Eric had once met a crippled man half a century ago. He was a Vietnam War veteran who had lost both legs when he tripped on a land mine. He was relieved of his duty and was sent back to the United States. He became an alcoholic and was a regular at the watering hole Eric would frequent as the vampire searched for his meal way before the Great Reveal.

The man would tell stories of how he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming in pain that he swore was from his missing limbs. It was called Phantom Limb Syndrome. The sensation in which the person would not only think the missing part of him or her was not only still present but was also excruciatingly painful. As a vampire, that theory was moot to him because he could always regenerate lost limbs or any part of him that had been torn out in a matter of time.

But now he realized, not all part of him could be replaced.

And the syndrome that seemed almost ridiculous to him before bore some truth.

When his bond with Sookie was ripped out, the pain was almost unbearable. He knew the pain wasn't physical, but something deeper. Something that words could not even begin to describe.

Eric held on to that sensation. He knew that if Russell was the one who was responsible for Sookie's disappearance this time, he would need the proper motivation to make sure that Russell would pay - dearly.

The former king of Mississippi would be meeting his true death in the most tragic way possible that not even Godric himself would be able to stop Eric.

Although Eric was still clinging on to the tiny shred of hope that Sookie was still alive, fear had its way of creeping in on him.

Hope was fucking paralyzing.

Eric's face was a cold mask of fury as he rested his forehead on top of his balled fists, his elbows perched on top of the table. He was thinking of a multitude of ways he would slowly torture Russell before sending him to his true death.

A soft knock on the door pulled him out of his contemplation.

Pam, who had been watching her maker nervously by the couch, stood up abruptly and moved towards the door.

Eric didn't bother to look up for he knew Pam would be getting rid of whoever was stupid enough to disturb him.

"What?" Pam snapped at the trembling Ginger at the door, the bottle-blonde waitress, visibly shaking in fear, held out a cordless phone to Pam.

"A phone call to Mister Boss Man Sir," Ginger stuttered.

"Do you have a death wish? What part of do not fucking disturb didn't you get?" Pam snarled as she prepared to slam the door at the poor human's face.

"It's Sookie Stackhouse," Ginger said in a muffled voice. She couldn't muster enough courage to look up and meet any of the vampires' eyes.

Eric's head snapped in Ginger's direction, while Pam stiffened. In a soundless blur, Eric snatched the phone from Ginger and placed it gently on his ear. He braced himself as he waited for the person on the other line to speak first. He needed to be certain that it was her. He neededto hear her voice.

"Hello? Eric?" It was her. He was almost knocked down as relief flooded him like a tidal wave. Pam, who was feeling his emotions through their bond, slumped on the leather couch by its mere impact on her.

"Sookie," he breathed out. "Where. Are. You?"

Sookie inhaled sharply as she heard Eric's voice on the other line. There were so many things she wanted to tell him that she didn't know where to start.

When she didn't answer right away, Eric assaulted her with more queries, eager to find out what happened to his bonded.

"What happened to you? Why couldn't I feel you anymore?" Eric asked, his voice was trembling with impatience.

Sookie struggled for words as she tried to answer his barrage of questions.

"Eric, I -" she started but was cut off when someone from a distance spoke to her.

Eric's vampire hearing was on full alert, and the voice in the background was broadcasted to him clearly as if he was standing beside the owner of the strange voice.

"Sookie, I'll wait for you out back, okay? I might need to warm up the engine first. No hurries." Eric heard the male voice, who sounded as if he was standing a good 15 feet away from her.

Eric's blood boiled at the sound of another man standing so near his Sookie when hecouldn't even sense her anymore.

The vampire's mind reeled once again. The relief he felt when he heard Sookie's voice was now replaced with unadulterated jealousy.

Where was Sookie?

Was she at the Fae? She couldn't be; there was no way she could call him if she was.

Did she just get back from the Realm? Eric checked on the spot where his bond to Sookie resided. Empty. Still fucking empty.

Paranoia reared its ugly head.

Did she severe the ties on her own free will?

So many questions plagued Eric's mind after hearing the voice of the mystery man.

Sookie was with another man doing hell knows what when he was beating himself up upon losing their bond.

She was with another man, when he was lashing out on everybody. When he almost maimed his only progeny.

Whose damn voice was that? The mystery man's voice was calm, friendly even. It was too fucking friendly for Eric.

And they were going somewhere. Where?

Eric wanted answers - and he would get it now.

There was a short pause on the other line. Eric assumed Sookie answered the man with a hand gesture. Clever Sookie did not want Eric to hear her response. Eric could think of a certain hand gesture that only involved his middle finger.

