Thanks so much for the great reviews guys! I seem to have managed to not piss anyone off so far, so that rocks! I guess we will see how long I can keep that up!

As always, characters, setting, and events are all property of Charlaine Harris!

"So, what's on the agenda for tonight?" Sookie asked from the comfortable chair that had been placed beside Eric's desk just for her.

He had been true to his word about using her quirk. In fact, it seemed as if every night she had off work from Merlotte's, she was at Fangtasia listening for Eric. He actually had someone call her after her work schedule for Merlotte's had been posted to find out which nights worked best for her. It was nice not to have to chose between jobs, but it left her with no free time.

Things were back to normal between Sam and her. He was even able to ask her about the work she did for Eric completely without judgment. Not that Sookie shared many details, Eric was a very private individual when it came to his business. But it probably helped that all the jobs she did for him were completely mundane. It seemed like an endless line of employees and vendors that Eric wanted to know more about. She had not gotten so much as a paper cut since her run in with Long Shadow's fangs.

It also helped that Eric was being completely professional. Well, completely professional for Eric. He still made his little innuendos and comments, but he had made no actual overtures and even seemed a little more stand off-ish than he had. When she arrived, the humans were shown in, and when the interviews were done, he told her goodnight and she left.

However, all these side jobs were leaving her with very little time to herself. Sookie and Sam had been on a few dates during the day and tried one late night date after work, but Sookie had fallen asleep in Sam's truck.

With their current schedules, they both agreed that a relationship just was not possible. Sookie had a small cry when she got home that night, and even risked ignoring her cell phone. Still, they flirted, and she silently hoped that Eric would run out of people eventually. It felt like she must have seen every employee of any importance.

The upside was that she was making good money, and she was also getting very good with her disability. Using it so much not only made it easier for her to find what she wanted, but she also noticing she was getting better at blocking people out more.

"Tonight will be a little different. I do not expect as much help from you on this one."

Sookie tilted her head at Eric. Usually he just told her if there was something she should look for specifically. That was definitely a first, and she had no idea what to do with that information.

She had little time to contemplate it as the door opened and was filled by a man who rivaled Eric in height. His eyes were a startling green, and he was gorgeous in a very manly way. His dark curly hair was a little messy. The set of his shoulders and his tan made Sookie think that he was probably used to hard work.

"Is there something in the water up here?" She whispered it quietly, but both men looked right at her as she turned bright red and clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Sookie?" She could not tell if Eric was annoyed or amused by the way he said her name, and she was not going to turn to look at him to find out.

She could tell the man was amused, but that quickly turned to annoyance. "I thought we were going to be meeting in private, Eric…" His voice was deep with an ever present rumble that fit him perfectly.

"Whatever you have to say can be said in front of my human."

Sookie did turn at that. In all the meetings she had attended, not once had he ever called her that. No way was she letting that slid by now.

"I am not your human!" She glared at Eric, who only smiled knowingly, as if he knew better. "I am not his human." She spoke to Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome to explain.

"Good for you." It sounded like he actually meant it, and she couldn't help but smiling. "If you don't mind me asking, if you aren't his, what are you doing here exactly?"

She opened her mind fully for the first time; he had reminded her of the job she was there to do. Only, she didn't get anything more from him other than some fuzziness.

"Oh!" Eric's lack of confidence in her suddenly made perfect sense. "Are you a shifter?"

The man shut the door quickly and growled. What was it with all the men around her growling these day? Eric had stood up as if ready to defend if she were attacked. She had obviously offended him, but was a little unsure how. Still, he seemed to settle down after a tense moment.

"Why don't you sit down, Alcide?" Eric's voice was harsh and commanding, and for a second, Sookie was sure the man would refuse. Her neck was beginning to hurt, so she was very happy when he reluctantly sat.

"I am not a shifter, I am a Were." He said shifter almost the same way Eric said human. Not with quite as much disgust, but definitely with superiority.

"Oh, what kind?" Her curiosity was overriding any fear of his anger.

"A Were…" He seemed to think that was an explanation, but Sookie was still confused. Then she remembered something Sam had told her on one of their few dates. Werewolves considered themselves to be the true Weres.

"Gotcha." His anger had her floundering. He had not been happy when he came in the room, and she was not helping the situation with her questions.

