A/N - True Blood and SVM characters belong to Mrs. Harris, Alan Ball and HBO. Original Characters and story line are mine. Thank you for all the wonderful feedback, alerts and reviews. I just wanted to respond to some of the comments about a weak Eric. I did not like CH's amnesiac Eric because of how she portrayed him in the beginning, shy and fearful. It just grated. I didn't feel so bad putting Pam through that as a secondary character, but I needed a way for Sookie to be able to take the E/S reins for a while, hence the draining. When vampires are severely injured, from losing a limb, silver poisoning, or draining their bodies may be weaker, but their personality remains intact. That is what I was going for in the last chapter. Eric was still Eric. Sookie cannot use the excuse that he was someone different while drained to push him away like canon Sookie does with Amnesiac Eric. I hope this clears up any questions.

Chapter 9

Scene 1 - SPOV - Tails

The Thursday afternoon lunch shift at Merlotte's was unusually boisterous. Sam had to call in Arlene early because Holly and I had difficulty keeping up with the over flow. The customers were mostly contractors and laborers from a new development site at the old Shaunessy fairground.

The Shaunessy's had been around the parish almost as long as the Stackhouse's and Bellefleur's. Old man Shaunessy had raised milk cows but the real money for the family had been real estate. The Shaunessy's owned most of the franchises in Bon Temps. When families died out or moved out of the area, you could be sure a Shaunessy would soon hold the deed to the property.

Bon Temps had a small fairground just outside of town. During the summer, carnivals and small entertainment troupes would stop for a weekend and set up shop on the seventy acres. The local road crew was responsible for keeping up the dirt parking lot and maintaining the wooden bleachers. There were a couple of rows of roofed pavilions with portable stalls and a concrete floor that were used to house live stock during the fall fair season. There were rudimentary latrines and a couple of small pole barns for storage. The place really wasn't much to look at, but it served a purpose to the community.

The local gossip had the property belonging to the Shaunessy family and when Old man Shaunessy passed his children started squabbling over the various parcels of real estate. His youngest son ended up with the fairgrounds and somehow coaxed a large development and entertainment group called Extreme(ly Elegant) Events or E(E)E to purchase the property. This group planned to turn the property from a fairground into a show ground. They designed a dirt and sod race track for Horse and Harness Racing with a center area that could be used for motor cross events. There would be stadium seating and betting booths. The plans included two large indoor arenas and several buildings to house animals and the humans that would care for them. The plans also included a shell stage for outdoor entertainment with a dormitory out back for the performers. The Group had promised local officials that the show ground would have something going on at least two thirds of the year and would bring jobs to the community.

Sam was on the local board as a business owner and had been one of the people against changing the zoning ordinances needed for this type of development. We spoke of it only once when he had returned from a meeting more disheveled than normal. Sam felt that the racing combined with gambling was going to open up a large can of animal abuse and increase the crime rate. He did not think we had a large enough police force to keep things under control. Sam was in the minority and the ordinance change passed. The construction had begun earlier in the week and the construction workers had heard from the parish road crew that Merlotte's was the place to be.

We were half way through the lunch shift and I was taking my break, talking to Sam behind the bar when a familiar teenager walked in the door with a very large man behind her. The girl was the one we had released from the witches warehouse. She had cleaned up fairly well and was currently dressed in ripped designer jeans and a turtle neck topped with a sweat shirt. The guy with her would give Eric a run for his money in height but had more of a wrestler's build. He was bald with a dark olive skin tone that set off his unusual eye color. I thought some would describe it as a dark purple, but to me they were the color of rotten meat.

Sam had turned toward the door to see what had caught my attention and surprised me by growling. Then before I could close my mouth, Sam seemed to grow in stature. O.K., he didn't literally grow but he started to give off this vibe that shouted out 'you don't want to mess with me ass hole." Let's just say that if Sam shifted, I don't think I would be standing next to a collie.

The big guy had caught site of Sam and smiled, then turned to the girl next to him and pushed her toward one of my empty tables. He started to walk over to us and I gathered my things.

