I've decided to take this story into uncharted territory. We're already getting some hints of how Season 4 might to. This is my attempt to suggest an alternative which sticks more closely to the spirit of the books than I suspect we will get.

Marnie Stonebrook looked around her uncertainly. She knew that she was in the place she was meant to be, but still she felt distinctly uncomfortable. She had stood patiently in the queue with people young enough to be her children. She had paid her cover charge to a female vampire who was dressed in tight black leather pants and a matching black corset that barely contained her breasts. Now she was inside the club taking in the gothic décor as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting.

Marnie had chosen black for her outfit. It had seemed appropriate in the privacy of her small apartment , but now her black sequin top and slimming pants from Sag Harbour looked hopelessly out of place. They were the smartest clothes she owned, but in Fangtasia they earned only stares of derision. Pulling back her shoulders in a gesture of defiance, she steeled herself for her mission.

As she strode towards the bar, she was surprised to find that the black-clad vampire from the door was standing in front of her.

"My, my, what have we here?" The creature drawled.

Marnie shivered but held her ground, saying nothing.

Pam stared at her, genuinely mystified. The new arrival couldn't be from the Louisiana Weights and Measures Department, their undercover staff always made an effort to fit in, even though they never quite pulled it off. It was usually the shoes that gave them away – they just

couldn't do the stilettos and winkle pickers favoured by the Fangtasia crowd.

If the woman had been younger, Pam would most certainly have hit on her. For years she had harboured a secret weakness for the suburban housewife. Before the Great Revelation she had lived for a while in a small all-female nest in Missouri. Her greatest pleasure had been the seduction of her female neighbours. They thought they were so daring, sharing their bed with another woman. Nothing excited her quite as much as their shock when they found out what they had really let themselves in for.

Shaking herself out of that fantasy, she let her fangs run down, intending to scare the new arrival off. "If you're some kind of spy from the Fellowship of the Sun, you need to try a bit harder." She looked the woman up and down, scornfully.

Finally Marnie found her voice. "I have come to see Eric Northman. I have a message for him."

Pam couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Honey, you are so not his type. I'm afraid you're wasting your time. Now, you and I, that could be a different proposition altogether."

"I need to see Eric Northman." Marnie repeated, firmly. " I have an important message for him. He will want to hear it.

Could it be news of Sookie, Pam wondered. The woman didn't smell of Fae, but there was something not quite human about her. If she had any information about where the telepath had gone, Eric would definitely want to hear it. Turning sharply on her black Louboutin heels she stalked off in the direction of his office. "Come on then," she ordered the unwelcome guest.

Pam knocked sharply on the back office door. This was one guest she needed to announce properly. "You have a visitor," she announced. "I have no idea what she wants, but she says she has an important message for you." She gave Eric what she hoped was a meaningful look, but he just returned her gaze with a puzzled expression.

"My name is Marnie Stonebrook," the visitor announced as soon as she was left alone with the tall blond vampire. "I intend to claim half the profits of this and your other businesses, unless you comply with my demands."

Eric stared at her, not sure that he had heard correctly. This ageing, frumpy human dared to make demands of him. As he regarded her he also had the sense that there was something not quite human about her. Not fae, or shifter, he could recognise their scent. Not another Maened he hoped; he last one had done quite enough damage. This creature was too old for that though – every female supernatural he had ever known had used her powers to maintain an aura of youth and beauty. After a few moments of silence had passed he laughed out loud.

"I am Eric Northman, Vampire, and Sheriff of Area 5. You expect me to just hand over half of my income to you. Perhaps you would care to explain why?"

"If you do not, I will curse you. I will curse those you care for. I will use my powers to destroy your businesses. Do not mistake me, Viking. I can do all of these things. I will give you forty-eight hours to consider." With that she turned and strode out with as much confidence as she could muster.

Marnie found herself shaking a little as she left the bar as quickly as she could and walked out to the parking lot where her old Ford was waiting. She hadn't known quite what to expect, but that seemed to have gone well.