"Humans don't know about us… how did you?" So that was why he was so angry. Well, that probably combined with the fact that she may have insulted him by calling him a shifter.

"Oh, I'm a telepath!"

"Sookie!" Eric did not like her sharing that particular detail, but after two months of mostly pretending to simply be good at reading body language or incredibly knowledgeable, she wanted to be honest with someone. She had a good feeling about Alcide, despite his anger issues.

"Sookie Stackhouse, nice to meet you." She leaned forward and offered her hand across the corner of the desk.

"Alcide Herveaux, a pleasure Miss Stackhouse." He held on to her hand a moment longer than necessary.

"Please call me Sookie." His smile was broad, white, and sincere. Even his anger had been checked by her frank and pleasant greeting.

Eric had stiffened in his chair, his displeasure obvious to her even as he tried to control his features. Sookie had come to realize that vampires did not like to show emotion, but they all had tells. She had seen the gambit of Eric's emotions and was getting quite good at recognizing them.

And as far as she was concerned, he could just be angry. He had asked her to come out on her one night off this week. If he hadn't wanted her to talk to Alcide, he should have let her stay home.

"So, if you could read my mind, how come you thought I was a shifter?" He seemed a little skeptical and understandably so. Sookie was coming to understand that even in this world of weird, she was a rarity.

"I can't really read your mind; I just kind of know what you are feeling. I have a friend who is a Shifter, and he is the same way. Kind of fuzzy, that is why I thought you might be one too. If he thinks something directed at me, then I can pick up on that, but everything else is just intentions and feelings."

Alcide sat back in his chair for a moment. Now it had come to the moment where he withdrew because she was a freak. Sam had done so well with it, she thought maybe all Weres would understand the issue of just being a slight variation on human. But maybe not.

Well, I am glad you aren't with the vamp.

Sookie actually giggled at that. Maybe he was going to be alright with it.

"Now that he knows all of your secrets, Sookie, can we get on to the actual business."

She scowled at Eric. He was right, of course, but she felt strangely comfortable with Alcide.

"I hope we can talk some other time, Sookie."

"I think I would like that, Alcide."

"You are here about your father's gambling problem." Couth would not be a word to describe Eric at the moment. His anger at the situation had been egging Alcide on, but the bluntness of his statement brought all the werewolf's previous anger back to the forefront.

"As a matter of fact, I am." It was Sookie's turn to lean back in her seat. Eric was right; there was not much she could tell here. Especially now that he knew about her. No wonder Eric was so angry. She had practically ruined any chance of being useful for the evening. She didn't beat herself up long. Alcide seemed like a good guy, and she didn't think she wanted to give Eric an advantage over him like she did when she pulled numbers out of vendor's head.

She sat quietly while the boys spoke angrily. With the way the conversation was going, Sookie couldn't help but feel bad. Eric's anger had left him in a not very agreeable mood, and the interaction with Alcide had put him on his bad side. Whatever Alcide had hoped to accomplish, it was not going well.

From what she gathered, Alcide's father had a great deal of debt from gambling at a casino Eric owned. Sookie was not surprised by the mention of that particular business. She had interviewed several of the employees for Eric's other venues as well.

"I could just take the business…"

"Eric!" The father-son contracting company had been mentioned. Apparently, it had been put up as collateral at some point, much to Alcide's surprise. Eric's blue eyes were cold as he turned to her. Picking sides, especially against him, had not gone over well.

"Sookie, perhaps you would prefer to wait outside." Nothing ever sounded like an actual request with him.

"No, I am fine." He raised his eyebrows at her, but she was not one of his underlings to be silenced by facial expressions. The couple months without incident had given Sookie back her former confidence. "I just think there must be some other arrangement you all can come to. After all, contracting isn't exactly up your alley."

"Do not presume you know all of my business ventures."

Alcide was watching the exchange with interest, but his anger was still clouding out any other emotions that may have darted through.

"I don't presume anything Eric. I'm just making a suggestion based on the information I've got. It's what you pay me for."

"I pay you to get information that I cannot before you make a suggestion."

"I have been gathering information, just not like usual." She tapped her head as indication. "All I am saying is you've got a member of a Were pack here who obviously owes you and seems to be well connected, but you're letting your anger cloud your judgment." She paused for a moment before looking to Alcide. "Both of you are."

