The coffin started shaking. The lid swung open, pushed from the inside.

I caught a surge of emotion from Eric—anger, fear. On instinct, I grabbed his hand. He looked at me, surprised. Join the club, buddy. I'd surprised myself. Eric squeezed my hand so tight it almost hurt. As I squeezed back, I realized my palms were sweaty. I was as scared as he was.

Bill sat up. We dropped hands. I don't know which of us moved first.

Bill looked at Eric. Then me. Then Eric again. Then Eric harder.

He started laughing.

I was freaked out. Eric didn't look much happier. "Bill—" I began, but before I could finish, Bill was out of the coffin and had Eric against the wall. He moved so fast, one moment, Eric was sitting next to me; the next, he was gone.

Being the mature, centuries-old individuals that they are, Bill and Eric immediately started in on a staring contest. I'll give Eric something—for all his hullabaloo about glamour, he looked Bill in the eye and didn't blink.

"Hands off," he said.

Bill obliged.

"We have a problem." I told the room. Everyone already knew, but I was afraid they'd spend all day glaring at each other if I didn't intervene.

Neither of them responded. Bill was too busy watching Eric; Eric was watching Bill. Eric's expression was calm, almost nonchalant, but his thoughts were roiling. His eyes kept darting around the room. Looking for an exit? No, a weapon. He fixed on firewood, piled near Bill's chimney. It was a leftover from when we'd been dating. Bill didn't feel the cold.

I caught Eric's eyes. Shook my head. Don't be stupid.

And it was stupid. Really stupid. Eric couldn't get to the firewood before Bill caught him. But beyond that, Eric knew better than to attack Bill. I couldn't believe that he'd rather stake him than ask for his help. Eric was thinking like a cornered animal. But he didn't have to. Bill would help us.

I hoped.

Bill took a step closer to Eric. He grabbed Eric's hand. Eric tried to tug free, but of course he wasn't able to. Bill started feeling up and down his wrist. I thought it was weird, until I realized that Bill was searching for a pulse. When he found it, he was still for a moment. Then, he dropped Eric's arm.

Bill stared at Eric like he'd never seen anything so remarkable.

Eric stared back. "What?" It was a challenge. He was daring Bill to say it out loud.

Bill started laughing. Eric glared. Bill tried to stop himself, but he very obviously couldn't. "Am I dreaming?" he said.

"It's not just me," Eric said. "Clancy, Pam."

"Possibly the other Area 5 vamps," I said. Eric nodded. We'd never discussed it, but if I'd come to that conclusion, you could be he did too.

"And both witches are dead?" Bill looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Welcome to my world.

"One by accident," I said. "One murdered."

"By a French woman," Eric added.

Bill looked at him, sharp. Whatever French lady Eric had been thinking of, Bill knew her too. Which meant she was probably a vampire. Great.

"You mean Cajun," Bill said.

"Sookie?" Eric looked at me.

I was obviously in the middle of something, but I didn't know the battle lines. I decided to ignore it for now, and hope it didn't come back to bite me. "I was told French." The woman at the motel talked like she was from around here, so she'd know the difference. Plus, we didn't get many Cajuns in this part of the state. Then again, we didn't get many French people either.

"Speaking of," Eric said, "I've been summoned to New Orleans."

Bill understood immediately. "The Queen."

"Who else?" said Mr. Smarmy.

"You can't go."

"Obviously."

They could have gone on like that for a while, so I stepped in. "Bill, I was hoping you could hold her off. Until we break the spell."

"Say I have pressing business," Eric piggybacked. "I'm sending you in my stead."

"She'll be upset," Bill said.

"The truth would upset her more." Eric gave Bill a significant look. "You can take care of this. You know her well enough. You were always a favorite."

"We have a working relationship." Bill sounded reluctant. His eyes flickered to me.

"Don't we all," said Eric, and he was looking from Bill to me with more interest than usual.

I didn't want to get bogged down in their sniping. We didn't have time. "Well, you're the only vampire we've got, so if you don't help—" I left the worst-case scenario unsaid.

