I hope everyone enjoyed the ice-cold lemonade last chapter.

I am quickly catching up to the point where I am still writing the story. Life has been crazy lately, but one of the highpoints is opening my email and finding a review. So thank you, everyone who has taken the time to review.

Again, the characters are not mine.

Chapter15 Searching

Sookie stretched herself awake, not panicking this morning when she found herself wrapped in Eric's arms. She played with the notion of cuddling against him and going back to sleep but she caught sight of the clock on the nightstand and realized it was almost noon. If she was going to get any investigating done she had better start.

With a sigh of resignation she lifted his arm and rolled out from under it. As her feet hit the floor she stretched again. She was a little sore but despite her concerns of the night before she was able to walk. She padded into the bathroom and realized she was extremely thirsty. Her "cooling down" last night had not allowed her to completely rehydrate. She drank a large glass of water as she turned on the shower to rinse off and make her hair manageable.

Under the warm spray she contemplated how best to try to track down Dr. Taggert and the factory where he works. Claudine had said the address had been fake so the obvious was out. She wished she had a copy of the Shreveport phone book and then she remembered the computer in the other room. She had used the computer in the library and Tara had shown her how to use the internet so she figured she would struggle through a couple of web searches.

She dressed quickly in shorts and a T-shirt, since she wasn't sure if she would need to go out. Passing through the bedroom, she spied the wall that had the cabinet. Compulsively tidy, she gathered the manacles and chains and pressed on the wall, hoping to find the release. After a few tries the panel popped open and Sookie gasped in surprise. The cabinet was full of various restraints, blindfolds and gags as well as whips and paddles. But there were a number of items that she had no idea what their purpose was. She hung the bonds on an empty hook and quickly shut the panel. She could feel her face burning, even though there was no one to see her embarrassment. She hurried out of the room as if she might get caught looking at what a good girl shouldn't.

When she got to the living room she went over to the computer after giving it a quick once over, she figured out how to turn it on, leaving it to start up while she went to the kitchen to fix a quick breakfast.

First thing's first she thought, getting the coffee she bought out of the cupboard and opened it, inhaling deeply to savor the aroma. Glancing around the counter she realized there was no coffee maker. Even though she knew it was futile, since she had just gone through the cupboards a few days before, she opened them all again in a desperate search. When she confirmed that there was no coffeemaker to be found she groused to herself, stupid vampires, how can they have an apartment without a coffee maker? How are their blood- and sleep-deprived humans supposed to function?

She headed back to the bedroom and changed into jeans and slipped on some flat sandals, grabbing her purse on the way back through the living room she punched the button for the elevator. She would have to make do with coffee from the fast food place across the street. It was a short walk and it was nice to be out in the sun, deciding to eat out on the penthouse patio. Ordering a coffee, she was annoyed that she couldn't order off the breakfast menu so bought nothing else but a copy of the paper, which she tucked under her arm for the trip back.

Getting back to the apartment, she quickly fried up some eggs and made some toast under the broiler, since the apartment also lacked a toaster. Going to the door to the patio she tried to open it, but found it locked, nor could she find anyway to uncover the windows. Huffing in frustration she moved back to the bar, setting down her plate and coffee and opening the paper as she sat. Glancing at the front page she froze -there under the headline "Vamp Attacks – Cover-Up or Hoax?" was a picture of her, pinned against the wall screaming, as Pam was biting her throat. Underneath was the caption:

"A waitress, identified by patrons only as Desirée, appeared to be brutally attacked by one of the owners of Fangtasia, at the vampire establishment last night."

At least it didn't have her real name, she sighed, trying to find some bright spot. Skimming the article she found that the writer conveys the story that Eric had told the police – the attack was staged for publicity purposes – but casts doubt on that by dwelling on the attack of 2 nights before and that despite efforts to locate this Desirée, she seems to have vanished without a trace. He also reports on rumors of an attack in the backroom of the bar on the night of the previously reported attack.

Someone must have seen Pam's first attack. Sookie felt her cheeks burn, by the time Eric had rescued her, her breasts were fully exposed. At least a picture of that didn't appear in the paper.

There was a statement from one of the officers and one from Pam. The reporter apparently interviewed the woman who had been attacked before and she backed up the story that she had put blood in her make-up. Sookie wondered if Pam had glamored her while she was being treated in Eric's office.

The article was definitely not favorable to vampires – at best it made them seem insensitive and greedy, at worst it played on common fears that vampires were monsters, capable of disappearing people at will. She stared at the picture, trying to determine if she was recognizable in it. Probably only to someone who knew it was her to begin with she decided. Suddenly she had a sinking feeling in her stomach and dug her cellphone out of her purse. Sure enough there were six missed calls. Looking at the log all but one were from Sam. She cursed under her breath and listened to the messages.