I whispered to Sam out of the corner of my mouth, "Who's that Sam?" as I prepared to return to the floor.

"John Quinn, he owns E(E)E. He wanted to meet with me this afternoon," he whispered back as he stepped forward to shake Mr. Quinn's hand. The smiles they spared for each other were more like the baring of teeth and the shake seemed to be a mini tough man contest. I thought the big guy would have Sam on his knees in pain but Sam held his own.

Out of curiosity I sent a tendril out to probe Mr. Quinn and found a snarl of thoughts, he was a shifter then.

Sam tossed over his shoulder, "Sookie can you cover the bar and your tables for me? I'll be in my office if you need me."

I smiled brightly. "Will do Sam," I said as I brushed past the two of them on the way back to my tables. I was so close that I felt as much as heard Mr. Quinn take a deep breath and hold it as I passed.

"Hi, I am Sookie, what can I get for you this afternoon?" I asked the teenager when I got to her table.

"A large Coke, without ice and one of the Lafayette burgers please, hold the ketchup." Her eyes met mine while she ordered but there was no recognition. Her mind had a large gaping spot where Monday's memories should be. I blinked and realized that I had been standing there staring at her instead of running the order up to the kitchen.

"Right away," I smiled and returned to the bar to get her soda after giving Lafayette her order. He soon whistled at me to catch my attention that the burger was done but grabbed my hand before I picked up the burger.

"Hey Sook, you gonna see Miss Pam tonight?" Lafayette asked shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Probably why?"

"Can you pass on a message for me? Jesus don't like me talkin to the vamps if you know what I mean." He winked at me and smiled much more like the old Lafayette.

"What's the message?"

"Jus tell her there is another club in Monroe, a kitty one," he leaned over and whispered.

"Um, ok sure thing Laf," I said as I grabbed my burger and returned to the customer.

I guess Sam had finished up his business because Mr. Quinn was seated with the girl. I set her order down and turned to him. "Anything I can get for you Mr. Quinn?" I asked.

His voice was a deep rumble, "Sookie is it?" nodding at my name tag.

"Yes Sir," I responded with a smile.

"Sookie, this is my sister Frannie," he said inclining his head toward the teenager. My smile turned down a few watts in confusion at the introduction. "I'd like a beer and a moment of you time if you could spare it. I've already cleared it with your boss."

I turned to the bar to find Sam watching us still in his new 'don't fuck with me mode'. He bobbed his head in the affirmative.

"All right, I'll be right back with your beer." I went to the bar and got the beer then returned to the booth.

"Here you go," I said as I set the beer and napkin down in front of him. They had moved around while I was gone and now were both sitting on the same side of the booth, leaving me the bench next to the back wall. The bar had pretty much emptied from the lunch crowd which meant we had a bit of privacy. I slid into the empty bench, crossed my feet at the ankles and folded my hands in my lap, sitting like a lady.

"What can I do for you Mr. Quinn?" I asked.

"Just call me Quinn," he replied studying me. He inhaled deeply then released the breath with a smile. "You have a very distinctive scent Ms. Stackhouse, very easy to pick out of a crowd."

Frannie spoke up, "John says we've met before Sookie. But I don't recognize you at all."

"Pardon me?" I said with a puzzled smile while my head ran through the possibilities. Maybe Chow screwed up something in the glamour.

Quinn lounged back in the seat with one arm behind Frannie's shoulders and his legs stretched out to brush past mine. It was a very Eric like pose, relaxed but predatory.

"Let me give you a bit of back story Ms. Stackhouse. My sister Frannie had been missing for weeks. She slipped out of a college exam one evening and never returned. She has a tendency to hang out with the wrong type of kids," Frannie was scowling at this point. "I tracked down some of her friends but no one had seen her. I've got connections in our world and pulled some strings to find her."

"Our world?" I interrupted him.

"The supernatural Ms. Stackhouse. I am a were-tiger and your unusual scent is enough to tell me you are not fully human. Your name alone tags you as someone familiar with my kind. Sookie Stackhouse the telepath is becoming a house hold name," he purred.

Well fuck a duck. Who was out there flapping their jaws around about my ability?

