Characters remain the property of their creators, Ms. Harris and Ms. Evanovich, I just thought the two main characters should meet. This is my first attempt at fan fiction and I've only read one Sookie Stackhouse novel and a little of its fanfic so I apologize if the voice or writing is not as good as some of the other fine fanfiction writers around here. If anyone would like to beta or has ideas where this should go or things they'd like me to include, please let me know in the reviews.

oooooooooooooo

Suddenly Sookie gasped as she felt hand quickly circle her neck and lift her off the floor. She was thrown, crashing against the far wall. Before she could figure out what was happening Steph was on the floor beside her. She saw Ranger, gun raised, and then watched as he crumpled to the floor, another man's figure crouching over him.

The crouched figure looked up at Sookie and she felt a chill go through her as Steph's fear washed over her and combined with her own realizations. The man's face cracked into a sinister smile, the pale white skin glowing slightly under the florescent lights.

"My lucky day…" He snarled.

Sookie felt the fear in her rising as she looked into his cold eyes. Guess Steph was wrong; there were vampires in Trenton.

Chapter 5 – And now that we're all here…

Sookie was trying to figure out what was happening but was being overwhelmed by Steph's fear and anguish as they watched the stranger, the vampire, pick Ranger up by the neck and shake him like a doll. The vampire was tall, perhaps 6'2", and his low brow and dark hair gave him a look somewhere between Spanish and Caveman. His eyes were dark and were currently evaluating Ranger from head to toe. His fangs were drawn, his nose flared and wrinkled and a slight hiss accompanied his snarled expression. He wore a black suit and crisp grey dress shirt, each so well-tailored he might have stepped out of catalog, and the incongruity of his face and his outfit made him all the more terrifying.

Done with his evaluation the vampire growled and tossed Ranger into a nearby wall, drywall and debris shattering around him. Steph let out a quiet gasp and the vampire's eyes quickly fixed on her. He stalked to where Steph and Sookie had been tossed moments earlier and grabbed each by the throat. He pulled them towards his face and ran his nose along the skin of Steph's neck.

"Hmmm..." he murmured. He breathed in Sookie and smiled, "You smell delicious…You're going to make a very pleasant dessert." He licked his bottom lip and Sookie felt her stomach turn.

Steph turned her head and looked the vampire in the eye. "What do you want? I'm pretty sure you didn't go through all the trouble of having me kidnapped just to have me for dinner." Sookie could feel Steph using every ounce of courage she had to sound brave.

The vampire returned Steph's gaze and Sookie felt Steph's will slip quickly away. "Sit down and stop asking questions," the vampire said in a low voice. Steph nodded her head and sat down on the floor as the vampire released her, his words echoing as the only thoughts in her head. Sookie felt sure she would be next and wondered if she should pretend to be glamoured when he tried but instead he was now dragging her toward the door. She was thinking of fighting back when she glanced over and saw Ranger staring at her. He raised one hand slightly and mouthed the word calm. Before they cleared the door she saw Ranger make a gesture that she assumed meant he would follow or come after her. She had a glimpse of Steph sitting placidly and wondered just how effective this girl's savior could be against a vampire.

oooooooo

She had been sitting for what felt like hours in the dark. It was cold and the dim light, slipping in from under a door some fifteen feet away, served only to illuminate the numerous dead insects that littered the concrete floor. There was another human in the room with her and though unconscious, his random dream thoughts made her certain it must be Joe. She thought back over what had happened since she last saw Steph and tried to piece together what it all meant.

After dragging her from the room the vampire had bound her hands with rope and put her in the corner of the room. The light was too dim for her to see but she knew from her experience that he had no such problems in the dark. After waiting several terror-filled minutes, listening to doors opening and nearly silent movements and footsteps heard only from the crunching of dead bugs, she felt a jab in her thigh and heard the vamp whisper, "Don't worry you'll be up in time for dessert." She struggled and tried to move and was given a harsh blow across her already damaged head. The pain still throbbed as she tried to focus on the memories.

Despite the drugs she had heard the rambling thoughts of one of the human kidnappers as they talked to the vampire in the hallway. He was being congratulated and told he could leave and that the new headquarters should be readied. He asked about Manoso and the woman but was told they were no longer his concern. The man had a small rush of excitement as he thought about what the vampire might do to them. Sookie shuddered as the memory of his dark and twisted thoughts ran through her mind.

The humans had pounded down the stairs and from the other room she thought she heard a few noises that sounded like a scuffle and then stillness descended.