"Sookie, it's Sam, I was just calling to say hi."

"Sookie, I just saw the paper, call me, I want to make sure you're all right."

"Damn it Sookie, call me back or I'm heading to Shreveport."

"Call me if you get this. I'm on my way there now."

"Please call me, or I'm going to stake that bitch and Eric too!"

In each call he was more agitated and frantic.

The last call was from Claudine, "Hey girl, I see you're front page news. Good thing I talked to you last night or a couple of vampires would be puddles of goo. Call me when you can."

She quickly dialed Sam's number, he picked up on the first ring. "Sook, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. I'm sorry I just got your messages. I'm fine."

"Where are you? I want to see you myself." He sounded both relieved and pissed.

"I'm at an apartment, not too far from Fangtasia. There's a diner nearby, let's meet for coffee." she suggested.

"Why can't I come there?" he asked his voice full of suspicion.

"Because, I think you're a little too angry to be this close to a sleeping Eric." She set her teeth, knowing he would come to the obvious conclusion.

"Damn it Sook." He growled. "I wish you could find a living guy."

"Sam." she replied in a tone that let him know that that was not a topic open for discussion.

"All right, how long will it take you to get there?"

"About ten minutes. See you then." Ending the call, she went back to the bathroom to add a light touch of make-up then headed out.

Sam looked visibly relieved when he entered the coffee shop, but she could see the lines of worry etched into his face. He gave her a big hug, then held her out, not hiding his search for bite marks from the attack.

"I told you I'm fine." she said softly and seriously. Looking around it seemed like the lunch crowd was thinning out, but there was no area that was empty so her hopes of a completely private conversation were dashed.

The hostess greeted them, and Sookie asked for a quiet table, consulting her seating chart and looking around the she grabbed a couple of menus and led them to a booth in the back. There were a couple of women who looked like secretaries in the next booth, lingering over their coffee, so hopefully they would be leaving soon and an elderly man reading the paper at a table across the aisle.

As soon as the hostess left, Sam set aside the menu and asked in a hushed impatient tone, "What the hell happened?"

"It was planned, we were trying to flush someone out, and we did. I wasn't hurt." she lied.

"The picture looked pretty real." he persisted.

"Do you see any marks?" she asked craning her neck to give him a better view.

"We both know that can be healed. The paper said the bar is closed, so you'll be coming home?" there was no mistaking the hope in his voice.

Sookie went to reply, but the waitress walked up, it was the same woman who waited on her and Claudine.

"Hi again, good to see you." She said warmly, she gave Sam an admiring glance and perked up the way Arlene did around a guy she was attracted to. "What can I get you all today?"

Sookie quickly picked up the menu and ordered a cheeseburger and soda, her eggs had gotten cold while she was engrossed in the paper and she was starving. Sam ordered the same without looking at the menu. Promising to be right back with their drinks she sashayed away. Sookie was sure that her hips were swinging more today than yesterday.

"So?" Sam prompted.

"No, not yet. Something's going on and I'm trying to stop it."

"Sook, let Eric solve his own problems."

"It's not Eric's problem I'm working on." She was going to elaborate when she the thoughts of one of the women at the next table slipped through her blocks, this woman was a strong broadcaster. She had been eavesdropping and was beginning to wonder if they were referring to the events at Fangtasia last night. "So, how are things at home?" She asked in a light tone, gesturing to let Sam know the woman at the next table was listening.

"Fine," he went along with her subject change, though he didn't look happy about it. "Jason was asking if I had heard from you."

"Why doesn't he call me himself?"

"It's not like you answer your phone." he said wryly.

"Sorry, I had left it in my purse in the living room."

The waitress came with their drinks. "Your food will be up in just a bit." she assured them.

"Thank you." Sookie smiled up at her and asked in a slightly raised voice "Do you have the time?" She knew the eavesdropper was worried about getting back to work on time.

"Sure sweetie, it's 1:20."

"Thanks again." Sookie read the frustration in the nosy woman as she reluctantly got up and glanced at Sookie, thinking she didn't look at all like the woman in the paper and was much too clean cut to be a fangbanger. As she walked away Sookie dipped into the mind of the elderly gentleman and realized he was very hard of hearing and was not paying attention to them at all.

She turned back to Sam. "Someone is putting fairy blood into fangbanger make-up. Claudine doesn't think the fairies are willingly participating so I'm looking into it."

Slumping back against the booth he asked, "I don't suppose I can convince you to let the fairies take care of their own problems?"

She smiled, he knew her so well. "It's not just their problem, the make-up drives vampires crazy, which is what caused that woman to be attacked the other night. So this is affecting people, fairies and vampires. And of course it's almost impossible for the fairies and..." She stopped as the waitress brought them their food. Starting in on the fries until the woman had moved away.