Eric glared at me. He didn't like me putting it out there so bluntly, but I saw no reason to be coy. If Bill didn't help us, we were screwed.

If I was going to throw in the bacon, I might as well go whole hog. I met Bill's eyes. His cool gaze brought back memories. I suppressed a shiver. "It could have just as easily been you." If he hadn't been in Peru, Bill would likely be in the same boat as Eric.

Bill stared at me. His expression was unreadable. Then, he turned to Eric. "You will owe me."

"Obviously," Eric said.

"And if the Queen finds out—"

"I take responsibility," Eric said. "Obviously."

"I want—" Bill started.

Eric was quick to shut him down. "We'll negotiate details later."

Later meant when the spell was broken. When Eric could maneuver from a position of power. Bill was smart enough to ignore him. "After this, you'll leave Sookie be."

I was just as surprised as Eric. "That's what you want?" Eric seemed incredulous.

"No more demands. No more Dallas," Bill said. "She's done enough for you."

I didn't know whether to feel insulted or touched. Bill could ask Eric for the moon and his first thought had been me. Had I done 'enough' for Eric? Of course. But I'd also had my fill of Bill. Rescuing him from his cheating ex left me with more aches than I could count. Just touching the memory made me feel awful.

If I let Bill push Eric out of my life, I'd be in his debt. That wasn't a place I wanted to be.

I looked up to find Eric watching me, sort of smiling. "Sookie?" I didn't know if he could read the reluctance on my face, or if he just knew me that well.

I felt tired. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to give Eric a rap on the head.

I turned to Bill. I chose my words carefully. "I appreciate you coming back here." And I did. "But I run my own life." These days, it was a full-time job.

"That's it?" Bill said, and I nodded.

He seemed upset. He was at least miffed, if not outright angry.

Was I making a mistake, turning down his help? Maybe. But at least the mistake was my own.

Bill bounced back. He mentioned his tithe and, within seconds, he was haggling percentages with Eric. If I'd been less exhausted, I might have found their negotiation interesting. As it was, I was having trouble following the numbers game. I wanted to leave—get some water, use the facilities—but I knew Eric was set on having me as an anti-glamour buffer so I stayed put. It was a big enough step for Eric to talk to Bill. Tomorrow night, I could cut the safety net and force him to handle the situation alone.

You'd think they were settling a war between France and Germany the way they kept yapping. They finally reached some kind of agreement, which involved a lot of numbers and Bill's blanket absolution from ever having to put in hours at Fangtasia. It was all contingent on "successful completion," e.g. Eric not dying.

After the dust settled, Bill decided that he should leave for New Orleans immediately. The sooner he reached the city, the better. Now that the sun had set, Eric was expecting a call from the Queen. If he didn't hear from her, he'd reach out himself. Either way, he'd explain that he was sending Bill in his place. If all went well, Bill would arrive just after midnight, early afternoon by vampire standards.

Bill said he'd drop us at my house, but I told him that I had to visit Jason's. As I was without a car, Bill offered to give me a ride on his way out of town. I turned him down. I wasn't excited about alone time with Bill. It was a short drive to Jason's—five minutes tops—but it was more than enough time to unearth subjects I didn't want to revisit.

I decided to walk to Jason's. It would be an opportunity to clear my head. His house was less than a mile from Bill's, through the woods.

I said goodbye to Bill and Eric and started across the yard. I watched as Bill pulled out of the driveway. His headlights disappeared into the darkness. He'd hadn't discovered that Eric and Pam had stolen his sedan. Thank God for small blessings.

I was halfway to the tree line when I heard footfalls behind me. Heavy footfalls. I turned.

Eric.

What did I have to do for two seconds of solitude? "Yes?"

"You shouldn't walk in the woods alone." He fell into step beside me.

Walking alone was exactly my plan. I wasn't thrilled that Eric had decided to tag along. I needed to ask Hadley about the locket, and it would be disastrous if he overheard anything. But I'd only raise his suspicions by insisting that he leave. It wasn't as if he could come inside Jason's house, anyway. Technically, Eric was still in hiding. Not that he acted like it.

