the spectrum; wife and mother of two, an upstanding citizen as far as I can tell. "Maybe the attacks are random," I muse.

"Well, that's gonna make our job that much more difficult," she says, shaking her head. I frown, knowing she's right. If only we could find some clue to tie these two together, then at least we'd have a place to start looking for the vamp responsible for their deaths. Claude saunters over to us, leaning over my shoulder to take a look at the spread of papers.

"Hey, I know both those girls," he says to make Claudine and I look to him in shock. "Yeah, they both dance different nights at the club. I didn't realize they were dead. So sad," he informs us with frown. My jaw drops as I lift the picture of the second victim.

"You mean to tell me this perfect soccer mom is a stripper?" I ask in shock. "I mean, Dawn, sure, I could totally see that, but Maudette?" He sits back at the table giving me another shrug, looking a bit sullen.

"That's definitely her, although she went by the stage name Trixie over at Hooligans," he informs us to make Claudine grin.

"No freaking way," she says as she jumps up from the table and throws her arms around her twin, squeezing him tightly. "And here I thought you were just a pretty face," she tells him, making him chuckle.

"Well, I'm certainly that," he says with a smirk. "But I'm glad I could help you out, Sis," he says, placing a wet kiss to her cheek. I grin at my cousins, thankful Claude is actually helping out for once, instead of being his usual annoying and narcissistic self.

"If there really is a killer vampire stalking your dancers, you need to watch your back," Claudine tells him gravely.

"That's what I have the two of you for," he answers with a grin. "I trust you'll keep me and the girls safe now that we know they're being targeted." I only hope he's right about this, I certainly don't want to see him getting hurt.

"We need to check out the club," I tell Claudine who appears thoughtful.

"Yes, but we don't want to raise suspicions and risk scaring off the vamp if this is his hunting ground," she muses as a grin crosses her face. "But you could listen in to the dancers, see if you can glean anything useful," she tells me as they both look to me with matching smiles.

"Of course, I don't mind listening in," I tell them with a shrug. This is one of the many times my telepathy comes in hand on the job. Claude stands then, walking to me with a mischievous grin.

"You're gonna need to be close to listen in to all the dancers, I think you're gonna have to have a backstage pass," he tells me to make my eyes widen in surprise.

"Won't you just let me slip in the back? You're the one who owns the damn club," I reason as Claudine joins her brother before me with a matching devious smile. Oh shit, this can't be good.

"We just said we don't want to draw unwanted attention, Sook," she tells me as I nod my agreement. "I think you're gonna have to fit the part if we have any chance of flying under the radar," she adds with a smirk. I finally realize what they're hinting at and jump up from the table, shaking my head vehemently.

"No fucking way," I tell them. "I'm not posing as a fucking stripper," I tell them, seeing them grin wider.

"But it'll be the best way to get close to the other girls," Claude tells me. "I can introduce you as the new talent and you'll be able to talk with them and listen in without drawing any unwanted attention," he reasons.

"But why can't Claudine do it?" I whine, seeing Claudine shaking her head.

"What good would that do? I can't listen in to their thoughts," she states as I slump to my chair, slamming my head down in defeat. "Besides, if something goes down, you'll be there to step in."

"Ugh, fine," I groan as I hear them clapping excitedly above me.

"Good, it's a plan then," Claudine states excitedly as I lift my head to see her grinning at me. "Now you just have to fill in the sheriffs about our plan," she informs me to leave me glaring at her.

"Why the hell would I do that?" I ask irritably.

"Because the vampires are helping us out on this case," she tells me matter of factly. "Plus, if the perp is there, their backup will prove invaluable."

"I think we could handle this by ourselves just fine," I argue as he gives me a pointed glare, putting her hands on her hips and making me feel very much like a small child being scolded.

"I could ask Grandfather for his opinion," she warns as I roll my eyes, already knowing what Niall would have to say about this. "But you already know he'll want to keep the both of us safe and having the backup of two vampire sheriffs is the best way to ensure that."

"Fine," I reply tartly. "We can go to Fangtasia tonight and talk to them about the plan."

"Actually," she starts cautiously. "I kind of have a date with Colman tonight, so you're gonna have to go by yourself," she says sheepishly as I groan. Can this day possibly get any worse?

"I could go with you, cousin," Claude tells me merrily with a mischievous grin. Somehow, I think having him there to stir the pot would only make things even worse, so I shake my head at him.

"No, no, I'll take one for the team," I concede with a sigh. I'm definitely not looking forward to this.

GPOV

As I sit beside my vampire child before the crowded bar, enthralling the vermin, as he puts it, I find myself deep in contemplation. I have been walking this earth for over two thousand years now, and life itself has become a burden. But as my depression and melancholy deepened to an all-time low, Eric reached out for me, pleading with me to spend some time with him. I think he knows I'm considering ending it all and I know he's afraid to lose my presence in his life.

