It's become clear to our renegade writers that their attempts to inject a little of the spirit of 'Club Dead' into Season 3 are doomed to failure. They couldn't resist sharing a few 'alternative' scenes, just amongst friends, you understand! They certainly don't want to upset Mr. Ball, and beg his forgiveness for taking liberties with his show.

Alcide has taken Sookie to Jackson, where she is looking for clues about Bill's disappearance. Meanwhile, Eric is at Fangtasia

Eric had never known a slower night at Fangtasia. He was bored within an hour of the doors opening. Poor Yvetta, he could almost feel sorry for her, if he were capable of feeling. She had tried so hard to please him; it wasn't her fault that his thoughts were only of Sookie. How he wished he had managed to dissuade her from going to Jackson without him.

She was over two hundred miles away, but he could feel enough of her emotions to know that her first night had not been a success: disgust, fear and anger had come in swift succession. He closed his eyes, imagining that he was there with her now. Maybe by tomorrow night it would be possible. Lafayette was shifting the V faster than he had hoped, and the remaining stocks were stashed away in one of his safe houses. Not even Pam knew where they were, as a precaution should she be interrogated. Soon this nightmare would be over, and he could address himself to the task that had become his number one priority.

The next night.

Sookie regretted her decision to return to the Lou Pines bar almost as soon as they walked through the door. The atmosphere was heavy with menace. It wasn't easy to read shifter minds, and the brains of this were pack were more impenetrable than most. All she could pick up were images and emotions; they were not pleasant ones.

The bar was heaving with customers, all of whom appeared to be drinking heavily; they were all thinking about violence, blood and sex. She considered turning tail and running, but that would just draw attention to Alcide and herself. Besides, she owed it to Bill to try to see if she could find out anything about his fate.

In her wildest dreams Sookie could not have imagined how bizarre the evening would turn out to be. Her run-in with Debbie Pelt set the tone and it was downhill from there on in.

Her attention was gripped by the arrival on stage of the vampire. An antique dealer, Alcide said, but she already knew enough to realise he was something much more than that. She had been too upset about Bill to give any more thought to Eric and his thousand-year hunt for revenge, but now his story came vividly to life. True this Vampire was dressed in modern clothes and had no cloak, but there couldn't possibly be more than one who gave his blood to wolves. As soon as she could get out of here she would have to call him and let him know.

She'd read about the degrading things that drug addicts would do to get their hit. Surely nothing could be worse than the sight of Debbie on the stage, almost naked. She willingly let herself be branded while the crowd of men howled their approval.

The roars grew louder and more animalistic as Cooter in his wolf form prowled around his mate, sniffing her. Sookie felt sick with embarrassment and disgust as Debbie waggled her ass in encouragement. With a swift movement the beast gripped her skimpy panties between his teeth and ripped them off.

The look of pain and horror on Alcide's face made it clear what would happen next. The salacious fervour filled the room, making the walls shake, as Cooter positioned himself behind Debbie and she spread her knees to give him access. Her face was glowing with lust as she ripped off her own bra, exposing her breasts to the baying mob.

"Come on, we have to get out of here," Sookie hissed, trying to pull Alcide away. As he turned to face her, she could tell it was too late; he was already beginning to turn.

"Run Sookie, run as fast as you can," he growled. She didn't need to be told twice. Instinct took over as she ran down the road guided by the distant lights of buildings. She had no idea what they were, but if she could find a store or a garage, anywhere with a phone, she could call for protection.

The howls of the wolf pack grew louder; they were gaining on her. The only shelter she could see was a clump of tall trees. Every nerve and fiber in her body strained. She had to get up into the branches somehow, it was the only safe place that she could hope for, before the pack reached her and tore her limb from limb.

For a few seconds she seemed to lose consciousness. When she came to she found herself a good thirty feet off the ground, clinging to a branch. Willing herself not to look down, she scrambled up into a more secure position, at the point where a big branch met the trunk. She heard a rip as the strap of her top caught on a smaller branch and snapped off. She had no idea how she was going to get down, but at least she was safe for now.

Meanwhile, at Fangtasia

Eric struggled to keep his anger in check. He had never wanted to kill anyone quite so much as he wanted to kill the Magister at this moment. He could feel every ounce of Pam's pain and humiliation as she swayed upright in the torture rack.

He became aware of another strong emotion: fear. Searching Pam's face he could see it did not come from her. She was angry, not scared. It had to be Sookie then, that idiot Were had fucked up, and Sookie was in danger.

"Bill Compton," Pam blurted out, "it was Bill Compton."

Clever Pam, Eric thought, as he backed up her story. There was nothing he could do to free her though. He just hoped that she would survive whatever tortures the Magister's evil mind had planned. By all the gods, if she came to any harm, he would tear the old man limb from limb and damn the consequences.

He looked up at her, silently seeking her forgiveness.

"If anything happens to her, I will not answer for the consequences," he said, sternly.

"You have two days to find Compton and bring him to me, if you want to see your child again." The Magister was cold.

