The engagement party was getting off to a good start. After spending most of the afternoon setting up for it, Sam was not enjoying the fruits of his labor. Sookie was ignoring him - that is, when she wasn't throwing snide comments in his direction – and Persephone was yet to arrive.

With the band playing and the night in full swing, Sookie was beginning to feel lonely as she sat by herself. Bill was, well, God knows where, and Sam had been lying to her about what he really was. Tara was acting even more out-of-control than usual and Sookie still had the killer to deal with on top of it all. Terry approached her and stood awkwardly beside her.

"I'd ask you to dance, but I don't dance," he explained.

"Thanks Terry. I just wish Bill was here, you know?"

He nodded, "There's a bunch of dead people I wish were still around, too."

They remained silent until something caught Terry's attention, as well as most of the other partygoers. Even in a casual white and gold-trimmed dress, Persephone never failed to catch peoples' eye. It wasn't anything about her personally; it was just a vampire thing, really. She didn't show any interest in the curious eyes, and took a seat by herself, away from the dancing and chatting crowds. She spotted Rene and Arlene dancing and smiled. Not far from them was Jason, his girlfriend Amy, and Hoyt, who were each enjoying a beer and watching the celebration with smiles.

"She looks nice," Hoyt commented to the couple beside him, nodding over at the lone vampire.

"Yeah, if you're into that sort of thing," Jason replied with a frown.

"Just 'cause she's a vampire don't mean she ain't nice," Hoyt replied, but he knew better than to argue with his friends. He always ended up backing down anyway.

As the band finished their song, Arlene pulled away from Rene, smiling from the dance, "I'm sweating all over this dress. I'm gonna take a break."

"You don't wanna dance with me?" Rene smiled back.

"Why don't you go ask Sookie to dance? Poor girl's got no one here," Arlene told him. He looked over at the lonely young woman and began walking over, but not before he was intercepted.

"Mind if I have this dance?" a big pair of icy-blue eyes asked.

"Uh..." But before he could reply, he found himself being led back to the dance floor. Her arm around his neck felt cold, but slightly less cold than the day he had first met her. He was too shocked from her sudden appearance to do anything; he just hoped Arlene wouldn't spot them. It would spoil her night. He knew how much she disliked the woman. Sam spotted them first.

"You trying to cause trouble?" Rene asked her as she looked at him calmly.

"Am I causing trouble?"

"If my woman sees you, she ain't gonna like what you're doing."

"I'm not doing anything, though," Persephone replied, glancing over his shoulder and locking eyes with Sam, who was shaking his head at her.

"I don't have nothing against vampires, but nothing good ever happens to people in this town who mess with them. Haven't you heard about that killer going around?"

"Oh, I'm not afraid of them."

She smiled at him and for a moment he hesitated, worried that she might know more than what she let on.

"Mind if I cut in?"

Sam took Persephone from Rene, who gave her one last glance before heading over to his fiancé. Sam slow danced with her for a moment before speaking.

"You're a troublemaker."

"So I've been told," she replied, resting her head on his shoulder. She moved closer to him and closed her eyes.

Still in the same seat as earlier, Sookie watched Sam and Persephone, both of whom had small, happy smiles on their lips. No matter how much Sam acted like he hated vampires, she knew he only really hated Bill. But hopefully, now that he and Persephone seemed to be warming to one another, Sam would forget about his feelings for her and focus on someone else. Then again, Sookie wasn't really sure Bill would be coming back anytime soon, let alone at all. The song that they were dancing to cam to an end and Sam let go of the woman in his arms.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked her.

"Please," she replied.

"A-negative, right?" he asked, scrunching up his face as he tried to recall her favourite type of Tru Blood.

She smiled at the fact he had remembered and reached up to run her fingers over his cheek affectionately. He stood staring at her for a minute before turning to get the drink.

Jason, Hoyt and Rene watched them before turning back to one another.

"I heard he fucked her," Jason told them as they gathered food on their plates.

"That's just wrong," Rene said, "I mean, I know I just danced with her, but I wouldn't stick any part of myself in something that's dead."

"Do you think she can hear what we're saying?" Hoyt asked with concern, looking over at her now sitting with Sookie.

"Maybe," Jason replied, but he became distracted by Amy, who was asking them if they wanted any more beers while she grabbed one for herself.

"So, what's going on with you and Sam?" Sookie asked.

"I don't really know. He seems interested one minute and distracted the next. He's the most temperamental man I've ever met. And that's saying something."

Sookie laughed, "I know what you mean."

There was a moment of silence between them, before Persephone spoke. "Bill will be back."

It was as if she had read Sookie's mind.

"I don't know about that, but either way, I don't know if I even care anymore."

Persephone's thoughts were drawn once again to Bill and Eric in the Vampire Courts. Whilst she lapsed into thought, Sookie said 'goodbye' to her before joining Amy and Arlene at a nearby table. Glancing around, Persephone realised that Sam was taking a long time with the drinks. She found him by the bar, being interrogated by one o f the town's detectives, Andy Bellefleur. Sam looked over the detective's shoulder, clearly irritated by the man's questioning.

"Detective?" Persephone asked, "Is there a problem?"

"Nothing that concerns you," he replied without looking back at her. She stepped in between him and Sam.

"Why don't you go and enjoy the party, Detective?"

She rarely used glamouring on anyone any more, but she knew this particular man wouldn't go easily.

"Okay," was his simple reply, before he turned to go to the dance floor.

"What did you do to him?" Sam asked, slightly amused.

Persephone didn't reply. He passed her the Tru Blood he had originally left to retrieve, which she took before taking his hand in hers. She led him away from the party.

As they headed towards Sam's office, Lafayette passed them, looking around and appearing rather disheveled. He needed to speak to Jason about an outstanding matter. A matter concerning a certain vampire Lafayette had made a 'business' arrangement with. He had been thinking about Persephone's warning regarding the sales of vampire blood and after finding the blood donor's home empty, he was beginning to worry that other vampires were onto him. Thanks to Jason Stackhouse, he could be vamp food any day now.

Sam pushed Persephone up against the wall in his office, kissing her roughly. She moved her head to the side as he kissed her neck and raised her dress simultaneously. She was about to unbuckle his pants when a scream suddenly issued from the neighboring room, the main floor of the bar. Both of them turned their heads in the direction of the door.

"Stay here," Sam told her, though the order seemed almost ridiculous considering the fact she'd handled three vampires like ragdolls in the same room only a few nights earlier. She remained where she was, however, waiting for any sign of distress from Sam, but none came. Whoever had screamed, both they and Sam were safe. Persephone looked towards the door they had come through earlier, with a quick turn of the head. Something else had just come up. Bill and Eric were back.