A/N Thanks for all your input. I guess you all've been waiting for some lemony stuff ... Well, I'll try to work it in ... in one of the next chapters. Any ideas?

But for now, enjoy this chapter.

Distracting

Isabel and I went straight downstairs to the hotel lounge. Since I hadn't had any sustenance tonight yet, I was pretty hungry. And I was pissed off … that Nan Flannigan had that effect on me, every time I'd met her. Eating helped me to unwind, and focus … most of the time.

To my surprise Isabel had apparently developed a taste for the synthetic blood, even though … or maybe because … she'd used to have a human companion to feed on. What was it with those vampires who not only bound themselves emotionally to a human but at the same time gave up part of what made them vampires in the first place, drinking human blood. All that weird changes to prove to the humans that they were truly mainstreaming … they were only acting like wolves in sheep clothing in my opinion. Fooling themselves and the humans …

"How can you stomach this crab?" I asked her, while I was looking around for one of the human donors, one who wasn't as pathetic and annoying as the last one I'd had here.

"It's not that bad," she replied convincingly, taking another sip of her blood substitute. "At least not the expensive kind."

Well, she had a point there. I'd tried every brand there was currently on the market … out of pure curiosity … and I had to admit that the more pricy the synthetic version of our preferred sustenance was the closer it tasted to the real stuff. But I still wouldn't change my habits … because there was nothing more satisfying than sinking my fangs into human flesh … preferably during or after sex.

A young man, probably not older than twenty years old, came strolling to our table. By the marks on his neck, it was pretty obvious that he was one of the willing donors the hotel so graciously provided for us real vampires. I nodded in compliance and he sat down next to me, offering his neck to me immediately.

Just as I'd sank my teeth into the young man's neck, causing him to moan a little in response, and I'd begun to suck in his hot blood, I could see out of the corner of my eyes that Sookie entered the room. And she was on her own … neither Bill … nor even her stupid brother accompanied her. I could have sworn that my dead heart made a jump at the prospect.

A second chance …

I was glad that she hadn't noticed my presence in here, and even though I hadn't quite finished quenching my thirst, I let go of the boy at once. I handed him a few notes and motioned him to get loose. The boy shot me a confused look, but complied without a comment. He moved quickly away, looking around for the next potential client.

"Did he taste bad?" Isabel teased. Her sudden question took me kind off guard. Oddly, with Sookie's unexpected appearance in the room, I had almost forgotten my company … and everything else around me for that matter.

This woman must have put me under a spell …

Isabel followed my gaze. "Ah … I get it." She said, her knowing smile even noticeable in her voice.

"You get what?" I countered, annoyed by her. She was far too observant for my taste.

"Miss Stackhouse." She simply stated, ignoring my mood completely.

"And?" I stared at her.

"Oh, come on, Eric." Isabel said, rolling her eyes at me. "It is kind of obvious that you have more than a professional interest in that human."

Her statement left no room for denial. Isabel had already seen even before tonight that I actually was interested in more than her gift. I wanted Sookie … since the first time I'd laid my eyes on her in my bar … when she'd walked up to me in that cute little white dress … I'd just wanted to take her away from Bill and to have my way with her in my office.

I still wanted her body … that would never change. But there was suddenly another reason why I was so enthralled with her. She'd shown me a totally different side of her, one I'd never seen before.

"Is that so?" I replied weakly, almost in defeat.

"You can deny it if you want." She replied, with a sly smile. "But I know that look on your face … I've seen it in my mirror."

"Because of your former relationship with that human." I concluded. "What was his name?"

"Hugo … and yes." She answered, sadly. She sank her head, looking at her entwined hands.

"You'd truly loved him?" I asked curiously.

"Yes." She confessed. "And I still do, even though he'd betrayed not only me but my sheriff as well. I know it is hard to comprehend … But love is irrational."

Love? Love for a human? What is it with the Dallas vampires?

"Hmm," I murmured, distracted, because most of my mind was focused on that special human woman. Sookie had taken a seat at the bar, and had ordered only something to drink. Her posture was sort of pitiful … like she was sad about something.

Why do I care?

"Maybe I should take a leave," Isabel suggested, diverting my attention back to her for the moment.

"No." I responded politely. But in reality I didn't even care if she would stay or leave. It made no difference to me, whatsoever, because I already had a plan.

"It's okay." She laughed, waving her hand dismissively. She already was on her feet. "I really should begin to arrange some things … now that I am the sheriff of this area. The restoration of our headquarters will be my first important task."

I nodded in agreement. "Do you want me to stay for a few more days and help you out?"

"No," she declined my offer. "But thank you."

"We will stay in touch." I promised her.

"Of course." She nodded in goodbye, and she winked at me. "Good luck!"

Then she was off … and so was I … of my seat to join Sookie at the bar.

A/N Hmmm ... what will happen now? No Bill in sight ... Sookie alone for the taking ... Hmmm.