The men looked at each other with disdain, but the truth of her words might have gotten through. Neither were yelling or storming out.

"Alcide doesn't want word of his father's problem getting out, and Eric, you're always looking for people you can trust to out your business, especially during the day. Were's are more capable than your average human anyway, and he has good reason to keep faith with you."

They were still looking at each other, sizing the other up as she ran background commentary. The testosterone in the room was practically suffocating, but maybe it was better than outright hate.

"You mean to tell me you wouldn't be able to find a use for Alcide's services that would outweigh the indiscretions of his father. Money, you have plenty of. Reliable people…" Well, she had met enough of them to know. Eric was good at placing people, but it was different to have someone who was an actual reliable person and someone who simply worshipped the ground you walked on. Dependability was a rather steady quality, whereas hero worship could always find a new idol.

"I would have to work for you?" Alcide's disgust towards Eric was thinly veiled.

"It is better than him owning you." She had not realized how those words rang until Eric turned to her. She faltered for a moment, but he did not comment. "Do you really want to lose everything you and your father worked so hard for?" She knew he didn't. His love for his father and what they had built was overshadowing his issues with Eric. She could feel it winning out over his anger.

"I have not agreed to this." Eric's words almost crushed her. All that work, and he was still going to let his pride win out.

"Eric, you know it's good business. I am sure a favor from a Were is no small thing." Something that she had said struck a chord with him. He was smiling… it made him no less dangerous looking.

"You are right. I rather like the idea of you owing me." So, Eric's pride had won after all; he just chose a different route than originally planned.

Alcide's growl brought her attention forward. He no longer seemed quite as enthused over the idea. Really, there was no pleasing everyone!

"There are something I won't do, vamp…"

"Of course." Eric waved his hand dismissively. "We will work out the specifics when the time comes. For now, you can be sure that no one will hear about your father from me or my employees."

Alcide looked meaningfully at Sookie, and she was a little offended. Then again, if it had been a member of her family who could come to harm from the information, she would have been just as thorough.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I am great at keeping secrets." A bubbly smile lit up her face. These boys had no idea.

"Alcide…" It was clearly a dismissal.

"Eric…" It was hard to tell who disliked who more at the moment.

"Eric…" Sookie's voice was deep and falsely angry as she stood to leave. Her time was up for the evening, and Eric never had her stick around after a meeting unless they needed to discuss what she had learned. Obviously, tonight she had not learned anything he didn't already know.

"Sookie, could you stay for a moment?" Eric's voice was quiet, but she knew she was in trouble. There was no denying that she had been trying to sneak out. Alcide actually gave her a consoling look before leaving the office.

She dropped back into her seat with a sigh. No point in making him angrier by running, it would only prolong the inevitable talk. She turned towards him, propping her elbows on the desk.

"Yes?" She tried to look innocent, even batting her eyes.

"Miss Stackhouse, I will not deny that coy very much becomes you, but do not think you can distract me with your feminine wiles."

"Do I distract you?" She remembered a time when he had used that line on her.

"Hmm, you have no idea." His eyes narrowed on her.

She had found him true to his word about not giving up on the innuendos, but they had gotten to a comfortable habit of idle flirtation. Sookie knew it didn't mean anything, but getting upset over it wasn't worth it. She had started to play along instead. Well, to a point.

"Then good night, Eric!" She stood to leave again with a smile.

"Sookie."

"I know, I messed up."

"Weres have a bad reputations."

"Pot meet kettle…" She did not even turn around. If she could keep this lighthearted, she could get out.

"I would hate to have to kill someone over your honor."

"I didn't know you cared, Eric." She opened the door and sent him a winning smile as she turned to exit.

"Well, I do." No one had ever sounded so annoyed about caring. Her laughter broke through the air at his expression.

"Don't worry Eric, my honor is firmly intact…" She closed the door on his puzzled look.

Alcide was waiting in the hall with a smile. "You should not walk to your car alone. You never know who might be out there." Sookie did not stop walking towards the employee exit, but he easily caught up to her.

"Does your girlfriend know that you walk girls you meet at the bar to their cars?" She should not be fishing for that particular piece of information, but he was just the kind of man she had always imagined herself with. It was an odd feeling.