"Who was that?" he asked, his voice almost melodious as his accent became evident. He was reining in his temper.

Another pregnant pause.

"That was a... friend," Sookie answered reluctantly. The hesitation in her voice just fanned the flames of Eric's suspicions.

Fear and paranoia - a deadly combination for someone as lethal and combustive as Eric.

'A friend? What was with the pause? Fucking Sookie was hiding something,' Eric thought cynically.

"Tell me Sookie, was your... friend - was he the one who helped you break our bond?" His teeth ground together so hard they squeaked. Eric was barely keeping it together.

Pam went rigid as she eavesdropped on Eric and Sookie's conversation. She was stunned at how easily things spiral out of control where those two were concerned.

Eric went from relieved to murderous in a matter of seconds.

Pam could already imagine how this phone call would go as she kept her poker face, bracing herself for the inevitable.

There was another pause on Sookie's end of the line. He could hear her shallow breathing. He could even hear the loud thumping of her heart through the phone. Her reply, or the lack thereof, conveyed a lot to Eric.

"Eric, it's not what you think..."

Eric could not imagine how many confessions he had heard in his very long existence and how many guilty men –or vampires – started their plea with 'it's not what you think…'

Sookie was digging herself deeper in her grave. He had been made a fool once by one Sookie Stackhouse, when she let him feel loved only to be turned away like a stray dog.

'Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, oh you don't get to fool Eric Northman twice.'

That thought pushed Eric off the edge.

"Let me tell you what I think Sookie, I think you wanted to get rid of me so badly that you asked your friend for help." His voice was low and even, almost methodical. "What is he Sookie - a witch? a fae? a fucking gremlin? What kind of supe are you into now? Who is the new addition to the vast collection of conquests of sweet ol' Sookie Stackhouse?"

Eric strolled casually in his office as he made his way behind his table. Pam recognized Eric's sudden shift in character. The Viking vampire was shifting into Sheriff mode when he was interrogating troublesome vampires - just before he tortured them.

He held out one balled fist up as he started ticking off a list. "Vampires, check; Shifter, check; Wolf, check. Who's next? Or should I say what kind of creature have you managed to lure with your sweet Southern accent?"

Eric slumped back in his chair and put his feet up on the table. A smug expression decorated his face as part of his charade.

"You know Sookie, I have to hand it to you, you really have a way with supes." Venomous words dripped like warm blood from Eric's lips.

Pam didn't realize she was gripping the armrest of the leather couch so tightly that it started to unravel by its seams.

Pam compared Eric to a dynamite and Sookie to a kid with matches. It was only a matter time before they implode. She was glad that she commanded Tara to stay in the basement and to never come out unless she commanded her otherwise. Tara was not yet ready for the Northman tornado that was about to happen as soon as he hung up the phone or crushed it in his bare hands – whatever came first.

After Eric's verbal assault, he counted internally for the waterworks that he was sure would follow. Sookie, the sweet Southern Belle that she was, would be leaking in no time after Eric's backhanded compliments.

'In five… four… three… two…'

Eric didn't get to one as Sookie spoke.

"Are you done?" Sookie asked in an undertone. "Or do you have more colorful words you would like to share?"

Eric was silenced by Sookie's tone. He hadn't heard the telepath talk so frighteningly calm. He expected her to launch a barrage of curses his way the way she did when he revealed Bill's betrayal to her just before she went to Fae.

"You have done nothing but insult me since you came back like I'm a low-life fangbanger. And I took it all because I thought I deserved it." The eerie calm in her voice did not falter as she enunciated each word with vindication as if she was talking to a teenager who had to be taught a lesson. "You were so quick to think so little of me. You didn't even ask me if I was okay, you just went on and assumed the worst."

"Then do enlighten me Miss Stackhouse. What have you been doing since you left Fangtasia?" Eric tried to sound nonchalant as he tried to probe Sookie for answers.

"Screw you, Eric," Sookie snapped quickly. Eric could hear a little shuddering in her voice. He was relieved to hear her break down even a little. But just when Eric thought she would burst into tears like he expected. The icy tone was back. "I was stupid to believe that you could love somebody else other than yourself - the great Eric Northman, who could do no wrong."

Sookie snorted. "You told me I was so eager to think of you as the bad guy when you were the one who could only think of me as the cold-hearted bitch." Eric heard Sookie inhaled sharply then puffed out the air. "You want an evil bitch, Eric? You got it. I'll see you in hell."

Sookie hung up before Eric could even reply. She got the last word again.