Eric wasn't very good at cooling his heels.

"It's going to be boring," I tried, as we passed the front gate of the Sweet Home Cemetery. "Family stuff." Eric had limited interest in events that didn't revolve around him.

"I'm only walking you." Eric raised an eyebrow. "I'd think you didn't want me there."

I didn't. But acknowledging it would only pique his interest. "Suit yourself."

We walked in silence for a few moments, then Eric said, "You are very brave, Sookie."

My danger-meter binged. Eric never said anything nice without a motive. No wonder he'd decided to walk with me. He wanted something. I didn't have the patience to play dumb. "Eric, what's up?"

He needed no more invitation. "When you get your car back, I would like you to take me to West Memphis."

At least he'd phrased it more like a question than a demand.

"West Memphis?" All I knew was plain old Memphis. What were the chances Eric wanted to see Bubba's former digs? "You want to check out the Jungle Room?"

Eric glared. "West Memphis, Arkansas," he said and passed me a card. The witch's driver's license. I couldn't read it in the darkness, but Eric made it easy for me. "It's where she lives. Lived." He corrected himself.

"Her brother's from Arkansas." Which made sense, since they seemed to work as a team. "It was on his checks." I didn't remember the city. It could have been West Memphis.

"Good," Eric said, as if we were decided.

As soon as he gave the affirmative—with that air of finality—I regretted mentioning Mark. I wasn't sure about this whole road trip idea. Eric was supposed to be in hiding, after all. "Does anyone know you up there?"

"There are not many vampires in Arkansas," Eric said. "And the court is in Little Rock."

Eric was answering my question without really answering. Which told me, yes, he knew vampires in Arkansas. So yes, going would be a bad idea.

"I'm guessing West Memphis is near real Memphis." Just a wild supposition. "Memphis is a pretty big city." With a lot of people, and probably a lot of vampires. A lot of chances for Eric to be recognized.

"I only know one man from Memphis," Eric said, and smirked.

Har har.

But once I thought about it, it stopped being funny. "Eric, what if Bubba's human?"

The smirk dropped off Eric's face. "We'd have a lot of explaining to do." He paused. "He's still in Mississippi, as far as I know."

Let's hope he was safe. An average person might stare at Eric, but not because they recognized him. Bubba was another story entirely.

By now, I could see Jason's lights in the distance. Eric and I were rounding his pond. As we picked our way past the dock, Eric stopped dead. "Sookie, you smell that?"

"Nope." I sniffed the air, experimentally. Nothing but pine.

Eric stepped onto the dock. I followed. When we reached the end, he crouched down. "Here."

I knelt next to him. I stared. It looked exactly like a dock. "I can't see a thing."

Eric took my hand and placed it on the edge of the pier. The wood felt crusty. "Dried blood."

Ew. "You can smell that?"

He shrugged. "Habit."

If Eric could smell blood, I bet Pam could too. It was creepy. Decidedly un-human. I shelved that away to think about later. The really important thing was that my brother was missing and there was blood near his house. I shivered. "God, let Jason be okay."

"Go," Eric said. "Talk to your cousin. I'll wait and walk you home. Unless you'd rather get a ride in that ridiculous limousine."

The woods near Jason's house suddenly felt a lot less familiar. "I'll ask Hadley to drive."

Eric nodded. "I'll wait anyway. Just in case."

It was probably overkill, but I appreciated his caution. "Watch out." Eric could take care of himself, but still.

He smiled. "I always do."

Wasn't that the truth?

I walked around the house to Jason's front door, trying to keep my fear in check. Maybe the blood was left over from hunting season. Eric hadn't mentioned if it were animal or human. Maybe he couldn't tell.

But why would Jason take a kill onto his dock?

As soon as I rang the doorbell, Hadley appeared. She looked as upset as I felt. "Thank god you're here." She hustled me inside.

"Have you heard from Jason?"

