Sorry it's taken so long to update but I do have a few chapters in the pipeline with lots of juicy ESN (Yippee!) Sorry it's so short, just wanted all you faithful readers to know that I haven't abandoned the story.

Chapter nine

The vampire Bill Compton made sure the gravel crunched underfoot as he approached Sam's trailer. Bill knew something was 'up' and he knew he was being watched. If he tried to be covert it may arouse suspicion. He knocked on the door frame.

"Yup?" came the reply

"It is Bill Compton" there was silence inside the trailer.

Sam came to the door, opened it but kept the screen door closed. "What can I do for you, Mr Compton?" Something in his demeanor set Bill on edge. They were both silent. Bill's mind was whirring with possibilities. He wasn't sure what to say. Sam seemed to be trying to convey something through his eyes. Finally, Bill spoke.

"I have been.....away. I stopped by the Stackhouse residence but Miss Stackhouse appears not to be home." he said, trying to smile and sound light hearted. "Could you tell me...," he stopped again, "...is she well?"

Sams' face was ashen with worry. He looked down at his feet momentarily. When he looked up he had his biggest smile plastered on his face.

"Well Bill, last I saw she was alive and kicking alright. She's been back to work now a few weeks, not hiding in that old house of hers. But if she finds out you've been checking up on her through me, well, we'll all be in danger. You'd be safer hiding under a rock "

That was all Bill needed to hear. "Thank you, Sam. Glad to hear she is doing well, goodbye." With that, Bill disappeared into the night, making sure he wasn't followed.

In Nevada

The King of Nevada could barely control his outrage. He has been made a fool of. He yelled into the phone he clutched to his ear.

"What do you mean he isn't in Carolina? We watched him for months coming and going from that cabin."

The voice on the other end responded meekly. "It was a decoy your Highness. But we managed to capture one of his people.

"What does this vampire know of his Masters whereabouts?"

"Well, all he has said so far is "Hi, my name is Bubba". Felipe groaned. "Do you wish us to extract the information from him?"

"No, just bring him to me. In one piece."

Fidel De Castro threw his cellular phone across the room. It hit the door frame a splintered into a million mechanical pieces. "Telepath bedamned! I'll make that bastard Northman and his human suffer.

+++Just to clarify - Felipe thought that Eric was in North/South Carolina but it was a decoy because Eric is brilliant (it's true!). Eric and Sookie are...wait for the next chapter. hehe