He sighed and leaned over the table. "You really don't understand do you? Ms. Stackhouse I lead the underground Shapeshifter Coalition and..."

I peered around us to see if anyone was paying attention to our conversation. The place was empty now except for Sam. I should be cleaning up and heading home.

Quinn was still speaking apparently ignoring my distraction. "Part of my job is keeping us safe from those who would want to harm the were's and natural shifters. You have a known connection to Alcide Herveaux of the Long Tooth pack and have been associated with several missing were-wolves from Colonel Flood's pack in Jackson Mississippi. They are all presumed dead. Then we have the very tasty rumors floating about from various vampires who are offering money in return for information about your current status."

I frowned trying to take it all in. "My current status?"

"Which vampire you belong to. Currently it appears to be Eric Northman from the weight of his scent around you. I must say a very intelligent choice as a protector. He is extremely well connected."

"So what has this to do with your sister?" I asked wanting to end the conversation as rapidly as possible.

"As I was saying, I pulled some strings to try to locate Frannie and was zeroing in on the neighborhood where she was being held. She surprised me Monday night returning to our apartment disheveled and filthy with no memory of the last few weeks. I am intimately familiar with vampire glamour Ms. Stackhouse; Frannie had been given a heavy dose. Once I had her cleaned up I tracked her back to a warehouse that was in the process of burning to the ground. I found your scent and the scent of several vampires, humans and were-wolves at the location. Yours was the most distinctive. I recognized it immediately when you brushed by earlier" He was growling now, "I want to know what you were doing with my sister."

He had admitted to being a powerful shifter, a were-tiger, and maybe I should have been terrified of him. I was just annoyed. We had freed his stupid sister and because of that I now had some other wanna be bad-ass trying to antagonize me.

I slid out of the booth onto my feet, "Mr. Quinn isn't it enough that you have her back safely? You will have to excuse me. My shift is over and I have responsibilities I need to attend to. Here's your bill, you can pay Sam on the way out. Good Day."

I spun on my heel only to be brought up short by a heavy hand on my shoulder. 'I am not through with you yet, Babe," Quinn snarled in my ear as he turned me to face him.

His touch had me sliding right into his head.

Damn the bitch has a sweet ass body look at those tits. If she is spreading those pretty thighs for the fangers why not for me? God she smells so tasty.

"Let her go Quinn." Sam ordered from behind. I relaxed knowing he wouldn't let anything happen.

"Stay out of this Merlotte." Quinn shoved me to the side and stepped into Sam's personal space. He towered over the smaller man but Sam refused to be intimidated. There was a crackle in the air and both men snarled. Quinn's eyes shifted to something more cat like and when I looked over to Sam my jaw dropped to see that his eyes had done the same thing. What the fuck was going on.

"She's under my protection Quinn." Sam replied his voice deeper than usual.

"She can't belong to Northman and you," Quinn denied as he dipped into a crouch. Sam moved as he moved. There was another rise of power in the room; the two men seemed to shimmer.

"You have been hanging around vampires too long." Sam snarled his hair starting to take on an oranges tinge. "I can offer protection to whomever I please."

I caught a flash out of the corner of my eye and saw that Tommy was watching the scene with his jaw hanging. Frannie was ignoring everything.

The next thing I knew, two tigers were rolling around on the floor snarling. I got the hell out of the way. One was slightly larger with different markings and he was the one that was kicking ass. The fight ended with the smaller animal having its throat held by the larger and Frannie screaming to let go of her brother.

There was another shimmer and Sam climbed off of Quinn. I said nothing, just handed him his discarded clothes while Frannie did the same for Quinn. I felt a blush warm my cheeks when I noticed that Quinn was proportional.

"Snap out of it Stackhouse," I muttered as I waited for the two men to dress and explain what the hell just happened.

"You should have stayed in the pits Merlotte," Quinn rumbled, "You would have made good money."

Sam's eyes snapped to his brother when Tommy gasped, "Tommy head on home, I'll finish up here."

"Sam, maybe I should be going now," I said hesitantly.

