Tara hugged Sam, the feel of her body so close to his soothed him more than he had expected. But within seconds he pulled away, his mind swam with the heady excitement of the sexual tension that has always existed with Tara. Why after so long? He wondered... Perhaps her perfume was the same, maybe that was it.
"Sam," Thank you, she smiled and leaned back into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. His body is so familiar to her - the way it moves, the smell of wood smoke of the barbeque grill, even the sound of his heart beating gave her a warm sense of nostalgia.
"Tara," Sam said warningly, "Eric will know." and although he did not want to pull away from her again, he did so anyway.
"Know what?" Tara scoffed, "That I hugged you...so what."
"The Eric I know won't like the scent of me on his-"
"His what?" Tara snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence. "His fangbanger..." She said heatedly, "Eric does not own me, I am not his possession and I can hug whoever I want."
Sam's smile turned into a wide grin"Well okay then," and he opened his arms.
Tara did not hesitate to go into them. He felt her soft skin and the gentle squeeze on his own. He bathed in her warmth and the smell of freshly laundered clothes.
"I was going to say his woman, you're a lady Tara, always have been."
She smiled peering into his inviting blue eyes and he warmly peered back at her deep gaze, they held each other allowing the tension to build. "I'd better get going," she said deeply breathing, "I need to call the detective working the case, I want to insert myself into the investigation, I know I can help."
Sam nodded, and before he could speak an abrupt knock on the door interrupted him. Suddenly the door swung open.
"Sam,"Daphne shrilled in frustration her face reddens and her fist balled. "I'm at my wits end!"
"I've been in here all of 30 minutes, what the hell is going on out there?" Sam winced, bracing himself for the bad news.
"To start, Amy high as a kite, she's dropping shit, and fucking up orders," Daphne looked like she was going to burst into tears."Please do something, she's fucking up my tips!"
"Not again." Sam piped, "I'll take care of it...Tara, I'll check up on you later this week."
"Sure thing," Tara nodded and watched him follow Daphne out the door. She could hear Daphne going on about her intoxicated coworker as they left the area. After a few moments, Tara left the office and returned to the dining area. The restaurant was packed now, it was afternoon and the lunch rush was in full swing. She quickly left the office, passing through the line and out of the bar.
She was halfway to her car when she was suddenly approached by a man, "Hey- Hey...you're the fangbanger witch who's causin all the trouble 'round here.
Tara whipped around to see a gruff, heavyset man, donned in bib overalls, he looked like the farmer type, he stepped closer, invading her personal space.
"Excuse me," Tara said calmly, he was so close, she could smell the alcohol on his sweat-soaked skin, his dusky eyes are bloodshot red, so was his skin, his teeth are yellowed from chewing tobacco. She'd dealt with plenty of folks in her town like him before.
"You heard me." He sneered ruefully. I know you niggers can't help stealing, but how could you be so stupid and steal from a vampire!" He threw his hands in the air as if he was making some kind of a profound point.
Tara only heard one word. The word that elicits hurt, pain and fury. She drew back and punched him as hard as she could. A loud smacking sound could be heard across the parking lot as her fist collided with his face. His head, neck, snapped left, blood flew out of his mouth and he hit the ground with a definite thud. He was out cold. And although Tara's fists throbbed with pain, she smiled wickedly at the damage she had caused.
"I should have you arrest you for that." She heard an accented voice say, she quickly removed her gaze from the man on the gravel to the man approaching her.
"He provoked me," Tara let out an exasperated sigh. "But call the deputy if you want, I'm sure when this fuck-twat wakes up, he'll call too."
"I don't need to call anyone, besides your right, he did provoke you." The man agreed, and then he smiled, a tastefully, wicked and dirty smile, as he eyed Tara from head to toe, admiring her lithe, yet curvy frame.
"You don't look or sound like you're from around here," Tara noted appraising the tall, blue-eyed man with dark curly hair, and dressed in a cheap suit.
"That because I'm not," The man extended his hand, and Tara reached in and shook it, "I'm Special Agent Franklin Mott New Orleans's FBI," With his free hand he opened his jacket, flashing his badge and credentials, unlike the movies he kept his jacket open, allowing Tara to appraise his identification. She also took notice of the gun holster containing the standard issue 9-millimeter semi-automatic weapon.
Tara's face beamed with hope, "Nice to meet you Special Agent Mott, you are just the person I was looking for, I'm Tara Thornton."
Although a seasoned officer, Franklin was pleasantly taken aback by her gesture. Most people are never happy to see an FBI agent, nor do they seek them out, and lastly, he didn't think anyone from a small podunk town could be so breathtakingly beautiful. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Thornton," He blushed realizing he had not let go of her hand and was still firmly shaking it.
"Is there someplace we can talk?" He asked, finally setting her hand free.
