PART THREE

Dead Woman

After Amelia's phone call, nothing else happened to indicate the day would be any different from the day before; so it seemed.

Over coffee, standing in Preston's kitchen, Sookie studied him as he devoured his Fruit Loops with a child like exuberance. She wondered if she should mention to him about the knife and Eric's odd request. But she hesitated each time the words came to the tip of her tongue.

Everything was too perfect. Her happiness seemed too fragile. And the idea that it could break was more than her heart could bear.

"You know your cupboard is a kid's dream." Preston had cereals in his cupboard that her Gran had never allowed her or Jason to have, because they had too much sugar: Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, and Sugar Smacks.

"They're good," he mumbled. Since they had started seeing each other, it didn't take long for Sookie to note that Preston had a real sweet tooth. Besides his well stockpiled cupboard of Fruit Loops, Sugar Smacks, and Apple Jacks, his refrigerator was well supplied with cartons of juice and soda. Then there were the bowls of fruit, not to mention the Twinkies and Ding Dongs. To say Preston's diet was a bit peculiar was correct. And unlike for her, Sookie never noticed Preston get the inevitable sugar high crash.

What she found truly dismaying was how Preston's high calorie diet never seemed to increase the size of his waist line. He drank whole fat milk, used real sweetened butter, which she loved but it was her enemy, and even crueler was the real cream he used in his coffee that made her mouth water.

The list of food off limits to her in Preston's kitchen went on and on, and for the first time since she started dating, she had to really monitor her calories. If she ate like Preston, she'd blow up in a matter of weeks.

"You're making me fat just watching you eat."

"I'll pick you up some diet pop," he teased. Sookie let out a gentle breath filled with humor. Preston stood up and deposited his big empty bowl in the sink. "Want some toast?" Sookie groaned at his offer. He was a bottomless pit.

"Half a slice," she grumbled.

"I wouldn't mind," he wiggled his brow. "I like your juicy pieces." He reached for Sookie and drew her in for a kiss.

"My juice pieces?" she giggled. Preston's hands glided over her body and gradually moved under her polo shirt, teasing her juicy pieces.

Their little game blazed into a wild fire.

Sookie's soft erotic sounds emboldened him. He drew his hand down. Between her legs. And through the fabric of her pants he worked her into a frenzy, as her tongue lapped every ounce of sweet pleasure his mouth offered her.

"Do we have time?" Preston's voice was raspy.

"Hurry." The word rushed from her lips as she desperately freed Preston of his shirt.

"Yes my lady," Preston eagerly agreed. She had to smile. He called her that sometimes, and though it seemed corny to Sookie, she loved it and hoped that he would never stop.

The kitchen floor beneath them quickly became their impromptu bed as fire consumed them. In a flash, their bodies were touching, fueling their passion. Sookie was enveloped in everything that was Preston; his sounds; his taste; his touch; his scent. And for a moment she felt like they were making love on a forest bed surrounded by an inferno relentlessly marching toward them.

In a blink, the flames of their passion devoured them, turning them into ash.

Moments later, laying in Preston's arms, Sookie ate her half slice of toast. "This is good," she mumbled swallowing her last bite. Preston's chest vibrated with his quite laugh. Sookie reached over and pinched his sensitive nipple between her buttery fingers.

"Hey," he drew in a sharp breath. "If you do that again, you're staying home with me," he gave her a gentle squeeze. Staying locked up in Preston's home was more than tempting, but Sookie knew work and the rest of the world would simply be waiting for them outside.

When the kitchen floor became too cold, with the glow of their most recent joining, they quickly finished preparing for the day.

"Ready?" asked Preston.

"Yes," Sookie grinned stepping into his arms. It was becoming second nature for her.

Just as Preston enveloped her in a golden white light, her cell phone began to ring but went silent as did the rest of the world.

With her eyes closed, Preston's heart beating rhythmically, lub-dub…lub-dub, against her ear, she focused on every detail, memorizing the slow cadence of his heart, the sensation of the light he wrapped her in, which felt like the sun when she sunbathed, and the gentle but firm pressure she felt pressing against her body.

Moments later, the feeling of being swathed in a warm blanket of security disappeared. The soothing sound of Preston's heart working was replaced by the irritating ringing of her cell phone. She opened her eyes. It took her a few seconds to get her bearings. Preston had teleported them between the trees in the back of Merlotte's near the back entrance.