Now there was only silence. It stretched out and wrapped itself around her like a dense smoke. If she screamed she felt sure the silence would rush down her throat before the sound could reach the air. She concentrated now on seeking out thoughts. She could hear none. This told her nothing conclusive as last she saw her Steph was sitting in a glamoured haze and Ranger's thoughts had been hidden from her ever since they touched. Even Joe's mind had gone silent, though a rough breath every few minutes assured her he was still there and alive. She couldn't be certain about Ranger and Steph. She closed her eyes and wished for sleep. The drugs still in her system were helpful in this regard and her mind soon quieted.

ooooooooooooo

Sookie awoke to an echoing clang of metal. It wasn't loud, but in the large warehouse the sound echoed off the floors and ceiling and vibrated through the walls. She could hear an occasional breath from Joe, still shallow and rough. Her mind reached out and she caught the thoughts of men in the warehouse below. The thoughts were short and direct. Go left. Go around. Keep an eye on the back door. They sounded like commands or directives and she wondered if this was a cause for fear or hope.

Gentle footsteps made their way up a metal staircase and doors creaked one-by-one as they opened. She heard a murmured voice from a nearby room and the thoughts: What the hell did they do to them? Drugs? Let's just get them out of here.

Footsteps neared her door and she saw the shadow of feet below the door to the room she was in. She found her body was stiff and heavy but she still managed to slide sideways. She discovered she was next to a solid table or desk of some sort. She had just finished sliding her body back until she could no longer see the doorway when the door swung open and a small flashlight swung around the walls and floor of the room. Shit, Morelli is here too. She heard a few footsteps then a slight grunt as Morelli was picked up off the floor and slung over someone's shoulder. The flashlight swung around the room again. What the hell happened in here?

Sookie could see the looming shadow of the figure hauling the body from the light of the doorway and could not get over the man's size. Morelli was either a tiny man or this man was a giant. She was still considering making a noise or shouting out when the door swung closed.

The sound of multiple footsteps descending the metal stairs followed and Sookie shivered in fear. Which fate would be worse? Staying here and facing the return of the vampire or a fate with the unknown men outside. Suddenly the warehouse erupted in sound and thoughts.

Holy crap! One man's thoughts rang out as she saw a clear image of a man flying through the air and heard the accompanying crash in the warehouse below.

Are these the guys who— was cut short as gunshots rang out from multiple guns. Crap, they're not going down…moving so fast… must be vamps…

A voice rang out. A voice Sookie found oddly familiar, tinged with hatred and anger, "WHERE HAVE YOU GOT HER?"

Sookie's mind whirled and she felt the thickness of the drugs and the clouds of confused thoughts joining her own as she tried to place the voice.

"Woah, slow down, we didn't take anyone… what are you talking about?" Another man's voice answered.

"You have one man unconscious and lady who has clearly been incapacitated and you make claim that you are not the culprits responsible for harming Sookie Stackhouse? I know she is near, tell me where she is."

Can't breathe…How can he be this strong? Is he—

"Put him down." Ranger's voice was clear and loud.

"You then. Tell us where she is."

Sookie heard a crash as another body was thrown. She tried to speak now, tried even to scream, but found her muscles frozen, her voice mute.

"A vampire took her."

"There are no vampires in this district. You took her. I can smell her on you. Just as I can smell your stench on this other woman." This was a new voice, one that was deadly calm and filled with scorn. Sookie recognized it immediately as Eric Northman. The other voice must be Bill.

"I came for this woman and found another woman being held in the same room. I released their cuffs and was then attacked by this vampire." Ranger replied.

"Where IS SOOKIE?" Bill's voice rang out.

"I only know that the vampire took her out of the room she had been held in and then returned shortly thereafter. When he locked us up again and knocked me out he apparently left. My men swept the rooms upstairs but didn't find her or anyone else."

Sookie struggled again, finding her body could move a bit but her voice was still mute.

Eric's voice was low but she could hear it clearly, "She's here, I can feel her. She's still in pain. I will find her. If you have been the cause of this pain you will live only as long as I have the pleasure of causing you that same pain many times over."

Sookie pulled her head forward then allowed it to fall back against the table with a thud. She did not hear footsteps but heard as door after door in the hallway crashed open. At last her doorway was open. She heard Eric take a deep breath in and then, suddenly he was at her side, lifting her into his arms. His nose was buried in her hair, his cool, hard body pressed firmly against her as he held her up. She could see his blond hair lit from behind like a halo, and his tall, broad frame in silhouette.

In a rush of air she was back on the warehouse floor, in the light. Eric was brushing his fingers over her bruised right eye and swollen lip. His eyes were intensely focused on hers and filled with more emotion than she had ever seen in them.

"Sookie, who has done this?" Bill's voice, coming from just over Eric's shoulder, demanded.

Sookie opened her mouth but her voice still would not come. She looked over and saw Ranger holding a vacant-eyed Steph in his arms. Bill was standing just behind them, his hair dark and shiny his clothing looking far too impeccable for the scene around them. On the floor around them she saw a couple of men dressed in black as well as another man lying face down, a tight ass in blue jeans the only part of this man she could make out.