"Fuck!" Eric hurled the cordless phone against the wall in frustration. Pam bent over to pick up the shattered pieces.

"I'll go ask Ginger to buy more of these," Pam drawled offhandedly. "Seriously, Eric, what do you have against phones? You have smashed three in a matter of hours."

Eric glared daggers at his progeny. He had always admired her snark, but now was not the time for any of it.

"Are you making fun of me?" he asked, eyebrows drawn in a furious line.

"You know Eric, for someone so smart, you could be so fucking dumb." Pam sat back on the couch and crossed her legs as she checked her perfectly manicured nails.

Eric wondered if he had missed something. Why was Pam acting so cocky?

"What did you say?" Eric asked in a menacing way. 'Did she just call me dumb?'

"You heard me," Pam answered casually. Suddenly her French tips looked more interesting than Eric.

Eric gritted his teeth, in a second he was off his chair and was hovering over Pam in the couch.

"What. Did. You. Say?" Eric repeated his question as he pounced on the unaffected Pam.

"I never thought I'd see the day that I would actually understand a blood bag better than you." Pam met his maker's intense gaze. Their faces inches away. "You almost dislocated my arm in the basement when you thought Sookie had died. And the minute she called you, you acted like a fucking frat boy who got beaten up by a nerd."

Eric was stumped. It was the second time this night that he was rendered speechless by a woman.

"You are Eric Northman. Start acting like him. I never thought anything would look ugly on you, but insecurity did the trick," Pam continued as she engaged her maker in a staring contest. "You heard a fucking voice, big whoop. For all you know that SOB looks like a fucking tadpole. Stop acting like a cheated husband, Eric. That is just so wrong in so many levels."

Eric pulled back from their stare-down as if he was doused with cold water.

'Fuck, I was getting whipped by girls!' Eric thought as he pinched the bridge of his nose and slowly moved back to his usual spot behind his table.

"Call Rasul, I want an APB on Sookie and whoever the fuck she is with," Eric leaned back in his seat and stared up the ceiling.

"You know, that would have been easier if you didn't go 'hulk, smash' on all our puny phones," Pam mocked in her usual nonchalance before she stood up and swung the door open.

Eric didn't get the chance to snap back at his progeny's taunts, as a five-foot-six brunette with strong facial features greeted them with a disturbingly familiar sneer at the door.

"Am I interrupting?" The brunette smiled at Pam before she sauntered inside the room and walked straight towards Eric, whose eyes followed his surprise visitor.

"I'm sorry but we didn't order English muffin," Pam snarked as she walked behind their unwelcome guest.

The beautiful brunette stopped from advancing towards Eric and turned around to look at Pam with scrutinizing eyes before she scoffed.

"English muffin. Hilarious," the visiting vampire replied without humor.

She turned around and waltzed towards Eric, swaying her hips seductively as she went.

Eric had not uttered a single word since their guest appeared at the door. He was as watchful as a sentinel.

When she reached Eric behind the table, she entwined her fingers in his soft hair and lowered her head to whisper in his ear. "Hello, brother."

"What are you doing here, Nora?" Eric asked as he tipped his head on the other side, pulling his head out of her grasp.

"Here, I thought you'd be ecstatic to see me again after our little reunion," Nora asked as she sat on top of his table.

Eric just glowered at Nora before he booted his laptop on. Pam picked that time to make her presence in the room felt.

"Excuse me, but I don't believe we've met," Pam drawled as she tried to hide her irritation at being left out in the family get-together. Pam knew Godric had another child, but she hadn't had the opportunity to meet her maker's sibling.

"Indeed. It was a pity," Nora replied apathetically.

"Let's remedy that, shall we? Eric? Would you like to tell me why Mary Poppins decided to pop by?" Pam turned to Eric, who started typing away on his laptop, blatantly ignoring the two territorial vampires in his office.

When Eric refused to speak up, Nora decided to introduce herself with the obviously pissed-off Pam.

"I'm Nora. Nora Gainesborough, I'm one of the Chancellors of the Authority. And the one who saved your maker's arse after the stunt he pulled in the witch war and for killing Flanagan the Twunt," Nora stood up from the table and faced Pam. Although Pam was taller than Nora, the air of confidence surrounding the shorter vampire helped her stood her ground against Pam's penetrating gaze.

"You must be Eric's child, Pamela, yes?" Nora asked before she sidestepped Pam and slumped in the swivel chair across the table from Eric.

Pam's eyebrows shot up after Nora introduced herself as one of the Vampire Authority's chancellor. Eric told her he had someone inside the Authority that helped him and Bill dodge the death warrants issued on their heads in exchange for Russell's confinement.

