First True Blood doesn't belong to me.

Second thank you for your support. Hope you will enjoy this one.

Chapter Three

I finished work just after seven-thirty. Somewhere during the afternoon Jason had passed along his keys to me so I wouldn't have to walk home. He said he would get a lift home from one of his work buddies. I stood quietly in the dimly lit lot until I spotted it.

I heard footsteps coming from behind me, as I walked up to my brothers car.

I whirled around, focusing on the spot through the darkness. I could only just see him clearly through the light; He lifted his hand, and there, blade poised at me and glinting, was what looked like a very sharp knife. I didn't recognize him at all.

"Why are you doing this?" I croaked out nervously.

"Oh, darlin'," he said, in mock sadness. "Don't take it personally. I just want your money, is all."

This never happened much for me in Bon Temps so I wasn't quite sure how to react. Something or someone seemed to make the decision for me next, though.

So suddenly, like the intense beam of a flashlight panning in on him, a white mysterious glow of light hit him. He screamed, and next thing I knew, he was collapsing right at my feet, with a heavy thud. I screamed as I peered down at him; It looked as if he was experiencing some type of seizure. His body was wriggling and jerking on the pavement, and he was gagging and frothing bubbling foam at the mouth. I never thought anything could look so painful in my life. I presumed the light had something to do with it, but when I looked ahead urgently, I couldn't see anybody there.

Despite the young man having intentions to rob me, I still felt bad for him. I swung open the door of Jason's car and rummaged around inside for the spare blanket he carried in it. I balled it up and tucked it underneath his head, so that the seizure wouldn't cause his head too much harm, being on the concrete's hard and rocky surface. Then, I got into my car, and left. I felt frightened; Very shaken up over the ordeal. I knew that when Gran saw me, she would automatically worry, so when I descended down the long driveway into our yard, I tried to relax myself and put on my best happy face for her.

When I got inside, Gran was working over the oven with her pink apron loosely tied around her back.

"Hello Sookie, dear," she greeted happily. "How was your day at work?"

"Just fine, Gran."

I watched as she bent down and opened the door to the oven. She slipped on her floral mitts, and pulled out a baking tin. The delicious smell wafted into the kitchen and hit me instantly, and it had my mouth-watering.

"I made your favorite," she laughed excitedly, setting the cake tin on the sink for it to cool down. "Meringue pie!"

"Oh, you didn't!" I laughed.

My Granny, Adele Stackhouse, was known for her delicious cooking. Gran often baked me decadent rich cakes and biscuits to carry across the stretch of yard to the outhouse where I mostly lived separate from Gran. I found myself nervous about accepting her baked goods tonight; I had a bit of a bad habit where I tended to binge eat after a long and emotional day. When Bill used to stay over, he would constantly poke me in the stomach and tell me it's no wonder I'm so curvaceous. It used to make me feel self-conscious but now that Bill was out of the picture I didn't mind it so much.

When I left Gran's with my meringue pie, I might have shed a few tears and consumed two indulgent slices. It was due to everything; Seeing Bill again, almost being robbed, and that unexplained flash of light that made the young boy froth at the mouth.

Goodwill; Friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.

It was the days word on my calendar, and I was hoping to honour it, starting with Homeless Eric.

When I got to work, I felt very relieved to see him sitting there in a booth, reading. When I brought a free beer over to him - no lemon- I caught the cover of the book; The english dictionary. I couldn't imagine why he needed it. He spoke english perfectly as far as I could tell.

"What're you reading that for?" I asked lightly.

He looked up at me with those magnificent eyes of his. "Believe it or not, english is not a language I am all that familiar with. Your world and everything in it confuses me, frankly."

I slid into the chair opposite his booth, intrigued. "Just where are you from exactly?"

He smiled at me, somewhat sadly. "Even if I told you, you would not believe me."

"I'll try," I insisted, with a smile.

"Okay. There are certain things that have existed for many generations, certain things you've probably never even dreamed possible. There are multiple worlds existing, and I am from one of them. Some of us, you have probably seen in passing. We are sent here to your world when we have committed a crime, as punishment by the elders."

"So are you saying you were sent here because you committed a crime yourself?" I was struggling to understand. I couldn't help but wonder if he was playing with me.

He gave me a rueful look. "My father, Johan, is the eldest ruler of my people. As his only son, I am naturally to be the next heir of the ruling title, once he passes over. I do not know the number of days since I have been in your world, but my father did send me here." He was silent for several minutes, thinking deeply. I didn't disrupt him. "As eldest ruler to our kind, certain behaviour and duties are expected of us. First, we must display ourselves as committed and loyal to the welfare of our kind. It is our most important duty to execute any crossing over into our lands with ill intention to inflict us harm. Another, the ruler must be presented as man devoted to his children and wife. A man with each of those in our world is regarded highly."

"And do... do you have a wife and children?"

"No, that is the crime I have been banished by my father for. The final wound to my fathers impatience came when he found me bedding one of the maids- the one of many. He was very disgraced in my behaviour, so my father banished me. I don't remember how, but I woke up one morning on this great bushy expanse named Earth. I don't recall my way back home."

"You've got some father," I commented, shocked. He just laughed loudly. "What kind of father banishes their own son?"

"Ah, yes. I have thought about it for the last three days. I suppose, I can understand my father. I have to learn how to comport myself in a manner befitting of a ruler. There is no way I can rule my people when all I want to do is copulate with my female folk."

"How long exactly does he expect you to be here?" I was almost bouncing shamelessly in my seat with excitement.

"I don't know, but there are many concepts about your land that I still don't comprehend. All these loud contraptions. Your world is far more advanced than mine." He peered down at his hands that were folded on the tabletop, his dictionary set aside. Then without warning, he slid them over the table and gripped my hands strongly in his. I looked down at our hands incredulously and swallowed audibly. He was leaning over the table toward me, looking at me with pure eagerness and urgency. It was startling. "Please, I need help in finding my way back home, but in order to do so, I will need some guidance by someone who understands the ways of this land." He was stroking my hands with his chapped fingertips. "Could you help me, Sookie?"

Of course I had my hesitations, but when somebody looked as desperate as Eric did, I found I had to do anything within my capabilities to help him. It was the right thing to do, after all.

"I can't say whether I'll be much help, but I'll try my best," I promised strongly, rubbing his hands with my own. He looked relieved then, and profoundly thankful. "First and foremost however, if I'm going to be helping you, I think it would be best if you come home with me. It must get uncomfortable for you to be stuck outside."

"You would invite me to stay in your home with you?" He sounded hesitant to even believe me.

"Well, sure." I shrugged. "I have a spare mattress that you could probably use. I also have some old clothes that belonged to my brother. I also got a shower."

"Oh." He still sounded so surprised. His voice went raspy. "Thank you. Once I do return home, I will not ever forget your kindness. Everyone will know of this."

I was startled by him saying that, because I wasn't so keen to help him for recognition at all. I just wanted to do some good, and make a difference to another persons life. And yes, I might have found that person fascinating and handsome to boot. There was still a lot he needed to explain to me, but as for now, I was just pleased to get the guy home so he had a proper place to sleep.

Hope you enjoyed this one? please let me know. Things will be explained more very soon