She shook her head. I was just about to tell her about the blood, when an unfamiliar voice said, "You must be Sookie."

I turned around.

A man with white-blond hair stood in the kitchen doorway. He was no taller than I was, but it didn't stop me from feeling intimidated. Just by looking at him, you could tell he meant business and it was weird, almost unsettling, because he didn't look a day over 17. His features were more boy than man.

His clothes were slick. Too nice, for someone his age.

Between the outfit, the don't mess with me vibe, and what I knew of Hadley, I had a sinking feeling that this kid was a drug dealer.

I wasn't thrilled that he knew my name.

"Hi," I said to him, because I wasn't stupid. When this guy talked to you, he expected a response. Then, I turned to my fool cousin. "You have guests?" Hadley had mentioned her girlfriend, but I had no idea who this man was and zero interest in finding out. I was sure Jason would be just as pissed when he found out that Hadley had invited strangers into his home.

"Sookie, this is Andre." Hadley paused. She seemed unsure. "My friend."

Andre nodded at me. "Pleasure." He was polite, which made him seem even creepier.

"I've got to use the bathroom. You two get acquainted." Hadley said, and darted up the stairs.

I was not going to let her leave me alone with a teenage gangster. "What about Jason?"

"Give me a sec." Hadley disappeared. I thought about following, but then I felt a prickling on the back of my neck. I turned around. Hadley's friend was staring at me. His eyes were such a pale blue, they seemed almost colorless.

Sookie Stackhouse, he thought.

Sookie Stackhouse, Sookie Stackhouse, Sookie Stackhouse.

I'm pretty good at not reacting to what I hear in people's heads. But this guy was thinking straight at me, almost like he was doing it on purpose. I stared at him. I couldn't stop myself. Surprise was probably written all over my face.

His smile widened. "It's very nice to meet you, Sookie," he said. "Hadley will be back soon."

He walked out of the room.

Was it possible that Hadley had told her friend what I could do? I couldn't see why she would have or why he'd believe her, but I couldn't otherwise explain what had just happened.

I should have let Andre leave. But I was curious. Maybe even pissed.

So I tailed him into Jason's living room.

Andre was leaning over the couch, whispering to someone with red hair. When I walked into the room, they both looked up. I instantly regretted not waiting in the hall.

Andre's friend was a woman. If he looked young, she seemed even younger. She couldn't have been more than 15. Even though she didn't really resemble Andre, the two of them had such a similar bearing I figured that they had to be related. Maybe even brother and sister.

"Hi." My voice came out too loud. Nerves. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse, Hadley's cousin."

Andre's sister looked straight at me. Her face was expressionless. It reminded me of Eric. "Hello, Sookie."

The two of them had to be dealers. I'd never seen a normal teenager with eyes that cold.

A phone rang. I thanked my lucky stars, because it got the woman's eyes off me. She reached into her purse and fished out a cell. Glanced at the caller ID. Showed it to Andre. He shrugged, as if to say, do what you want.

She flipped it open. "Where are you?" During the silence, her brows knitted together. Her eyes flickered to me, then she stood up and walked out of the room. As she went, I caught the beginning of her reply, "Why Bill?"

A chill went down my spine.

Was it possible?

Andre was watching me. "Hadley speaks highly of you." He was thinking about Hadley and me. Light and dark. A matched set.

"I need air," I said.

I left, without waiting for Andre's reply. I could feel my heart thumping. I walked to the back door, but as soon as I was outside, I broke into a run. I nearly tripped over myself in my haste to reach the dock.

Eric stood at the water's edge.

He was on his cell.

"Who are you talking to?" I asked.

He held up a finger to silence me.

Under normal circumstances, I would have waited for him to finish. But this was too important. "Who are you talking to?"

Eric put his hand over the receiver. "Who do you think?"

Then, he froze. His eyes fixed on a point over my shoulder.

I turned.

Andre had followed me outside.

His sister stood a few paces behind, phone at her ear. She was looking over my shoulder at Eric.

She lowered her cell.

"So," she said. "You too?"