"I would kiss your hand, Madame Chancellor. But I think my maker had already done it on my behalf – among other things." Pam cast a stabbing look at Eric as she scented Nora's hair in a not-so-subtle fashion.

"That'll be all, Pam." Eric gave Pam a murderous glare.

"I don't fucking think so," Pam snapped. She knew she was missing something and Eric had been keeping her in the dark intentionally.

"I said, that'll be all. I have no tolerance for your theatrics. Not tonight," Eric retorted, his icy look did not waver. "I am still your maker and I expect obedience."

Pam narrowed her eyes at Eric in sheer annoyance before she moved towards the door. She turned to her maker and spoke again.

"I was beginning to wonder when you're going to play the maker card." Pam said and then turned to Nora, who looked bored to death.

"Well, I'd love to stay to catch up with an old relative, but I have my own child to keep secrets from. It seemed to be the trend nowadays." Pam swung the door open and gave the two vampires a deadpan "cheerio" before she slammed the door shut.

Nora rolled her eyes before she returned her full attention to the gloomy Eric.

"Your child is quite the petulant twat, isn't she?" Nora asked offhandedly, while she fiddled with her necklace's pendant.

"Why are you here?" Eric asked, ignoring her sardonic reference to Pam as he feigned disinterest with his visitor.

He knew Nora's sudden appearance could only mean one thing: the Authority would be demanding something more from Eric. And he was as sure as death that whatever the Authority would demand from him would be most unappealing.

"I'm here on business." Nora answered, gauging Eric's reaction.

"I'm still busy with the Russell business, so I think I'll pass," Eric replied in his casual tone.

"And how goes the search?" Nora baited Eric.

"I just got back, Nora. I know I'm good but despite what women call me when I fuck them, I'm not god. I need more time."

"Why don't you use your part-fae to lure Russell out of hiding? You've done it before, you could do it again," Nora suggested, her eyes danced with mirth.

Eric stood to his full height and moved to stand in front of Nora. He traced her cheek before he leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"You know what that bitch Flanagan did before she turned into a pile of goo on the floor?" Eric asked in a low and sultry voice. "She threatened to use her against us. Now, because I share a bloodline with you dear sister, I will give you the courtesy Flanagan did not receive. I will pretend that you didn't say what I think you said and you will forget she ever existed. Are we clear, Nora?"

Nora tensed at Eric's threats. She knew her brother well. She knew that he had deep love for her because of the devotion they had for their maker. But she also knew he was not one to make empty threats. And by the sound of the one he just made, she knew Eric was dead serious.

"Bloody fuck. You love her," Nora could not believe she would ever see someone as apathetic and narcissistic a vampire as Eric could love anyone aside from the vampires who share his blood. And a fucking human nonetheless. "This is a big cock-up Eric, that cunt will be your demise."

"There's no sense stating the obvious now, isn't it?" Eric stood to his full height, never taking his eyes off his flabbergasted sister.

Nora took a minute to compose herself as she took in Eric's revelation. Nora could see that there was no changing Eric's mind anymore. She took an unnecessary breath before she looked up at the older vampire again.

"Since you're so fucking adamant about keeping your fairy to yourself, let me make another suggestion."

Eric crossed his arms over his chest and relaxed his rigid stance.

"I have managed to infiltrate a very secretive faction of vampires who have limited access to fairy blood," Eric tensed up again as his eyes widened in surprise.

'Fucking fairies' he thought venomously.

"To say that the group was very hush-hush about it would be a colossal understatement," Nora continued. "I have been trying to get inside the inner circle for the past century. Salome finally helped me pull some strings after the Authority have been made aware of the growing number of fairies that were going missing. Vampires are getting blamed and it's attracting too much attention to our kind."

Nora could hear Eric's mind spinning and she knew her brother would jump into an opportunity to protect his fairy.

"I can get us inside. Lucky for you the fae bar we're going to is under your jurisdiction. It's in Monroe."

E/S

Sookie shut off the phone before Eric could come up with another round of verbal smackdown. She kicked the lawn grass as she let out a loud "Aargh!"

At first she was nervous to call Eric. She expected him to be furious with the severing of their bond. She also thought that he would be deeply concerned - and he was for a good 20 seconds. But the bastard that Eric was jumped into conclusions as soon as he heard Neal's voice in the background. She was aghast by Eric's sudden turnaround. She thought he would be, at the very least, pleased that she wasn't in any danger anymore. She also thought that he would at least give her time to explain.