"We're here," Preston's tone was tender. She glanced up at him and her heart fluttered seeing Preston tilt toward her. Gently and unhurried their lips met. With all her heart, she kissed him, and kissed him again, and again.

"I do love you Sookie," whispered Preston.

"No matter what?" she breathed against his neck.

"Yes."

Since yesterday, every time he touched her, he could feel a sadness inside her. Her eyes and face never gave away anything but happiness. Yet, it was the other quieter conversations her body had with his that revealed to him the gloom she hid in her heart.

It was only a matter of time before Niall would find out about them. Preston hadn't actually thought out what he would do exactly once they were discovered. Preston, much like Sookie, had the tendency to jump feet first into situations, feeling his way through it when things turned south.

"You'll always be a part of me," privately thought Sookie. She wasn't sure on the how, but Preston wouldn't die because of her.

"You might want to answer that," Preston gestured to her pant pocket. Her cell phone was still ringing. Sookie reached down, slipping her fingers into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. The caller ID said it was Terry. She wondered if he would be running late.

"Hello," she answered, following Preston toward the Employees Only door.

"Sookie?" asked Terry. "Are you here?"

"Yeah, I'm at the back door."

"Did you see?" he asked.

"See what?" The line went dead. "Ok," she breathed.

Just as she was about to insert the key into the keyhole, Terry opened the door letting Preston and Sookie into Merlotte's. His expression was tormented. His eyes darted from Sookie to Preston.

"What's wrong?" asked Preston. He immediately scanned the perimeter.

"There's a dead woman out front." Terry directed his answer at Preston. "I called the Sheriff's. They should be here soon."

"Stay inside," Preston directed Sookie. With Terry on his heels, Preston walked through the bar and out the front door. Sookie's brow arched.

"Yeah, I'll do just that," she mumbled to herself. Ignoring his directions, Sookie slowly went toward the front door and stepped outside. Her gaze started at one end of the parking lot and slowly scanned toward the other side.

Her heart stopped.

"Oh my god," she gasped with horror. Sookie stood paralyzed, her eyes fixed on the figure of the dead woman.

Preston immediately took her in his arm. For several long minutes Sookie lost all traces of coherent thoughts. "Crystal," she frantically called out flailing in Preston's arms. Crystal had been crucified. In her struggle she had partially shifted. A half human, half animal, of what was left of Crystal, hung lifeless.

It was the string that broke the camel's back. Sookie snapped.

"No!" she screamed. Frantically she struggled against Preston's hold. "Let go of me," she shouted, pounding her fists against his chest. "We have to tell Jason. Oh god!" she hauled in a deep breath. Despite Crystal being a lying-cheating-bitch she had been pregnant with Jason's child. "The baby," she cried. Jason would be devastated. Not only that, but no one deserved to die the way she had. "The baby Preston. She was pregnant." Instantly her thoughts raced to Hotshot.

"Calvin, someone has to tell Calvin. He shouldn't have to see her like that. They have to cover her, someone has to cover her. Take her down. Calvin, I don't want him to see her like that, he's her father. It isn't right, none of this is right. Who would do this? Why? Why can't people just leave us alone? Why does it always have to be like this? No one deserved this. Don't let Calvin see, please."

Preston tried to charm her into calming down, but it didn't seem to have the effect it should have. Sookie was in the midst of a breakdown. He desperately tried something different, a spell, one that would work as a sedative. Gently and purposefully, Preston kissed her on the top of her head, allowing the magic to wash over her. It seemed to work.

Sookie felt a calm softly sweep through her muscles. In his arms he felt her relax. She stopped struggling and sank into Preston's embrace.

"Terry," Sookie's voice was barely audible. He was a loud broadcaster. He was flooding her mind with flashbacks of his experience in Vietnam; of death and torture.

"What is it Sookie?"

"Can you call Jason please?" She couldn't bring herself to make the call, and she knew Terry needed something to distract him. His thoughts were chaotic. Crystal's dead body had triggered his demons. Sookie clamped shut her mind, protecting it from Terry's flashbacks. "Someone needs to call Calvin."

"I'll take care of it Sookie," said Terry. He welcomed the activity.

Within minutes of Terry's phone call, a black pickup truck came to a screeching halt in the parking lot.

Jason jumped out of his truck and ran toward Crystal's body.