"Well, considering she just left me for an owl, I doubt she would care." His tone was joking, but underneath she sensed real, deep hurt. He must have really loved her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know… wait, an owl?"

"Well, he turns into one."

"I can tell that you loved her, so please don't take offense, but that girl must be crazy."

Alcide's easy smile got bigger as they made their way through the parking lot. "My sister said the same thing."

"Then she is a smart woman."

"I meant what I said earlier, about hoping we could talk later."

"We are talking now, Alcide."

"I mean, I would like to take you out."

She started for the whole, my life is complicated speech, but considering the last hour, she figured Alcide knew all about convoluted lives. "Look, Alcide… you just got done telling me about how your girlfriend left you for another guy. Now, you can try to play it off like it was no big deal, but remember I know what you are feeling. I have no intention of being that girl. I am not a rebound."

Alcide opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but he closed it just as quickly. His smile broke as he looked at her, some of this sadness showing through. "I wish we had met under different circumstances, Sookie Stackhouse."

"Yeah, me too."

He held out his hand, and Sookie took it. For the second time that night, her hand disappeared under his large calloused fingers. He was so very warm. It was comforting even in a handshake. "Here's to hoping we meet again at a better time."

"Is this stray bothering you?" The moment was ruined as Pam appeared next to them.

"I was just leaving." Alcide had gotten his fill of vampire's for the night. He went towards his own huge truck, just what Sookie expected him to drive.

"Look, Eric just started acting normal again. Now, you have him in an uproar, if you mess him up again, so help me…"

"What the hell are you talking about Pam?" Pam was annoyed that she had not gotten to say goodnight to Alcide.

"All I know is that since the minute you walked up to him at the bar, things have been different. Now, you better get your shit together, or I will for you."

"Pam, if you could let me know when you start making sense, I will start paying attention again. But if you plan on muttering nonsense for the rest of the night, I'd rather just go home and let you talk to yourself."

"You may be his little pet right now, but do not forget that you are a human in a world of much stronger beings." Sookie had not realized she had been backing up until she was against her car. Pam was looming over her, and Sookie had noticed that her fangs had run out. "Don't get too comfortable."

Pam's face was inches from Sookie as she made her point. Her heart beat was indicating that she understood loud and clear while Sookie tried to swallow. It had been so long since anything like this had happened, she really had been getting a little cocky. Only that did not help much as Pam took in a long breath, close to Sookie's neck. Sookie had stopped wearing the silver jewelry a few weeks ago when she realized how insulting it was. Damn her good manners!

Suddenly, the light from a streetlight replaced Pam's shadow as she was forcibly pulled back. Eric was holding her by the back of her neck and looked so frightening that Sookie would have backed up more if she were able. As it was, she decided to stay very, very still.

Eric had turned his child to look at him and was rapidly speaking in some foreign language. For Pam's part, her scowl was quickly turning into a look of pleading as she quietly replied. Eric finally said something harsh and jerked his head towards Sookie, who cringed into the metal frame of her car.

"I am sorry, Sookie. I will never threaten or harm you again." The words had obviously not come of her own volition and were more angry than apologetic.

"Now go back inside and entertain the vermin." Pam sulkily walked back towards the bar at a pace that would have been slow even for a human.

"I know she did not sound like she meant it, but she will not. I gave her a direct order."

"Oh." Sookie said that as if it meant something to her.

"She will not, cannot, defy her maker." He was doing the not looking at her thing again. It was always awkward to talk to him when he was decidedly not looking at her.

"Thank you."

"I believe you were heading home for the night."

"Yeah, I was."

"Good night then."

"Night Eric." She slipped into her car still a little shaken. Sookie did not see Eric leave, but when she looked up again, he was gone.

So much for her clean record. She imagined someone somewhere erasing the numbers off a whiteboard. Incident Free Days: 0...

Turns out, fairies have whiteboards. Of course, Sookie couldn't know someone really is tracking all her incident reports.

I always wanted to know how Alcide and Eric had come to their arrangement, so I decided to write it out.

Yes, I thoroughly enjoy throwing road blocks in Eric's way. It makes things so much more interesting, and keeps him honest. Actually, if you haven't noticed he is currently having a bad case of denial…

I guess we will all just have to hope that he gets over that quickly!