She wanted to direct her anger at Neal for Eric's complete 180 turn. However, Sookie could not blame Neal for his impeccable timing. It was Eric who was infantile.

It was then that she realized she wasn't bulletproofed against Eric's all-out assault.

Sookie stomped her feet begrudgingly as she made her way to Neal's backyard. She saw a blue Mini Cooper and jogged towards it. The passenger door was ajar. She swung it all the through and folded herself inside. She slammed the door harder than she intended to.

Neal, who was adjusting the rear-view mirror, took in his passenger's grumpy mood.

"I take it your chat with Romeo didn't go well?" Neal asked charily.

"What gave me away?" Sookie sarcastically replied as she buckled her seatbelt.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as he strapped on his seatbelt.

"Do I look like I want to chat? If you really want to help, just zip it." Sookie knew she was being unfair to Neal, but she couldn't help but lash out on him.

Neal made a zipping motion across his mouth and started backing out of the driveway.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you. I hope you're not thinking of kicking my ass out of the car," Sookie said sheepishly. She was forgetting her manners and if her Gran was still alive, she would tan her hide for being so rude to a gentleman such as Neal.

"No worries," Neal winked at her. "I grew up with a high-maintenance sister. I was trained for this shit."

Sookie giggled at Neal's light attitude. That was what she needed after a big dose of Eric Northman-induced angst.

They were on the highway when Sookie's stomach growled. Her head snapped to Neal's direction, hoping against hope that he didn't hear the manly growl her tummy made.

'Good luck with that,' she thought bitterly as she saw Neal's face contorted as he tried to suppress his laughter.

Sookie punched him playfully in his shoulder and Neal's laughter boomed in the car.

"Man, that growl would put a truck driver to shame," Neal teased in between laughs. Sookie laughed along with him for a little while before she crossed her arms under her breasts in indignation.

"Where are you taking me this time?" Sookie asked, trying to sound pissed off to cover her shame.

Neal's laughter ceased, replaced with a sideway smirk.

"I'm taking you to dinner and then I'll take you home. Where do you live anyway?"

"Bon Temps," Sookie replied as she thought of her Gran's place. She actually called her house first as she warmed herself up before speaking with Eric. Lafayette was initially enraged but he cooled down once she told him about the unfortunate events of her day. Lafayette told her that Alcide, as per Eric's orders, was running around the town like a chicken with its head cut off since this morning. And Bill, also in a frenzied state, went to the farmhouse early tonight to ask about her. Sookie asked Lafayette to let Alcide and Bill know that she was not in danger anymore and that she would talk to them as soon she got back to Bon Temps.

Her thoughts went to Eric for the nth time today. There was no way she would go back to her farmhouse – which, technically, still belonged to Eric – tonight. Not until she got bought back her house from Eric.

"But I think, I'll be staying with my brother tonight. After today, I'd love to be among family," Sookie added.

Neal looked at her closely.

"You look like you could use a drink," Neal proposed.

"With the luck I'm having, I need something hard enough to knock down a horse," Sookie said. A drink with a friend sounded freaking fantastic.

"I know just the place." Neal beamed at her, before they pulled over in the middle of a field.

Sookie looked around and saw no living soul around. She dropped her mental shield and was surprised to sense a lot of humming brains—just like Neal's— surrounding the field. She was suddenly perturbed as the memory of her previous trip to the Realm ended for her. And this scenario reminded her of every serial killing thrillers she had watched when she was a teenager.

"Do you trust me, Sookie?" Neal asked as he took her hand and locked gazes with her.

"Are you glamouring me?" Sookie voiced out idea that had bugged her since their first meeting.

Neal scoffed. "Nope. I don't do that sort of thing. I tend to rely heavily on my charms when it comes to women."

It was Sookie's turn to sneer. "You really are full of yourself, aren't you?"

"Yes," he admitted shamelessly. "And you were dodging my question. Do you trust me, Sookie?"

Sookie bit her lower lip before she nodded her assent.

"Good." Neal opened his door and stepped out of car. He went around and helped Sookie out of the passenger seat.

Neal put one hand on her back as he led her in the center of the vast field. He raised the palm of his free hand in the air as if he was pushing against an invisible wall. Then he muttered some sort of chant. And to Sookie's amazement she saw a portal opened up. She looked up at Neal, her eyes burned with questions.

"Welcome to Hooligans."

A/N: I own nothing.

Sorry this chapter took a long time, work kept me super busy. I'll post the next chapter sooner. Thank you for the reviews and feedback! Lots of love! My apologies for the mistakes, I wanted to post this chapter before TB airs tonight.