In a flash Preston rushed between the dead woman's body and Jason. All Preston saw was Dermott the half fairy. Dermott was one of Niall's sons, Fintan's brother. He openly opposed Niall, even going as far as publically supporting Niall's enemies. What Preston didn't know was that Jason, Sookie's brother, was the spitting image of Dermott.

Preston's thoughts raced. Why was Dermott there? Preston stood firm, not allowing Jason, who he thought was Dermott, to pass.

"Get the fuck out of my way!" Jason growled.

"Jason," Sookie's voice came out jagged. Jason couldn't hear her, but Preston had. His eyes went to Sookie and then back to Jason. His brow tensed. Confusion bombarded his thoughts. In his fae language Preston demanded to know what Dermott was doing.

Jason stood defiant and stared angrily at Preston, attempting to charge past him. Again Preston demanded to know what his business was.

"I don't know what your problem is," snarled Jason, "But get the fuck out of my way!"

"Jason," Sookie cried out. Jason's attention was pulled toward Sookie. Seeing her and the distress on her face alarmed Jason. He hurried toward her only to be intercepted by Preston.

"Cad ba mhaith leat leis an bhean marbh?" demanded Preston in his fae language. "Saoire nó bás," he challenged. The edges of his teeth sharpened.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Jason shoved Preston away from him.

"Níl mé an Prionsa. Ní bheidh mé trócaireach," Preston growled.

"Sookie!" Jason cried out.

"Preston," Sookie placed her palm on Preston's back. "It's alright. He's my brother. Crystal was his wife." Preston studied Jason closely, his eyes darting only once toward Sookie.

"Who is this asshole?" demanded Jason. Sookie knew that if Jason had the ability to shift without the full moon, he would have shifted and attacked Preston.

"Preston." Her voice was firm. "Stop it." She placed herself between Jason and Preston. "This is so not the time or place," she fumed privately. With her back facing Preston, she wrapped her arms around Jason. "I'm so sorry."

"I didn't do it Sookie," he whispered in her ear.

"I know you didn't."

"Why would someone do this to her?" he asked.

"I don't know." Sookie tried her best in that moment to comfort her brother. She knew that things between Jason and Crystal had been real bad, but Jason would have never wished something like this on Crystal.

"She was pregnant," he quietly cried.

"I'm so sorry," breathed Sookie. "I'm so sorry." For several moments, they clung to each other until the Bon Temps Sheriff's Department arrived.

"Oh shit," said Jason seeing them walking menacingly toward them. Their gaze focused on Sookie. Jason recognized the expressions on the two deputies. "Go inside Sookie," he instructed her. Jason knew most people didn't think kindly of his sister, and that included the two deputies coming toward them. Regardless of the fact that Sookie had nothing to do with Crystal's brutal death, they would find a way to implicate her.

"Sookie, please, just go inside," pleaded Jason.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Look," Jason turned to Preston. "I don't know who you are. But those two," he motioned toward the deputies who were closing in on them. "They're not real kind to my sister. I don't want her to have to endure their bullshit just now. If you care about her the way you seem to, you'll keep them away from her."

"Sookie," Preston reached for her hand.

"I'm not going anywhere." She straightened her back. Preston recognized the posture and the expression in her eyes. His jaw tightened.

"God damn it Niall," thought Preston. He surprised himself. Though there were some human euphemisms he'd picked up over the last sixty years, he wasn't prone to using their particular brand of expletives.

With a barely there smirk, he studied the stubborn beauty in front of him. Preston knew he was bigger and stronger than her. It would have been easy to pick her up and throw her over his shoulder. And though there was some glimmer of humor at the thought, he turned his attention toward the deputies and conjured up a helpful spell. If he couldn't get her inside without bruising her pride, he'd make sure no humans would notice her.

About that time, Terry was back outside and standing next to Jason and Preston. "Where's Soo…," his voice trailed off. For a split second he'd wondered what happened with Sookie. But as soon as the thought came to his mind, it vanished.

The deputies approached and questioned the three men. When they were satisfied they hurried about securing the crime scene. Not once had they noticed Sookie.

Several minutes had passed. From inside Jason's truck, Sookie called the girls and D'Eriq to let them know the bar wouldn't be opening. And despite Preston's offer to take her home, Sookie refused to leave until Crystal was brought down. She leaned her head against the head rest and studied Preston's back. He stood next to her outside the truck. Through his shirt, she could see the contours of his back. Absently, she reached through the open window, and trailed her hand over his back, admiring the sensation of his muscles and the warmth against her palm.

