Thank you, wonderful reviewers, for all the different opinions of Sookie and Eric's relationship. I really appreciate all the help. Though our favorite telepath and vampire has to wait until next chapter, here comes one about a creepy, ugly guy. Guess who?

Consider this as kind of an "extra chapter". I'll post the next one pretty soon. Probably around Wednesday. (yes, as you've noted, that is my favorite publishing date)

P.S just to make sure it's clear, this chapter is what's happening outside of the house during Eric and Sookie's conversation in the previous chapter.

Chapter 10

He wandered through the graveyard, keeping in the shadows the tombstones created on the ground. It was a night with a full moon, and the cloud free sky clearly showed all the millions of stars. He preferred it when the sky's light were hidden under thick clouds, it made the hunt easier. That was also why he always operated at night. All the vampire blood didn't only provide him with a superior strength, but also made it possible for him to see sharply even in complete darkness. He didn't want to be seen, that would only cause problems. Not that he would hesitate killing any people threatening to spoil his mission, but he would prefer if he could get through this as clean as always. Leaving a trail of bodies was stupid and would sooner or later lead the police or the vampire sheriffs to him. Killing unnecessary and unplanned was not how he'd survived in this business. That was how all his "colleges" had gotten killed. Well, that was seven hundred years ago. They got sloppy and ignorant, it was bound to happen. Of course you would get killed if you started going on fucking killing-sprees. He had laid low after that. As long as he kept up his enormous consummation of vampire-blood, he was basically immortal. Immortality was a gift, and he wouldn't throw that away. If you couldn't die of age, then it would just be fucking stupid to get yourself killed by a bunch of paranoid vampires. He had waited, just killing a vampire or two on occasion to keep up the effects the blood gave him, but he hadn't made a business of it. Several hundred years he let go by before slowly starting to offer his services as slayer again. This time, he was discrete. Every kill was clean, or well, it was impossible to kill a vampire without making a mess, but the evidence was always notoriously cleaned up. Every kidnapping was fast and well planned. He did it for the money, the joy of the hunt, the great satisfaction of hearing bones be crushed by a simple blow. And the blood of course. Though sometimes it was hard to keep control, that's why he almost ended up killing Northman, though he's orders had been to kidnap him.

To say that his current "boss" had been displeased to find out that he almost killed Northman would have been the understatement of the century. "I said I wanted him alive you fucking incompetent blood bag! You were suppose to bring him to me, so that I could kill him myself!" The vampire probably would have scared most men out of their minds, but he'd just snorted, which had served him a brutal scolding. If they would have been in the same room, he was pretty sure the vampire would've ripped his head off, so he was lucky they were on the phone. Normally he wouldn't have put up with such disrespect, but 50 000 dollars and blood from a thousand year old vampire was more important than pride at the moment. So he forced himself to put up with the vampire's arrogance. And the fact that he was clearly mad.

He was almost by the lawn behind the house now, and he changed his course to the woods. It was of utter importance not to be seen. The trees gave a compact darkness in which he would be practically invisible for any passers, and it would definitely impossible for the folks in the house to see him. He turned his sharp vision to the windows upstairs, a soft, warm light gleamed in one of them. A blond woman could be glanced behind the pane. She was talking to someone who he couldn't see, but her expression told him that she was in the middle of an argument. Sookie Stackhouse. Strange name really. Though from what he knew about her, she was a quite strange person too. Waitressing at that pathetic excuse for a bar, Merlotte's and hanging around vampires. She must be pretty stupid to help that fanger. Because he knew Northman was there. He had to be. That was also a thing he'd learned over the years. Always now your victim. At least if you're going to take down a thousand year old vampire. After the conversation he'd had with his "boss", he'd immediately returned to the woods, and since no vampire was to be found, the only possibility was that he'd gotten help. His thoughts had immediately turned to Sookie Stackhouse, who he knew had helped Northman in the past. She didn't live far away either, and so that's where he went. The fact that Northman had gotten out of the situation alive, or well, undead, wasn't only good for the vampire himself, but also fucking lucky for him. Sure, he could take down most vampires, most vampires, but the guy he was working for at the moment was fucking old. And obviously crazy. Mad as a hatter. The reaction he'd gotten for nearly killing Northman had been bad enough. What wouldn't have happened if he actually had killed him? Next time, he wouldn't lose control. No matter how satisfying it had been to plunge the stake through the sheriff's ribs.

He sat down on the damp ground, deciding to go through his packing, just to be sure it was all in place. Four different silver chains, all of them thick and a hundred percent sterling silver. Further there were a collection of metal bottles. Two of them containing water mixed with silver particles. Incredibly useful he had noted. It weakened the vampires but didn't kill them. Well, at least not at once. The remaining two bottles had been filled with vampire blood, but now there was only half a bottle left. It was good a refill was within reach. Then there were the stakes. Sharp in the ends, but unpolished to let the raw wood create further damage. He finished off his inspection by picking up the favorite part in his collection, a silver knife that was sharp enough to draw blood by a simple nudge.

He rose to look at the house again. The woman was gone, she wasn't to be seen in the room, and no other windows were enlightened on this side of the house. For a moment he considered his alternatives. Option one was to just stay where he was, and simply trust in that he was right in his investigation and that Northman actually were there, but if he was wrong, as unlikely as that was, he would get a hell trying to explain that to his "boss". Therefore he decided on option number two, which was to take the risk and take a closer look at the house. He waited for another moment, just to make sure the coast was clear, before quietly making his way over the lawn. It didn't take many seconds for him to reach the building, and with a few swift tugs, he climbed up the façade to reach the window. He had been right. Lying in a wardrobe, weak and pathetic, was the feared vampire sheriff of area five. The blond vampire looked sad, the blue eyes staring into nothingness, completely unaware of being watched. It made him feel powerful, knowing that he'd reduced the vampire into such a frail creature. Though it wouldn't last long. Northman was probably almost healed by now, which was good. What was the fun in slaying if you didn't get the hunt? The thousand year old vampire had offered him resistance during their last fight and he didn't want to miss out on that. It would probably be an even bigger challenge this time, since he needed to get him alive… Alive was always a bit of a problem. There were ways of course. A vampire could survive with only one leg for example, and they got much easier to handle with only one. Rip of a leg or two and Northman would surely get more cooperative. With a smug grin, he jumped down from the façade and moved swiftly over the lawn back to the darkness under the trees. He would give the vampire a little more time and then… he grinned wider. How he loved his job.

This chapter is to make us all hate the slayer just a little more. Because we should hate him. He's evil. And wants to hurt Eric. That makes him super-evil! I'm also giving tiny clues to who might have hired the killer. But they are really tiny. You will of course find out, sooner or later, and it will all make sense, more or less ;)

So, see you Wednesday, and then, Eric and Sookie are back in.