He sighed and shoved back his hair, "Stay Sookie, you would have found out sooner or later, especially with Quinn residing in the area now."

"What do you mean," I really didn't want to know any more secrets. I had plenty of my own.

"Before I came to Bon Temps, I used to have his Coalition Job," He indicated Quinn who bent his head for a moment.

"Always wondered why you'd walk away from the position Merlotte," Quinn said.

"I had my reasons. You just remember that the only reason the job is yours, is because I stepped down." Sam snapped at him.

"Well this nice and all, learning a bit of your history, but I really need to get home. Can I go now Sam?" I asked starting to slide to the back of the bar.

"Go ahead Cher, you can call me later if you need to," he answered.

"Ms. Stackhouse, I would like to continue our conversation at some time in the future. I promise to behave." Quinn eased toward me keeping one eye on Sam.

"I don't think so Mr. Quinn. I really don't like your company, especially with such nasty thoughts. You have your sister; I think that is all that needs to be said. Good night." I all but ran to get my purse from Sam's office.

I heard Quinn shout, "I will see you again Ms. Stackhouse you can be sure of that," but I refused to turn around.

When I got to the office I spotted a large glossy book sitting open on Sam's desk. The current page displayed a full color picture of a tiger. The caption underneath stated that it was a Siberian tiger, the largest of the tiger species. I flipped the pages with little guilt and found another picture that matched the markings on Quinn; this one was labeled a Bengal tiger. I guess being a natural shifter has its perks.

I opened the door to the hallway to find Sam on the other side. "We need to talk for a moment Sookie." He said as he walked in and sat down in his leather office chair. I huffed and perched on the chair in front of him.

"Look Sookie, you need to be careful of Quinn. He's got a nasty reputation," Sam warned.

"Sam, the witch had his sister. I helped her get away from Marnie. That's all there is to it on my side of things," I explained.

"This have anything to do with Pam being back at Fangtasia since that night yet Eric is now apparently incognito?" He asked leaning back enough that I thought his chair would flip.

"Eric is fine," I hedged, "He just had to get some business taken care of. Who's asking about him?"

"Bill was in the other night, seemed to be pretty pissed and was yelling at Jessica. I told him to get the hell out of the bar. He said something about Eric playing the wrong game." He shrugged, "I don't like getting into vampire shit."

"Bill stopped over the other night, I told him to get lost."

"Good," He took a deep breath, "I need to explain what happened out there." I shook my head. "Yes I do Sookie. I think it will be important for you to know this. You remember my little run in with Maryanne when I was just a kid?" I nodded. "Well she scared me enough I got the hell out of there. I needed a way to make money fast and got into the underground pit fighting, just like Tommy." He appeared to be ashamed to admit this.

"I thought you had some money saved?" I asked but he avoided my eyes when he replied, "Ya, I had a bit of a nest egg, but it wasn't enough. Some of the supernatural's look down on pure shifters as being weak because we are solitary. But there is a pretty strong advantage in being whatever we want to be, as long as we have a template. I can pick the form that best serves the situation I find myself in," he smiled nodding down at the book in front of him.

"You still need the experience fighting though don't you?" I asked becoming curious now.

"I had plenty of experience, but when the drugs started to enter the arenas and the fights began to be thrown I left the arena. I was in and out of the pits for about four years." He was thumbing through the book.

"So you were about what, 21 or 22 years old when you were done fighting?" I asked thinking back to the age he had been with Maryanne.

"Yep I had made the money I needed and found a job in a bar. That is where I learned to mix the drinks and the way of the business. I got caught up in shifter politics and helped form the Coalition."

"Why did you quit?"

"Vampires were still in the closet but they had taken a strong interest in the arenas. They treated the two natured like pets and would literally trade us between them. When 'v' started to show up steadily and rumors that some of the shifters were being forced to fight, I tried to stop it. Unfortunately too many in the Coalition enjoyed the money they made from the pits and were too fearful of the vampires to go against them. I quit in disgust. My associates were not trying to help their kind; they were just trying to help themselves. I gathered up my things and just drove. When I pulled into Bon Temps I knew this is where I wanted to be."