Bill repeated, "Who has done this? Was it these men?"

Sookie mouthed, "Not them." Sookie shivered and Eric took off his jacket and gently wrapped it around her. Bill moved towards them, a scowl on his face. He grabbed the back of Ranger's jacket, turning his face away from him with an expression of disgust. "This man claims he was assisting in your rescue." He blew out a quick breath, "He has a distasteful smell and avoids my glamour. I don't trust him, does he tell the truth or can I dispatch him now?"

"No!" Sookie mouthed, her eyes wide. She found she could move her head a bit and continued to move it in small movements from side to side. Eric still held her up, one hand now resting on the back of her neck, a finger slowly caressing the side of her throat.

Bill moved over and picked up the man with the nice ass. He shook him slightly and the man's eyes blinked a few times then slowly opened.

"You. Did you harm Sookie?" Bill said into the man's face. The man stared back blankly his body tensing in fear.

Bill stared more intently and the man's body suddenly relaxed completely. "Did you harm Sookie?"

"I don't know…. I don't know a Sookie." The man mumbled.

"What do you know about this situation?"

"We were following the V trade."

"Who is we?"

"State Narcotic's division. We kept running searches and leads and kept finding connections to that thug Manoso."

"So this Manoso is running V?"

"Trying to find out when Steph was kidnapped. I agreed to help Manoso to find her."

"Dammit Morelli we're the only thing keeping the V trade at bay in most of Jersey." Ranger's voice was clipped and his eyes fierce but Morelli didn't seem to notice and was silently gazing at Bill.

Eric's voice was sharp, "Who took Sookie?"

"I don't know," Morelli replied flatly. "I came in and found a room with vials and vials of blood and medical equipment. I felt a sharp sting. The next thing I knew I was being carried down the stairs by a huge man in black." Joe was still staring at Bill and he seemed to have a small smile on his face.

Sookie was focused on the finger caressing her throat and thinking about how easily Eric held her in his arms. She could barely process what was being said and it wasn't until she heard the words "kill them" that she turned her focus back to the conversation Bill and Eric were having.

"It is almost daylight. I will take her to a safe place before we go to ground. We do not have the time to determine their motives." Eric was saying.

"Sookie will not be happy if you kill someone who tried to save her. Nor if you kill the woman."

"She will be alive. We can worry if she is happy later."

"She is still conscious, she will remember."

Eric turned her face towards his. He stared at her coldly. "I will ask only once. Must they live?"

Sookie nodded her head, tears springing to her eyes. Yes, she mouthed.

"I can take her; I have a secure facility with a medic on staff. She will be safe there." Ranger said, his voice soft.

Eric and Bill both turned toward him. The three men stared each other down. "I do not like it." Eric growled.

Sookie's hand tensed on his shirt. He looked down and she mouthed, Please. Eric shifted his hand and ran it over the bruising of her eye. "I could…" Sookie shook her head. No.

ooooooooooooooooo

Eric continued to hold Sookie until Bill had ensured that Morelli, the two men in black, and Stephanie were in the black Explorer parked outside. He gently strapped Sookie into a seat belt and fixed Ranger with a glare. "You will have a fate worse than death if she is harmed."

"I have no doubt." Ranger replied.

"We will find who has done this." Bill said. Ranger and Eric both nodded.

"My men will begin the search immediately. No one hurts my Babe." Ranger replied leaning over and brushing the hair off Steph's forehead. She stared back at him blankly.

Bill leaned into the vehicle and met Ranger's eye. "She's been glamoured… I can reverse it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Will she remember everything that happened and everything we've just said?"

"Does she need to?"

"We may need her to remember her kidnappers."

Bill leaned over Stephanie and met her eyes. He whispered in her ear. She smiled, rolled over and went to sleep.

"She will have her memories from this past day, but without any of the pain. She should not remember events that happened after being glamoured by the first vampire."

Ranger paused then looked at the sleeping form of Stephanie for a long moment. "Thank you."

Joe smiled at Bill and waved a hand. Bill leaned over and whispered in his ear as well. Joe smiled even wider then laid his head on the shoulder of the man in black beside him and quickly fell asleep.

Sookie watched Ranger's blank face as he drove away from the warehouse. She looked back to where Eric and Bill had been standing moments earlier. There was no sign of them. She had a slight panicky moment where she thought she might still be tied up and dreaming before the throbbing pain in her head assured her she was awake.

Sookie slowly reached forward and placed her hand on Ranger's arm. So where are we headed Batman? Sookie asked, trying to broadcast her thoughts as clearly as she could.

Ranger turned his head slightly towards her. His expression was still blank but she thought she could perceive the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.

Please review. It really helps motivate me to write more quickly. I just got a "non-renewal" notice for my teaching job and have been under a lot of stress. I could use your happy :)