"So, the fairies and vampires can't really work together directly." she finished, taking a bite of her burger.

"But you don't have to be the go-between." he persisted.

"Who else will?" she challenged.

"You're too big-hearted for your own good." he accused.

They ate in silence for awhile. Sookie could tell Sam was trying to decide what to say next. She stayed out of his mind and waited for him.

"Will you be coming back to Bon Temps?" He asked quietly not looking at her.

The question caught her off guard, "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"You're with Eric now, right?" He glanced up at her, but quickly lowered his eyes again.

"Yes, but I'm not about to uproot my whole life. I don't even know if this will work out." She smiled warmly at him and touched his hand so he would look up. "You better not give away my job." she warned.

Some of the tension flowed out of him at that. He smiled back, "I've said it before, you have a job at Merlotte's as long as you want it. I'm glad to hear you still want it."

They talked for awhile, Sookie told him what they had found out so far, he made a few comments but his ideas pretty much mirrored hers. When they finished their meal, Sam insisted on paying, they hugged, Sookie promised to call Sam first thing every morning and Sam headed back to Bon Temps. Sookie waved as he drove away, then leaned against her car and called Claudine. When she didn't pick up Sookie left a brief message, then got in her car. She was about to return to the apartment when she headed instead to Claudine's store. There she could see if she could meet up with her fairy godmother and pick up a coffee maker.

Claudine was at the customer service desk and Sookie stood to the side while she watched Claudine calm an irate customer with aplomb. Once that woman was gone Sookie caught Claudine's eye. The fairy said something to her coworker and came out from behind the counter.

She gave Sookie a big hug and steered her into the main area of the store. "I loved your picture in the paper this morning." she said with a mischievous grin.

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Sam didn't, he drove here ready to stake Pam and Eric, it didn't help that I overslept so I missed his 5 calls."

"So was it worth it? Did you find out anything?" She asked seriously.

Sookie relayed the information they had gotten from Alex, Claudine was concerned about the involvement of the Fellowship of the Sun.

"Now I am more sure none of us are involved, we give that bunch of fanatics a wide berth." She looked thoughtful. "So the scientist's name was Taggert?"

"That's what Alex said, but he didn't get a first , does it ring a bell?"

"No, but I'll ask around. Alex couldn't tell you anything else?"

"No, he didn't know what was in the make-up that would drive the vampires crazy, just that it would. I don't know if Taggert knows, but either way it opens up a lot of questions. If he doesn't know it's fairy blood where did he get it and how does he know how it effects vampires? If he does know, how did he find out about you all and what is his source for blood?" Sookie shook her head, "I have way more questions than answers." She had guided them over to the small appliances and stopped to look at the coffee makers.

Claudine raised an eyebrow, "Setting up house?"

Sookie rolled her eyes. "No, I am not planning on living in the apartment longterm. But I do need my coffee in the morning. Besides, Eric told me he wants the place human friendly." She picked a coffee maker with a timer so she could set it to be waiting for her in the morning. It was black so she thought it would probably go well with the apartment's décor.

"Have you discovered if any of you are missing?" Sookie asked quietly since a woman had come up to look at the blenders just down the aisle.

"There are a couple of people I have been trying to contact but they might be traveling. I'll call you if I find out for sure one way or the other." She looked at her watch. "I have to get back to work. Keep me posted." She gave Sookie another hug and headed back to her post. Sookie stared at the coffee maker in her hands, she wasn't setting up house here she told herself firmly, she just had to make sure if it came up she told Eric just as firmly. After all she had been with Bill for months and they hadn't moved in together. Sure she slept over there often and he had built his hidey-hole but she kept her house and independence.

She grabbed a box of conveniently placed coffee filters and started for the registers. She passed the toaster display and started to wish she had gotten a cart. Propping up the coffee maker box between her knee and a shelf, she grabbed a toaster and tucked it under her arm, held the coffee filters in that hand and then wrapped her arm around the coffee maker. She just barely made to the register, but she did.

She got back to the apartment with several hours of daylight left, still time to do some investigating. Quickly unwrapping and setting up her new purchases before moving to the computer. It had gone to sleep, but quickly woke up when she punched a button. It asked for a username and password and Sookie sighed in frustration. Since this apartment was for visitors she hoped the information was here somewhere and found it on a sticky note on the underside of the keyboard. Getting onto the internet was not a problem, it was really the only thing she ever did on a computer, searching for "Shreveport – Chemical plants" she got 16 hits. A couple seemed to have closed since the links to their websites led to error messages, several others were janitorial supply companies, one was agrichemicals, which left 3 that she thought were possibilities. Searching their webpages, she could not find any listing of employees other than the executives, deciding she would have to call each of them she tried to think up a cover story for why she was calling. She didn't think, "Hi, I'm calling to see if you are draining fairies to make cosmetics." would do the trick.