"Yes, follow me to the Moon Goddess Emporium."
"See you there." Franklin nodded and briskly walked over to a black Chevy Camaro tagged with government-issued license plates.
The man on the ground began to moan as he came too; with haste, Tara got into her car and left.
Five minutes later Tara pulled into the shopping center and quickly entered the door. Inside the small boutique, Holly was taking care of a customer and Luellen could be seen behind the counter documenting the inventory ledger, she spotted Tara and they both gave each other a hearty wave hello.
"Hello ma'am," Tara nodded and smiled at the customer. "Holly, could I speak to you for a moment," Tara shifted her gaze to the back of the shop and Holly followed. When the two were far enough away from the customer Tara whispered.
"Will you keep Luellen and any of the other girls up front, I'll be speaking with Detective Mott in the breakroom?"
"Of course, ' Holly nodded, her eyes lit up in an excited manner," I take it you've gathered more information.
"You betcha I have, and me and Mr. Mott, are going to get the bottom of this."
"Thank Goddess!" Holly clapped, feeling truly optimistic, a feeling lost to her after the past three tumultuous weeks. She called out to Luellen, the woman placed the ledger down and they all returned to the front.
Luellen rang up the customer's items while Holly busied herself with organizing the shelves. A few moments later Franklin walked in and Tara invited him behind the counter to the employee break room. Franklin had been to Wiccan supply shop a week earlier as it was the last place Nicole was seen alive. The store sold items such as amulets, athames, herbs, stones, crystals, grimoires. He was also aware, that the occult shop had a back room in which the coven often practices witchcraft.
"Please have a seat."
Franklin sat down in the quaint breakroom across from the beautiful woman.
"Would you like anything to drink?"
"No thank you, I was actually stopping at Merlotte's for lunch, but this took priority, so on the way, I stopped at the gas station and got a sweet tea.
"I could have waited for you to have your lunch."
"It's no trouble at all, you were not on my list due to your recent arrival in town." He pulled a small notepad with a pin attached and flipped it open. "However, your name has come up quite often, and due to what I witness in the parking lot of Merlotte's you have very strong ties to this town."
"That's true," Tara cringed a little inside, she could only imagine what people have said about her. "I hope everything you heard wasn't horrible."
"I'm not here to judge, I am here to find out what happened to Nicole Wright and to bring her killer to justice. My partner, Special Agent Williams is conducting the investigation of Sooke Stackhouse and Arlene Fowler."
"Why are you conducting separate investigations?" Tara asked, "Nicole's murder and Sookie and Arlene's kidnapping are connected.
"How so?" Franklin asked writing something down on his notepad.
"They are all members of the Moon Goddess Coven," Tara stated firmly.
"Is that the only thing they have in common?" Franklin asked.
"That's all they need to have in common."
"Please elaborate."
"I think Nicole was killed because of what she is. Nicole is a witch, a very young and powerful one. The most desired by the Dark practitioner. Sookie is a powerful clairvoyant and Arlene had just discovered her gift of Psychometry. The way Nicole was killed was ritualistic. She was the fuel to the dark magic fire and Sookie and Arlene are most likely being held, used until he's done with them, and they will be sacrificed too."
"Who do you think is responsible?"
"I know it's not vampires and so do you." She waited for a reaction, but he gave none, "It's another witch, one who practices dark magic and has a vendetta against our coven. "
"Why would anyone have a score to settle with a coven?."
"I don't know, but whoever the sonofabitch is, he wants you to believe that vampires are responsible. And although vampires have a sordid history with Wiccan, we know how to deal with them. In our world, the constant battle is between the White Light Magic and The Dark Magic."
"Tara, do you know what a criminal profile is?" He asked but before she could answer he continued. "By what you're telling me I'm looking for a warlock."
"Contrary to popular belief, the term "warlock" is never used to describe a male witch. Witch is gender neutral."
"Thanks for the clarification." He said sarcastically, not lifting his eyes from the notepad.
"The world believes in vampires, but not witches." Tara sighed deeply, a feeling of defeat washed over her. "That's just the way the devil wants it."
"I never said I didn't believe you," He peered at her with intense scrutiny,"just to reiterate and clarify, the profile we are looking for is a male witch." There was no mocking in his tone and Tara appreciated that.
"Yes, a white male Wiccan, he's very familiar with the surrounding area, only a local would know his way around the area Nicole was found, the deep forest swamps and bayou's, most likely a hunter, and lives alone on a large stretch of land.
Franklin suddenly stopped writing, his gaze focuses intently on Tara. She knew he had the same profile as the killer.
"Do you know anyone who fits that description?"
"Yes, there are a few men, but you will have to tread carefully. You won't be able to stop him without some magic. He's most likely a very powerful witch and if he has any idea we are onto him, we'll never catch him."