Women, Eric thought bitterly, as he set off for Jackson. Why did he have to care about them? All they did was complicate his life. He remembered the first time he had ever seen Pam. He and Godric had been separated by circumstances, and he was looking for a companion. She had looked so beautiful on that first night he had seen her. He had been able to tell that she was a virgin, but she was without a doubt a woman of character. Feisty, to use the modern term. Now who did that remind him of?

It wasn't hard to find where Sookie had been. The Lou Pines bar had been infamous in the supernatural community even before the new pack had arrived in town; it was a place which most people steered clear of, unless they were looking for a fight. As he approached, he could hear the sound of a baying pack of wolves. He spotted them circling a huge tree.

Sitting in its branches, a good twenty-five feet off the ground, was a woman. He knew it must be Sookie, but he had to look twice. She wore a dark brown wig, now slightly askew, with a few blond curls snaking out underneath. Her skimpy black top was torn. He would have laughed at the incongruity of the scene, if it wasn't for the presence of at least fifty blood-crazed Were at the foot of the tree.

Manoeuvring carefully through the branches, he came to rest next to her.

"Eric, thank God," she panted, her voice still breathless with fear. In her relief, she completely forgot how angry she had been the last time she had seen him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, trying not to stare at the black bustier, which had slipped down to reveal the tops of her breasts.

"Eric, it was him, he was there tonight. I'm sure of it."

"Who?" he asked; although he could already guess.

"There was a vampire in the club tonight. Alcide said his name was Russell something, and that he's an antiques dealer. He gave the Were his blood and he branded Debbie Pelt with that mark."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm telling you what I saw. He didn't announce that he was the two thousand year old vampire who murdered the family of Eric the Northman if that's what you mean," she snapped back.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to doubt you. Where is Hervaux?"

"I don't know. He told me to run, but then he began to shift. I thought he would come back for me, but I guess there's no way he could take them on." She gulped in fear as she glanced down.

Eric heard the sound of an engine firing up in the distance. Through the trees he could just make out the livery of Hervaux's truck. If he and Sookie could make it over there, they should be able to outrun the ravenous pack still panting around the foot of the tree.

He explained his plan to Sookie, who took a deep breath, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and shut her eyes. She was lighter that he anticipated, and he reached the truck in seconds. With a swift movement he had the door open and shoved her unceremoniously into the middle seat, slamming the door as he got in after her.

Alcide had seen them coming and within seconds had his foot to the floor, pushing the truck as hard as he could along the rough track.

They gained a couple of hundred yards before the pack realised what had happened and set off after them. Alcide gripped the wheel firmly and kept his eyes on the track, finding the quickest path through the trees as the truck lurched from side to side. In her terror it took Sookie a couple of seconds to realise that for the second time in less than a week she was up close and personal with a very naked man who wasn't her boyfriend.

Alcide hadn't had time to pick up any clothes after shifting back to his human form. The act of shifting had left him rather excited, Sookie realised, as she tried and failed to avert her gaze from a certain part of his anatomy.

One bare arm was pressed close against hot werewolf, and the other against cool vampire; it was a very strange sensation. Eric, she realised, did not have his eyes on the road. He was looking down appreciatively at what remained of her top, which was revealing a lot more of her breasts than she had ever intended.

"Eric, will you quit that," she hissed, as he ran his tongue over his lower lip. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes, holding her hands firmly clenched in her lap.

It didn't take long for the truck to reach the road, and from there Alcide raced as fast as he could manage until they were safe in the underground garage of his apartment. Jumping down from the cab, he went round to the back, reappearing in a pair of workman's overalls. Eric also dismounted, offering a hand to help Sookie down.

"I'm going to check out the lay of the land, I will speak to you later."

Before she could respond he was gone. She realised she was shaking as Alcide put an arm around her to steer her to the elevator. "I'm sorry about earlier," he said, blushing.

"That's okay, I'm getting used to it. I'm sorry about forcing you to come to the club with me. I never realised it would be that nasty."

Alcide said nothing, just chewed his lip and stared at the elevator floor.

Sookie headed straight for the shower and bed as soon as they reached his apartment. She would never have thought it possible, but within minutes she was asleep.

She had no idea what time it was when she woke up. It was still dark, and as her eyes struggled to focus in the gloom, she realised that there was someone else in the room.

"Alcide?" she whispered, as he took a step toward the bed. She didn't bother to ask what he wanted, that was obvious from one look at him.

She knelt up, shrugging off the covers, slightly puzzled to find that she was naked. She couldn't help but moan with pleasure as Alcide's big hot hands fondled her breasts. She felt her nipples harden, and it seemed that the heat was being transferred from his body into her own.

She slid her own hands over his muscular chest, then down around his butt, finally settling on a very well proportioned part of his anatomy. Alcide's eyes widened in surprise and pleasure as he realised her intentions.

She'd never done this before. Bill didn't approve: she'd attempted once, but he'd called her a 'slattern' and that was the end of that. She'd heard the girls at Merlotte's thinking about it often enough to have a pretty good idea of what was expected.

Tentatively she ran her hand up and down the length. That seemed to work, so she repeated the action with a firmer grip, earning a deep growl of pleasure in response. She lowered her head towards him, running her tongue around the head, all the while wondering how an earth she was going to accommodate his size.