She had always known that one day she would discover her true powers. As a little girl she had loved to pretend to be a witch, casting spells on her pets and on the other kids at school who were cruel to her. She hoped that when she grew up she might be as pretty as Samantha in 'Bewitched'. She learned to ignore the unkind classmates who called her Endora.

After years of working dead end jobs she had finally saved enough money to realise her dream. She had opened her own little shop selling books and crystals, healing herbs and incense, and offering palmistry and tarot readings out back. She wasn't sure that Shreveport was really the best place for her. It wasn't exactly hostile, but neither was it particularly welcoming of 'new-age' ideas. It was her home though, and she didn't really know anywhere else.

Recently she had begun to face the awful truth that she was going to run out of money. Her savings were almost gone and she barely earned enough to pay the rent and bills, let alone pay herself a decent salary. Then, with no warning, her life was turned around at the unlikely setting of the Greenwood Flea Market. The wizened old black woman had cut a pathetic figure, selling off her possessions on an old rug in a corner, too poor even to afford a proper stall. Marnie had given her twenty dollars for the crystal ball. She thought it would look good decorating her reading room. She soon realised that it was no mere decoration. She could feel its power through the leather of her tote bag as she walked home.

"Use it wisely," the old woman had whispered. "It will bring you your heart's desire."

Marnie had realised the truth the first time she had used it. It made such a convincing prop when she gave a reading. She really had no idea why she had warned the woman to avoid Interstate 20 on her way home, and was shocked when she saw the news of the terrible pile-up that had killed ten people that afternoon. It hadn't taken long for her customer to spread the news. Now she had a growing group of regulars and other Wiccans in the area were finally taking her seriously.

Then the dreams had started; dreams which were so vivid they were more like visions. The dreams had shown her what she needed to do.

Pam and Eric meanwhile were mulling over what they had heard.

"Do you think she's for real?" Pam asked, sceptically.

"Strangely, yes I do," her maker replied. "I know she appears to be one of those delusional older women who we get from time to time, but there is something more than human about her. I just can't place it. If only Reuben were still with us. I would trust him to seek out the truth." He looked at Pam as if the death of the assassin had been her fault.

"You can blame Bill Compton for that. I had no choice but to kill Reuben. It was him or me. Now you need to get out front – people pay good money to see you. "

Eric sighed. He knew it was necessary, but it didn't make the task of putting himself on show for the masses any more palatable. Recently it was hard to keep his mind off Sookie. There was still no sign of her. He had extracted a promise from the Shifter she worked for that he would be notified immediately she returned.

Five times she had been here to Fangtasia and he remembered each occasion with absolute clarity: what she had been wearing; every word she had said to him. He could still taste her lips on his, and could still feel that powerful sense of contentment he had experienced as she had restored him with her blood. It even gave him pleasure to recall the sting from the time when she had slapped his face. It was those things which made her so different to other women. She stood up to him, she healed him. She said she hated him, but he knew that was a lie.

He closed his eyes and was transported in his imagination to the Bon Temps cemetery. Bright moonlight illuminated the graves, but in the distance he became aware of an even more powerful light. Its warm golden glow contrasted with the cold silver of the moon. As he watched from the shelter of the trees, he became aware of a figure in the distance. He knew it was Sookie before she came into view.

He stepped out into the clearing, not caring who might see him. His only imperative was to ensure that she knew he was there. Sure enough, her pace quickened and she covered the ground faster than any human should have been able to. He stretched out his arms and she jumped into his embrace.

He held her tightly, luxuriating in the feel of her warm breath against his neck. "You're safe now, lover, I will protect you," he whispered softly against her ear.

She turned her face to his and kissed him so tenderly that it would have melted his heart, if only he had one. "Take me home," she murmured.

Pam watched with an expression of concern and not a little disgust. Eric's eyes were closed but the dreamy smile on his face gave away his thoughts. She'd seen that look before more than once. He was thinking about the girl.

She understood his interest in the telepath; she had even found it amusing at first, but it now threatened to become an obsession. If she was completely honest, she had to admit to herself that she felt just a hint of jealousy. It was many centuries since she had known Eric to take any woman seriously. It was a source of great pride that she had been the last woman who had held his interest for more than a few hours.