It's not that I want to leave him, I love my child more than any other, but rising each night is nothing more than a chore at this point. Nothing holds interest for me any longer and this is no way to go on living. As much as I know my leaving would hurt Eric, I couldn't seem to shake my sorrowful emotions. That is until last night.

Once those fae hunters entered the office, and I looked upon the face of the blonde fae I now know to be called Sookie, I was intrigued instantly by her eccentricities. I can't put a finger on what it is exactly about her that has me feeling this way, but that anyone is able to catch my attention at all at this point is nothing short of a miracle. I need to delve in deeper, get to know this mysterious creature and the strange hold she seems to have upon me.

I look up to see a familiar golden head of hair walking our way and it's as if this beautiful creature has appeared straight from my thoughts of her. She approaches us with a confident stride and my curiosity is only peeked higher for this faerie vampire hunter.

"Can I have a word with the two of you?" she asks, looking around the room with a slight sneer. I glance to Eric who is studying me closely, I'm sure curious about my sudden change in mood in the presence of the faerie before us.

"Of course," he states smoothly as the two of us rise and proceed to lead Sookie to a booth. She sits with her back facing the wall, careful to take in the room and I feel my lips rise to a slight smile taking in her cautious mannerisms. Eric and I seat ourselves across from her, waiting for her to explain the reason for her visit.

"We've uncovered some useful information on the two murder victims," she informs us stoically. "They were both dancers at a club called Hooligans, over in Monroe."

"They were strippers?" Eric asks curiously as she nods to us.

"Yeah, but the good news is, my cousin actually owns the club they both worked at, so we'll be able to stake out the place. Hopefully, we can catch the killer before he strikes again," she states. "That is, if the two of you are still willing to offer us your help," she adds with a shrug.

"I offer my services most willingly," I reply as she gives me a small smile. That one expression is enough to send a strange wave of warmth through me and I find myself once more enchanted by this enigmatic woman.

"We agreed to help in this matter, Ms. Stackhouse, and I am not a man known to go back on my word," Eric informs her as she nods to him. She shifts in her seat then, appearing to be anxious about something and I wait with bated breath to see what has her reacting this way.

"Okay, well, we were planning on going in tomorrow night to see if we can pick up on anything pertinent to the case," she says as her cheeks flush a slight pink. Eric grins down at her and I feel his lust rising at the fae's uncharacteristically shy behavior.

"So you want us to escort you to this strip club, Sookie?" he asks with a leering grin, causing the faerie to huff at him and once more, I find amusement at the interaction between the two of them.

"Yes," she replies tartly. "We'd ask the two of you to scan the club for any suspicious persons if you think you could handle that," she tells him with a sneer.

"Of course, we will help in any way we can," I tell her as she lets out a small sigh, nodding to me.

"So are we to pose as a couple enjoying a night on the town?" Eric asks her with a wide grin as Sookie flushes slightly once more.

"Not exactly," she answers softly, looking down to her fidgeting hands. "My cousin asked me to pose as a dancer in order to get in close with the girls," she informs us as Eric's smile widens. I smack his arm, giving him a warning glare as he shrugs to me. As amusing as their bantering may be, I can tell Sookie is obviously uncomfortable about this.

"We will gladly assist you in any way we can," I tell her softly, trying to ease her apparent discomfort.

"That we will," Eric adds with a smirk before Sookie's embarrassment is replaced my irritancy once more.

"Are you always this much of an ass?" she growls at Eric who only grins wider, completely ignoring my pointed look.

"Only for you, Lover," he responds, waggling his brows at her. I sigh, shaking my head at his behavior as Sookie glares at him.

"I'm not your lover," she spits out angrily to make Eric chuckle softly. I stand from the booth then and slide into the bench next to Sookie, giving Eric a warning look.

"Please excuse my child's behavior," I tell her softly, taking her hand into my own, a wave of chills running through me at the small touch and her brows rise as she looks down to our hands and I wonder if she has experienced the same surprising reaction.

She looks up to my face with a soft expression and I find myself lost in the sparkling blue pools of her eyes gazing back at me. I am more determined than ever to understand this profound attraction I feel to this marvelous creature.

"Um, yeah, thanks," she says softly, glancing back down to our combined hands. "I guess I should get going now," she adds and I slide out of the booth, keeping hold of her small hand and helping her rise.

"Until tomorrow night, Sookie," I tell her as she gives me a studious gaze, nodding slightly.

"Yeah, until tomorrow," she says as she slips her hand from mine and walks away, stealing a glance back as she makes her way to the exit. Once she is out of my sight, I turn to see Eric staring at me with a surprised expression on his face.

"You like her," he states as I sit across from him with images of Sookie's piercing blue eyes floating through my thoughts.

"Perhaps," I answer quietly as he grins at me. He reaches across the table and takes my hands into his own, staring at me intently.

"I think this could be exactly what you need to bring you back to yourself," he states in soft reverence.

"I believe you may be right, my child," I answer with a small smile on my face.