"Well damn, no wonder you dislike the vamps." I had a lot to think about.

"Some of them are ok, but mostly shifters and vampires dislike each other intensely. Look, Quinn is building one of these pits as part of the entertainment at the show grounds. We don't have any laws about animal fights on the books here in Bon Temps, and he has fought to keep it that way. I brought Tommy here to get away from all of that. I am not going to let him get sucked back in. Quinn also has connections with some vampires that would give even Northman a run for his money. So be careful, please?" He stood up and came around the desk to give me a quick hug from behind.

"I will," I said as I headed to the door. I stopped with my hand on the knob as I spoke to him over my shoulder. "You make one hell of a tiger Sam, but the collie is the only thing welcome to sleep on my rug, ok?"

He laughed, "Sure thing Cher, good night."

Scene 2 - EPOV - Curious

I opened my eyes only a half hour later than I normally do to find Sookie perched on the side of the bed as she had for the previous two nights.

"Hey," she whispered holding out a warmed mug of blood. I took it with a smile and thanks before drinking it down. I immediately felt better. I handed the mug back to her and made as if to rise from the bed.

"I'll ah, meet you down stairs Eric. Your things are on the dresser," she stammered and blushed then hurried from the room.

I grinned at her retreating form as I stood fully naked. The sweet southern belle was all blushes around me when I was mobile, but didn't seem to mind when she was curled up to sleep at my side. No matter, I was feeling stronger and soon would be able to act on the signals she was unconsciously sending my way. She desired me as her lover; our bond screamed that every time she touched me.

I padded into the shower and reflected on the previous two evenings since my Bonded and my Child had located me. I was proud of both of them, though unhappy with Pam for allowing Sookie to be in a situation that threatened her life. Pam had argued with me that I knew very well that she couldn't stop Sookie if she tried, besides she had no recollection of the previous dangers Sookie had been involved in.

I did not believe I would ever forget the words Sookie had snarled when she attacked the witch. She had claimed me in front of witnesses, had shown she was willing to fight for me just as she had fought for Bill. She had reinforced her claim by initiating the second blood exchange when I had lost control of my blood lust. She was falling in love with me and soon I would hear those words from her lips.

I frowned at the memory. I could have drained her dry and not realized until it was too late. I felt deep shame over the memories I must have triggered of Bill's transgression.

The change to our bond was not as strong as I had anticipated, probably due to the weekend blood magic. Her blood sang a sweeter harmony for me now.

I finished soaping my body and stood under the heavy pounding of the shower. I had scared Sookie the other night by slipping into my day rest so early, so much so that she took it upon herself to find Dr. Ludwig's number in my contacts and called Amy to help me. The little doctor had been standing next to Sookie yesterday when I woke up with her bag of goodies and a frown on her face. Ludwig had given me a thorough examination then made me drink a nasty potion followed by a vial of blood which contained essences of several supernaturals. She warned me to refrain from exerting myself, instructions I was already aware of and to stick with donor blood or Sookie's. No fang bangers as their blood could contain impurities that I would not be able to digest. Sookie of course led a drug and generally alcohol free life style and her blood was deemed acceptable after passing a blood test.

I would never admit to Sookie that the visit from the Doctor did leave me feeling much better overall. The little Doctors medicine had accelerated my ability to assimilate the blood I was consuming into my system. My ancient blood was no longer as diluted of magic as it had been, with so little remaining in my body. My body would not need to shut down as it had so that I could heal.

I washed my hair, rinsed and stepped out of the shower to dry off. I pulled on jeans and one of my black tanks that Sookie left on her dresser and padded down stairs. I enjoyed staying at Sookie's because of how relaxed she was here. She let her guard down in these familiar surroundings and allowed me liberties that she would not feel comfortable with elsewhere.

Within a few days I believed I would be strong enough to resume my role as Sheriff and therefore return to staying in one of the homes I rotated through. I hoped she would come with me. I could place her home into the rotation if she would let me complete the security measures.