Coming up blank, she finally decided to wing it. Picking up the apartment phone she dialed the main number for the first company on her short list. It was picked up by an automated response that gave her the opportunity to access a company directory by typing in a name, she tried that but it seemed to get her lost in the system. Giving up she pressed zero and was thankful to hear a human voice.

"Miller Chemicals, how may I direct your call?" Came a perky voice.

"Dr. Taggert please."

"I'm afraid no one by that name works here. What department were you trying to reach?"

"Sorry, our database must have an error, thank you." Sookie hung up quickly. Well that wasn't too bad, she eliminated another possibility at least.

The next number yielded the same result but on the third the receptionist asked, "May I say who's calling?"

"Tara Fowler." she supplied quickly. Wondering what she was going to say if Taggert picked up the phone.

"Hold on please." Then some very bland elevator music filled the line. "I'm afraid he's unavailable at the moment, would you like to leave a message?"

Keeping the relief out of her voice she replied, "No, thank you, I'll try back later."

She smiled with pride. She had managed to track him down without using her "gift" but now what? She couldn't very well break in, plus there was the possibility that the Fellowship had shown Taggert the picture of her, so it might be dangerous to just visit, unless she went in disguise again. That would require a new wig, she had left the one from Dallas in the Fellowship building, but what cover story could she use?

She didn't know enough to bluff her way as some sort of inspector, nor would she even know where to begin to try to pretend to be a sales rep of some sort. Who else would want to go to a chemistry factory? Then it hit her, maybe a teacher, trying to arrange a tour for her class. It would probably have to be at least middle school, lower grades wouldn't be studying chemistry. She looked up middle schools in Shreveport and checking out their faculty lists she was able to find several that had female science teachers whose name she could maybe use. Would she need some sort of ID? Maybe Eric could arrange that.

As if summoned, Eric opened the door that led back to the bedrooms. Inhaling deeply he smiled hungrily. "I love waking up to the smell of fairy." he purred as he made his way over to her and buried his head in her neck. But he stiffened immediately, "You smell like shifter." he said accusingly.

Sookie gave him a withering stare, "Don't you start in with who I smell like, it drove me crazy when Bill pulled that."

He nodded curtly, acknowledging her objection. "I assume you saw Sam today?" He asked calmly, keeping most of the jealousy out of his voice.

Sookie stood, heading over to the bar to show Eric the paper. "He was worried about me." she said as she passed it to him. "He drove here to stake you and Pam since I hadn't answered my phone and he assumed the worst." Eric smirked, he obviously did not think Sam would have been successful in his attempt. Then he turned his eyes to the article and Sookie waited for him to finish reading.

"Is it dark already?" she asked suddenly, she didn't think that much time had passed, but in the light tight apartment it was very hard to tell.

He glanced up briefly, "Not yet, I got up early." then returned to reading. When he finished his brow was drawn up in a frown, "Well it definitely isn't a favorable article. Although the picture is not bad." He grinned, "Pam might have it framed."

"I'm sure." Sookie smiled crookedly. "Do you think I should call the reporter as Desirée to help clear up my disappearance?"

"I don't think so, since you have no identification as Desirée, there's no proof you are her, and it might get your real name in the paper, which might cause the Fellowship to come after you, or close down the VampBait operation."

"I didn't think of that, I guess we can see if it blows over. Or wait til we put VampBait out of business." She remembered the results of her sleuthing, "Speaking of that, I tracked Dr. Taggert down."

"Really?" He looked surprised and impressed.

"Yep, I used the computer and made a few phone calls, so I know what chemical plant he works at. Or at least I know of a chemical plant that employs a Dr. Taggert, since we don't have a first name I won't know unless I see him."

"How do you propose doing that?" he asked letting her lead the way.

"I thought I would pose as a teacher trying to arrange a field trip. Is it possible for you to get me a teacher's ID?"

"That shouldn't be a problem." He pulled his phone from his pocket and she assumed he was going to make a call, instead he held up the phone and said "Smile."

"Wait, what are you doing?" she asked confused.

"We'll need a photo for the ID." Still holding up the phone.

"Not like this, I'm going to need a disguise in case the Fellowship showed Taggert my picture. I was just going to go out and see if I could find a wig. Do you want to come?"

"I can't, not for another..." he slid his finger over his phone a few times, "... 35 minutes." He walked up and pulled her close, passion kindling in his eyes. "Could I convince you to wait?" He asked suggestively.

"Gee, I wonder how we will ever pass the time?" She smiled up at him, pulling his head down for a kiss.