She was glad that she wasn't alone. Though the Sherriff's Department staff were everywhere in the parking lot, gathering evidence and taking photographs, no one thought about her or how she was handling it all.

But Preston had.

He cared and he insisted on staying with her. He was the one person who was worried about her and how she was handling everything. Sookie wasn't sure how he was doing it, but somehow he was giving her the strength to get through the day. Not having to face it alone was a new experience for her.

Bill would have never been able to be there for her. Even if he wanted to, which she was pretty sure he would have, death would have taken him. There were many times when they were together that Sookie had wished he could have been there for her in her waking hours. But he was a vampire and she was a day walker.

Quinn, who was a day walker, had other obligations; his company and his family. The best that she could have gotten from him would have been some words of consolation over the phone. He would have made pretty promises of coming to see her when he was done where ever it was in the US that he was working. And he would have come, but it wouldn't have changed the fact that she was alone at that exact moment when she would have needed him.

Preston though, he was there beside her despite it being daylight and despite his work. He was there for her. She didn't have to face this terrible day alone.

A part of her felt guilty. She hated that he had postponed his work to stay with her. However, secretly, she was relieved that he had, and she worried about whether wanting him to stay with her made her a selfish person. All she was certain of in that moment were her feelings for Preston.

"I love you," she silently said as she raked her nails across his back. Preston inhaled. He liked it when she did that. It was relaxing.

Just then, through the windshield of Jason's pickup, Sookie saw Calvin the Packmaster of the Hotshot Pack pull into the parking lot. Sookie felt her face tense with grief over Calvin's loss. Helplessly, she watched him through the windshield trying in vain to get to his daughter. The deputies who now numbered over six were keeping him from crossing the yellow police tape.

Sookie could see he was frantic. The deputies were getting ready to pull Crystal's body down. If Calvin could have, that is if common sense would have allowed him, he would have transformed and ripped every last deputy to shreds.

"I'm so sorry," Sookie had climbed out of the truck and went over to Calvin.

"I need to smell her before they touch her," his eyes were thick with grief and urgency. They stood side-by-side watching the deputies carefully bring down the crucifix. "If I'm going to pick up a scent, they can't touch her." Sookie stayed still despite sensing Calvin vibrating.

Preston listened to Calvin's concern knowing that the werepanther was right to worry. The more people who touched the body, any chance of picking up a trail would be unlikely. Preston understood what was driving Calvin.

The greatest blood offense, even among the fairies, was murder. According to the Law of Tuatha, the law that governed all fairies, the victim's blood kin could demand either monetary compensation or forfeit such payments in favor of the murderer's life. In Faery, land was currency. And a fairy's life depending on their status within their society equaled anywhere from an acre to a hectare. However, most fairies waived compensation in lieu of the murderer's life. Fairies had made an art of the practice of 'an eye for an eye'.

Watching Calvin, it was clear to Preston he was forfeiting payment in lieu of the murderer's life. Regardless, it was essential that he be allowed to inspect his daughter's body before the humans tainted any scent of the murderer.

"Let me see what I can do," said Preston. Calvin, who was too grief stricken to have noticed Preston standing next to Sookie, much less register the meaning of Preston's words, stood silent.

A few seconds later, Sookie began to pick up the sweet scent of magic that was gradually permeating the parking lot. Unlike the non-fae around them, who could not sense the magic Preston was conjuring, Sookie could. Though she was only an eighth fairy, she was enough fae to sense and sometimes even see things that normally would have been hidden from human eyes.

"Is that you?" she asked. Preston nodded, not turning away from what he was doing. The edges of his human disguise curled back. If someone looked close enough they would see he wasn't human.

Without a word, not even a wave of his hand, Preston watched as the spell he was conjuring rose, like a fog, and settled over the humans in the parking lot. The blanket of magic would allow them to come and go in front of the humans and not be seen.

"You have a few minutes," Preston told the Packmaster. Calvin turned and stared blankly at Preston. He saw instantly what Preston's true nature was.

"Fairy," Calvin growled. Had it not been for the spell that the human deputies were under, they would have noticed the commotion between the supes.

Sookie shivered at the sudden and eerie guttural sound Calvin had made. Not only had the sound startled her, but the way he spoke the word fairy as if it was a communicable disease, pained her.

