Complacency is a state of mind that exists only in retrospective: it has to be shattered before being ascertained.
-Vladimir Nabokov

Peace. A rare and uninterrupted peace had seemed to have settled into their lives for almost a month. Pam had planned and executed the most perfect party to announce to all of Sookie's friends and Eric's associates about the wedding. Bill even came. Sookie had told him two days after they had returned from Las Vegas. Eric sat beside her and held his tongue just as Sookie had asked. She had to pinch his leg once or twice to keep him from preening around the room and flaunting in front of Bill. She knew that it was no small coincidence that he suddenly have to leave for a trip to Australia. She had moved the majority of her things into Eric's house and settled into a routine of being his wife. She thrived in her role as wife and lover. She thought she would be bored without a job, but so much needed to be done at the house and with the transfer of her name to Eric's massive amount of assets, there was something to be done nearly everyday. She should have known it wouldn't last.

Sookie tilted her head to the sunlight and sighed. Eric had convinced her to sign up for some yoga classes at the Shreveport YMCA. She had to admit, she loved them. She felt so relaxed and calm whenever she left a class. Plus, Eric was constantly praising her on her added flexibility. She clicked the button on her key fob and unlocked the Escalade. She tossed her yoga bag in the back seat and then opened her driver door. She dropped her keys to the pavement and before she could pick them up, everything went black.

******

Eric woke with a start. His eyes flew wide and he bolted for the door. A quick search of the house confirmed what he already knew. Sookie wasn't there. He felt a sudden stab of fear. She was frightened. Something has happened. Someone is trying to harm his bonded, his wife. He pulled on the closest thing he could reach and jumped into the Corvette. He probed the bond hoping to find her. He snarled as he drove faster. He could feel her unconsciousness on the other end of the bond. As he entered downtown Shreveport, he ticked through the list of things Sookie was going to do today. She was going to the bank first. He drove past the bank and growled when the parking lot was empty. What was next? One of her classes. He accelerated through traffic fearing the worst. His fear became a reality when he saw the police tape and several police cars surrounding a red Escalade. Eric practically ripped the door from the car as he exited. He walked with purpose to the officer that appeared to be in charge.

"What has happened? This is my wife's car. Where is she?" He demanded.

The police officer hesitated a moment and then flipped open his small notebook.

"The car is registered to a Eric Northman. That you? You got some ID?"

Eric ripped his wallet from his back pocket and thrust his license at the portly officer. He ignored the look of surprise when the officer realized Eric was a 1000+ year old Vampire.

"My wife? Where is she?!" He tried to control the urge to grab the man by the throat and shake the information from him.

"According to a witness, she was leavin' the Y and two men came up behind her. One put something over her face and then put her in another vehicle. The witness called 911. Officer's arrived on the scene to find your wife's purse on the ground and her cell phone on the front seat of the vehicle. The door was open and her keys were beside the vehicle on the ground. Who would want to kidnap your wife, Mr. Northman?"

Eric's brain began to tick through the possibilities. Rival vampires, Were's, Witches, the Fellowship, enemies of the Prince. His face darkened as he looked at the Escalade. He took a step forward and lifted the crime scene tape.

"You can't do that! That's a crime scene." Eric ignored the officer and stepped over to the open door. He took a deep breath and captured the scent surrounding the car. Sookie's was the most dominant but he concentrated to differentiate the other traces of presence around the car. He growled when he found what he was looking for. Humans. She had been taken by mere humans.

"We've collected prints and any trace we could find. Since this is a kidnapping, the feds are gonna be here soon." Eric waved a dismissive hand at the officer and started walking to his Corvette.

"You leavin'? Where you goin?"

"To find my wife." He snarled and left the officer in stunned silence.