Sookie was standing at the kitchen sink looking out the window and talking to Pam on the phone. She had placed another mug of blood on the counter for me. I slipped up behind her and dropped a kiss with a nip on her tempting neck, causing her to squeal and Pam to make a lewd comment on the other line. Sookie rolled her eyes, laughed and pointed at the blood.

I allowed the distraction and sipped on the blood while I listened to her talk to Pam. The antagonism they used to feel for each other was completely gone, replaced by what was becoming a strong friendship. I felt a flash of jealousy over the ease with which my Child had captured Sookie's affections. Pam had accomplished in days what I had tried to do for months. Sookie finished her call and walked toward me with a question and a smile in her eyes. She must have felt the jealousy.

I had to know, "I wonder dear Sookie if I had lost my memories instead of Pam would I now hold a place in your heart?"

Scene 3 - SPOV - Men

I stumbled and caught myself on the edge of the counter before I spilled to the floor. When I caught the expression on Eric's face, I almost turned and ran away. The vampire was dead serious. He wanted to know if I loved Pam, if I could love him. I needed to be comfortable for this conversation. I went into the living room and curled up in my chair, waiting for him to sit on the couch. He did not zip over to it, but he was moving faster than human speed, an observation which made me smile. He was getting stronger.

He made himself comfortable then shot me an expectant glance.

I had to formulate my answer. "I care for you Eric; you know that, you can feel it." I frowned in annoyance he just smiled. "Would I feel anything different for you if you had lost your memories? I do not know how can I? You might be the same person you are now; perhaps more ... human or you might be someone totally different. When Pam lost her memories, she was still Pam without all the vampire superiority. I've always been just a blood bag to her until now."

He wore his poker face when I glanced over at him. He had also shut down the bond

"You have never treated me as like a blood bag Eric. Not even the first time we met. A fancy toy maybe, something new and shiny to pull out and play with to see what happens, but not like a piece of filth beneath your notice. Pam did and she scared the crap out of me," I admitted squirming a bit. "When she lost her memories you forced Pam to see me as her Mistress, your equal. I was no longer just a blood bag." I shrugged, "We got to know each other without the superiority complex, found out we like some of the same things and were annoyed by others," I shot him a significant look. "I never really had a female friend I could be myself around who accepted my oddities. I treasure the relationship. She's like the sister I never had. I would be devastated if she had thrown that away when she regained her memories."

"I accept who and what you are," he stated with a frown.

I stood and walked over to the couch so I could touch his shoulder. "Eric I've already admitted that you are my friend, a special one. I definitely do not consider you as my brother. I was willing to kill for you, what more do you want?"

"I want all of it. I want everything you hold back from me." He had me flat on my back on the couch, his hips between my thighs before I could blink. His was trailing butterfly kisses over my forehead, my eyes, my nose and cheeks before settling for the long haul on my lips. His hands were busy under my sweater and I moaned into his mouth when he found my nipples, allowing his tongue entry to begin a rhythm my body was becoming desperate to emulate. I twined my tongue around his fangs then battled his for superiority. "You do...not...have to...fear me...Sookie," he said in the pauses where he allowed me to breath.

I was beyond listening to anything but my body. I found my way under his shirt and urged it over his head, gasping when his cool chest met my over heated skin. My shirt and bra were long gone and his mouth was traveling down my neck. I wrapped my legs around his hips and ground into him, drawing a growl from his lips. "So sweet," he whispered before his mouth closed over my breast, his fangs scraping.

My body was drawn with sexual tension, waiting for the bite I knew was coming, when the front door flew open and Pam strolled in. "Oh is it dinner time, mind if I join you?" she asked dropping a two large boxes on the kitchen counter before taking a seat in the chair across from us.

I was mortified, struggling against Eric's arms and turning ten shades of red.

"Pam" he snarled lifting his head from my breast to glare at her.

"Oh don't mind me, please continue," she smirked, "Just remember the doctor's orders, no strenuous activities."

Eric shifted our bodies so that he was blocking Pam's view then grabbed his shirt, which was the closest piece of clothing and helped me pull it over my head. Once I was suitably covered he kissed me again then breathed in my ear, "I am not through with you."