From Calvin's snarly thoughts, Sookie saw that he didn't trust fairies. He found them to be reliably selfish. They ultimately cared only for their own kind, not even blinking twice to kill anyone who they perceived as a threat. Fairies were about shooting first and asking questions later.

"I'm doing you a kindness, panther," calmly said Preston. "The humans will not see you." Calvin stood next to Sookie facing Preston; his eyes blank with grief. "Go," demanded Preston. "You have only minutes." Despite Preston's admonitions Calvin's distrust of fairies made him immobile. "Suit yourself."

Though the humans would not have noticed, Preston took Sookie's hand and led her to the side of Jason's truck. If Breandan's fairies were not on the loose and searching for Sookie and the twins, Preston wouldn't be ready to do what he was about to do. Away from the prying eyes of humans, he pulled his shirt and jeans off. "I'll be back," he told Sookie.

"What are you going to do?" her blue eyes were wide with concern.

"I just need to check, make sure…" his words faded as he stripped the last of his clothing. "I'm going to see if I can pick up a trail."

"Be careful," Sookie took the bundle of clothes he had removed.

She watched, her gaze transfixed on the most elegant transformation she'd ever seen. One moment Preston stood next to her, the next a large beautiful tawny colored wolf was beside her.

Carefully, she reached up, running her fingers through its silky coat. His back reached just above her waist. Standing next to a werewolf wasn't something Sookie was used to. There was no mistaking that this beautiful create was nothing other than maybe a distant cousin of the average wolf you would have seen in a zoo or in the wild. The wolf in front of her was much larger than their contemporaries.

A pair of intelligent eyes stared down at her. Though words were never spoken, she felt the meaning they conveyed. "I'll be fine," she rubbed the spot behind his ear. "Find out who did this." The tawny wolf tenderly bumped her hand with his nose, and then he stealthily turned and headed toward Crystal's body, darting between the trees.

Sookie returned to Calvin's side. A low guttural sound emanated from his chest.

"Calvin," Sookie's voice was gentle. Her gaze trapped Calvin's attention. "He's only trying to help." But despite what she said to him, she could see Calvin's prejudice ran too deep to see beyond it. To her dismay the Packmaster just stood, vibrating, but not once did he even flinch to take advantage of the opportunity Preston had provided him.

"That was amazing." Jason reappeared beside her. Like his sister, he was an eighth fairy. Though he didn't have the spark like Sookie, he was still able to see things that normally would have been hidden to human eyes.

Sookie glanced over to her brother. Of what she could make out of Jason's muddy thoughts, he envied Preston for being able to shift so effortlessly. There was almost nothing Jason wouldn't give to be a pureblood werepanther.

She was glad that he didn't suspect Preston being a fairy. But Calvin knew, and she wasn't sure if he could be trusted with Preston's secret.

Standing next to Jason, she watched as the tawny wolf inspected Crystal's body. Amazingly, the humans avoided the spaces that Preston occupied. Sookie reached out to their minds, to see if she could see and hear what they were thinking and seeing. And to her surprise, it was as if Preston didn't even exist.

Sookie looked over at Calvin. He was still in shock; numb. Standing next to him, Sookie suddenly had a different perspective over her own troubles. Having a former lover harassing her, fairies out to kill her, and the clock ticking down to Niall discovering her relationship with Preston, it was nothing compared to what Calvin was going through.

With a heavy heart for her good friend, she turned back to studying the large tawny wolf. It took Preston only a minute to pick up on three distinct scents; all were supernatural. He cocked his head up looking toward Sookie.

Briefly, their gazes locked. Her heart raced, and somehow, she wasn't sure how, but she knew he was hesitating to leave her. She reassured him with her expression and he seemed to understand because he turned, and followed an invisible trail.

Moments later he disappeared between the trees. ~

END OF PART THREE

A/N: This brings us to the end of another section. I know there's quite a bit of unanswered questions. Rest assured all will be answered in Part Four. In the meantime, scroll down, click the button, and leave me a review. For any who are wondering what Preston said to Jason, it was actually English to Irish Google translation that created the written words he spoke.

Translation:

"Cad ba mhaith leat leis an bhean marbh?" = "What do you want with the dead woman?"

"Saoire nó bás." = "Leave or die"

"Níl mé an Prionsa. Ní bheidh mé trócaireach." = "I'm not the Prince. I will not be merciful."