"It'll be fine, just take it slowly," he murmured encouragement in a low voice.

She followed his guidance, taking him in her mouth and sucking gently at first, then more strongly, all the while moving up and down. The taste and feel of him excited her.

Realization dawned when she felt a pair of cool hands run down her sides and over her ass. Long fingers slipped gently between her legs and began to stroke. She had to stop it, now, and reluctantly she woke herself up.

She was dreaming about being unfaithful to Bill, not just with Alcide but also with Eric, at the same time! A shudder of disgust rolled over her body. How could she do this to him? The worst of it was that she had actually been enjoying it. Pulling the comforter tightly around her she tried to focus on something neutral, something that would clear her mind of lewd thoughts. Cleaning the kitchen, she decided, that should work.

She must have slept a little, but it was still dark when she awoke again. This time the figure in the room was Eric, but at least he was fully clothed.

"This is a dream, right?" she asked.

"I can assure you that it is not," he replied, reaching out to stroke her cheek.

He'd left the window open; the faint sounds of traffic and the cool of the night air felt very real. Besides, this time she was wearing her nightgown.

"What do you want, Eric?"

He had sat down on the bed and manoeuvred himself next to her. She glared at the sight of his big, black boots on the coverlet, but he ignored her.

"Are you alright, after what happened tonight?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Sure, I'm fine." She paused for a moment. "Thanks for coming to rescue me though, I don't know what I would have done without you."

"You'd probably be pet-food by now," he said harshly. "I told you to stay out of danger."

"I was trying to help. I did find out who was giving blood to the weres, after all."

"I know," his tone was more kindly, and he reached across to run his fingers through her hair. "It's just that I don't want anything to happen to you. I want you to promise me you will stay here and not leave, especially not at night. Make sure Hervaux doesn't allow any vampires in either, whoever they are." He didn't mention Bill's name, but they both knew who he meant.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to visit Russell. I'll say I'm in the area on business, it is a requirement for visiting sheriffs to check in."

"Will you be in danger?"

"Possibly, but it's something I have to do. Something I have to do alone." His tone was stern as he emphasised the final words. "I cannot tell you any more now, but both Pam and I are in mortal danger if I do not succeed."

Then his other hand was in her hair as well and he was gently pulling her up to face him. He gazed at her, as if he were trying to memorise everything about her, then lowered his mouth towards hers. Sookie couldn't pull away, and it wasn't just on account of the grip he had on her head. She didn't want to. She gasped as their lips met, and he took advantage, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She responded instantly, raising her hands to grip his shoulders tightly and pull him closer.

His own grip loosened as he slid his hands down the length of her body, then back up her thighs, lifting up the cotton gown she was wearing. Without even thinking she widened her legs to give him better access, allowing him to slip a hand between them and begin to stroke her. Her thoughts were only of Eric, the taste and feel of him. She pushed his black vest up, her small warm hands roaming over his hard, cool chest. They were both moaning softly.

"Sookie, are you alright. Is there someone in there with you?" Alcide's voice sounded in the corridor, and she pulled away with a start. Eric gave an unnecessary sigh and pulled her nightgown back down over her thighs.

"It's only Eric, he's just come to tell me his plans."

"How come you can invite him in when it's my apartment?" Alcide sounded grumpy and jealous.

Good point, she thought, looking at Eric for enlightenment.

"If you are here with the permission of the owner, then you can invite a vampire in. You would do well to remember that."

There was just so much she didn't know, Sookie reflected bitterly. How long was it she'd been dating Bill now? He could at least have had the sense to teach her the basic rules of vampire etiquette. Instead she'd had to pick most of them up herself.

"I should be going." Eric said loudly, for Alcide's benefit. "Remember what I have said, Sookie, no risks. As soon as I find out anything, and it is safe to come to you, I will."

Sookie sighed and tried to force a smile. She felt bad about letting Eric kiss her, and even worse about enjoying it. Alcide had probably heard everything and would think she was a complete slut. To top it all she had to stay here in his apartment, completely powerless, just waiting.

"I'm asking you to trust me," Eric watched her closely as he spoke, trying to gauge her reaction. "You may not always understand why I do what I do, but you must believe I will always try to protect you."

"Yeah, and protect yourself, and Pam," she retorted, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

Eric shook his head; humans could be so perverse at times. Hadn't he just said he was on her side? It dawned on him what the problem was, that damned idiot Compton.

"If it is possible to free Bill, if he wants to be freed, then I will try to help you."

"What do you mean, if he wants to be freed? You're not going to claim he's there of his own free will are you?"

Eric hesitated. He'd seen Bill as he scouted the boundaries of Russell's mansion looking for a way in. How could he tell Sookie that her lover was once again with Lorena, and worse, that he'd seen them dump a body off the bridge on Lakeland Drive into the river below.

He silenced her question with a finger to her lips; then kissed her softly on the cheek as he rose to leave. With a faint woosh, he was out of the window and out of sight.

A/N Sookie hiding up a tree is a bit lame I know, but I couldn't think where else she could go. I was determined that it should be Eric who rescued her, one way or another, and she needed a place of safety until he could get there from Shreveport.