Sighing, she resumed her tally of the evening takings. It was a task she insisted on undertaking herself after the unfortunate incident with Longshadow.

Last orders had been served half an hour ago and the bar was almost empty, so she was surprised when the door opened to admit a visitor. She would have noticed the new arrival however crowded it had been. Her long blonde hair reminded her just a little of the telepath, but her face was softer. Some might say she was prettier, although even they would be forced to admit that she lacked character. Pam looked at her enquiringly, but didn't get the reaction she had hoped for.

"I'm here to see Eric," the new arrival said, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"Well, what has he done to deserve this?" Pam muttered as she stalked up to the dais where he sat on his elaborately carved chair.

"You have another visitor," she announced, without ceremony.

Eric opened his eyes to see Queen Sophie-Anne's human favourite standing a few yards away. She was wearing patent black stiletto boots and a long leather coat. Whatever she wanted, it was definitely business which needed to be conducted in private. Rising to his full height he motioned towards the back office.

"What do you want?" he said as he closed the door behind them.

"I want you," she said, removing her coat slowly to reveal a leather corset which exposed her curvaceous breasts to his view, a leather skirt so short that it barely covered her ass, and thigh high boots.

Eric considered her. She was an attractive woman, with her creamy skin and the kind of voluptuous curves he favoured. He was most certainly in need of physical release. It seemed that whenever he thought of Sookie, just the image of her in his mind was enough to arouse him.

But over the centuries he had learned to trust his instincts and something about her appearance didn't ring true. She was the queen's favourite, and he wasn't even sure that she liked men. Tempted as he was to take her there and then, he restrained himself.

"Okay, I'll try that again. What does she want?" He asked coldly.

Hadley looked confused. "Who?" she replied.

"The Queen; your lover. Did she not send you?"

The confused expression didn't leave Hadley's face. She recognised Eric, but she wasn't quite sure why she was with him. It was a long time since she had felt desire for a man, but she felt it now, powerful and primal.

"I know you," she said softly, taking a step closer and running her fingers over his face and down his neck. "You are my cousin Sookie's friend. I need you to help me, please." There was quiet desperation in her voice.

He looked down, sorely tempted to take her there and then. It was several days since he had last fed. He could sense the blood pumping in her veins. The desire to bite her was strong, but some instinct stopped him. It was perhaps the thought of Sookie, but that wasn't the only reason. Something about the scent of this woman had changed. Her heart still beat, and her blood was still warm, but her eyes were dead.

"Pam!" he called, barely raising his voice. He didn't need to, as his child was in the office in an instant. "We need to provide sanctuary for the queen's favourite until they can be reunited. Would you take her to your house and guard her there?"

Pam eyed the girl up and down. "Am I allowed to play with her?" she asked teasingly.

"You can do whatever you like, provided you keep her alive and do not harm her. She is the favourite of Sophie-Anne and it wouldn't do to upset our queen."

Hadley turned to face him, but the voice that he heard was not her girlish giggle. It was cold and dark and powerful. "Beware Hallow," the voice said. "Her threat is real, do not trifle with her."

"What did you say?" Eric grabbed her roughly by the arms forcing a scream.

"Nothing," she whimpered. "I didn't say anything."

The full extent of Marnie's threat became clear the next night. Pam was the first to arrive, pulling into the Fangtasia staff car park in her black SUV. She could clearly hear the commotion going on out front where a small crowd had gathered. She was pleased she was still in her day-wear and could mingle amongst them without drawing attention to herself.

She could feel Eric approaching, and waited until his distinctive red Corvette pulled into the lot. The sirens and flashing blue lights of Police cars and an Ambulance had by now added to the drama.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I have no idea; I was waiting for you to arrive. We'd better check it out."

So a bit of a cliff-hanger to end this chapter with. I promise a shower scene - probably around chapter 9 or 10. I won't be using lots of the new characters who are being cast though - it's a bit worrying that there are so many already, all taking screen time away from the people we really want to see.