He lifted me to my feet with a smile then settled back to lounge on the couch, both of them watching me scramble for my clothes.

"I'll be right back," I said as I glared at the two of them. I retreated up the stairs to my room and yanked off Eric's shirt. Eric had destroyed my bra, so I had to dig out another one. I shivered at the feel of the silky material as it slid across my sensitive nipples then yanked my sweater back on. My hair was all over the place in the mirror so I ran a quick brush through it before squaring my shoulders and going back down the stairs. I could get through this.

When I caught sight of Pam it dawned on me that she looked a bit rough around the edges. Her hair was mussed and her make up slightly blurred. There were a few speckles of blood across her cheek and she was barefoot instead of sporting a pair of designer pumps.

"What happened to you Pam?" I asked as I sat down next to Eric who had made room, he tucked me up against his shoulder.

"I was waiting for you to return before I told Eric." She had a very smug expression on her face.

"Well what is it?" I urged with a smile.

"I found Eric's blood," she said to our astonishment.

"Where is it," he demanded heading for it immediately when she pointed to the large boxes on the table. He opened them and started pulling out vial after vial with a smile.

"I thought you said it would be dispersed all over the state by now. How did you find it?" I questioned watching as Eric opened the vials and poured them into the mug he had been drinking from earlier. I stood up and went to the kitchen, Pam trailing behind me. I grabbed another mug and looking to Eric for his permission, started filling it with more of his blood. He'd empty the glass and I would have one waiting for him.

Pam joined the assembly line with another glass before she continues her story. "I said that if I had been the witch, the blood would be in the hands of dozens of dealers. Thank the gods the witch did not have my intelligence. I had our mutual friend Lafayette call around to his business partners. By the way he is so much easier to be around now without the pathetic sniveling, you're doing I understand."

"I'll explain later," I replied putting off the questions I could see in both of their eyes. "Lafayette found the blood?"

"There were two clubs, one here in Shreveport and another in Monroe who put the word out that they had a large quantity of high quality 'v' available for their special customers. I used some persuasion to have it returned to the original owner" She and Eric exchanged a look.

"Oh, so that is the message Lafayette asked me to pass on earlier. What kind of club offers 'v' to their customers isn't that illegal?" Why Eric would even let such a club exist in his territory, I wondered.

"We have been monitoring them, they have special dispensations from the Authority for the usage of "v' for entertainment purposes." Pam wouldn't meet my eyes, she was uncomfortable with the idea that her Master's blood ended up in the hands of people who had the right to use it openly.

They let me mull things over as we kept the blood brigade going. With each glass of blood returned to his body Eric was getting stronger and stronger, his presence filling the room. I thought maybe it was time to bring up my introduction to Quinn.

When I thought of Quinn all the pieces fell together. I opened my mouth and blurted, "Those clubs are owned by vampires and host cage or pit fights between shifters don't they. They wanted Eric's blood to get a jump on the competition and that is why the 'v' was being pushed on the Hotshot community. If the panthers become addicted like Russell's wolves then there would be more meat for the Pit Lords to exploit, more money in the King and Queens coffers."

Eric froze with the glass touching his lips looking at me in amazement and Pam looked bewildered.

Pam spoke first, "Where did you learn about the Arena's Sookie?"

I waved a hand in dismissal, "Sam explained it all to me this morning when Quinn stopped by to question me."

Eric's restored reflexes caught the glass Pam dropped before it touched the floor. Maybe I should have waited before launching that particular bomb.

A/N - I anticipate getting some ambivalent responses to my encounter between Sam and Quinn. I've always thought canon Sam to be hiding something in his past. It boggles my mind that someone with such power would be so.. passive. So I filled in the blanks in my little world, which some what ties into Mr. Balls apparent fascination with the Pits. This Quinn I built using a bit of canon and the cues from the last set of casting calls that AB was perhaps bringing in someone similar in appearance but with more of a business attitude for Season 4. In my world both shifters have equal experience fighting in the pits. I decided Sam's greater set of tools would win the fight. Love me or Hate me for my twisted version of the universe, this is my reasoning.