Eric was gone but not to be forgotten. He could feel Tara, their bond weakening everyday that she wasn't with him. All he knew is that whatever she was doing, whoever she was with, she was happy for the moment. As long as she was fine there was nothing to worry about, right? But he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something suspect was going on. He could feel it when he went to ground, that the bond was fading, and that he needed her.

Sitting in meetings for expanding Fangtsia, focused but not fully there, he wasn't as in tune with his work as he should've been; all because of her. He had felt this feeling once before with Sookie Stackhouse but he was sure it had died with Tara. Could it be that this familiar feeling was for Tara? He sat contemplating all possibilities. And as cunning as he was, how could he have neglected to calculate for such a risk. She's a risk. He screamed at himself. But she's like you. His conscious soothed. Beautifully broken and wanting to forget. He rubbed his brow, concentrating on how to purge himself of this feeling.

"Eric." Pam called out to him for the fifth time. She snapped her fingers impatiently trying to pull him back. "What's going on with you? We've still got things to work out, here in 'real life' " she mocked motioning to the space around them.

"Yes, Pam." He answered still looking down out at his glass of warm blood and the several contracts splayed before him.

Across the table was the cunning young vampire who had wanted to get his hands on Fangtasia since its conception, but Eric cut his rope short from the very beginning. He had now moved up in the corporate vampire ladder and was now the person Eric had to go through to get the okay to expand Fangtasia and perhaps help him start a chain in other parishes.

"Mr. Northman," the tall young-looking vampire called out. "You don't look up to working out his contract today. Would another time be good for you?.... Like, next century?" he flipped his well quaffed hair sarcastically "I mean its only your club at stake." he pushed his designer glasses back on the bridge of his nose with his middle finger. A couple of his brown-nosers laughed slightly but stopped short when they saw Pam's eyes glowing with rage.

Pam had just about had it with this pompous little prick. She stood up and dropped her fangs, hissing a warning to him and anybody else who wanted to get down. The tall dark-haired vamp stood up as well dropping his fangs, ready to fight back.

"Not again." a human sighed getting his briefcase and piling all his papers back inside. He had witnessed one too many vampire fights to want to sit through another one. With all the flying and smashing, he almost lost his neck during the last one. "Can't we get through just one of these without this?" he whispered to another human companion who was taking off her heels under the table and putting on flats.

"I know, right?" she breathed as she looked around for easy exits. "Elbows out, heels up." she whispered to herself.

Eric sat watching for a moment. Then, just as Pam was about to leap across the table he grabbed her wrist.

"No." he replied at almost a whisper.

She looked down at him, "Eric, please. I promise you, it'll be clean. I just want his fangs." she added without a hint of sarcasm. Her eyes pleaded with him in a way that only she could.

"Pamela, no." he raised his eyebrows without looking at her. He knew she would see and obey. She sat folding her arms like a stubborn child who'd just been grounded. Standing up to meet the gaze of Pam's competitor Eric raised a hand. "I think everyone is in need of a break, wouldn't you say, Lucian?"

"Yes, well-"

"My sentiments exactly. We will reconvene tomorrow night, yes?"

The humans and vampires in attendance quickly gathered their briefcases and scattered leaving just Lucian, Eric, and Pam. As they got up, slowly making their way to the door, Lucian thought to leave Eric with a few words.

"Very well, Northman. we'll see you tomorrow night fully focused. We wouldn't Fangtasia falling into the wrong hands, would we? It's such a lucrative little hole in the wall."

"No, we wouldn't." Eric stood towering over the younger vamp.

"Until then I expect you to teach your progeny some restraint." he eyed Pam with disgust. She smiled charmingly at him and when his gaze returned to Eric's she rolled her eyes.

Eric smiled almost laughing at Lucian's attempt to reprimand him. Revealing his fangs he placed a firm hand on Lucian's shoulder. "If you want restraint, your best bet is to start with your mouth. I won't be so merciful in the future if you should choose to disrespect my progeny and I, again. He tightened his grip on his Lucian's shoulder, gave his back a hard thwap and continued walking towards the large double doors. "Pam." he called without turning around.

She clacked past the stunned vamp, shooting him a couple of hand gestures with her manicured middle fingers. Proud of her master for putting the spineless altiloquent vamp in his place, she hurried beside Eric, flipping her hair behind her as they walked off.

"I would've preferred to see some blood shed." she sighed

"I know you would've. But we need him. When the contracts are signed he's all yours." he smiled.

When they made it back to their hotel, Pam who had brought home a couple of hookers, offered Eric his pick of the litter, but he refused, waving them off like a bad dish.

"What's wrong with you?" she furrowed her brows as she skillfully undressed a curvacious girl with a mini-skirt and thigh high boots. She glamored the second girl and sent her in Eric's direction where he sat on the bed of their five star hotel room. Sulking, one hand covering a fist as he leaned forward, hunched over, he was almost in distress.

"I'm fine, Pam." he shrugged getting up when the girl kneeled in front of him. Her eyes large brown eyes reminded him of someone else he knew, someone whose touch had not been so easily forgotten. He petted her face as she smiled, then pushed her away. "Start without me." he called to Pam as he went to the bathroom."

"Fine." as soon as he uttered those words blood sprayed against the linens, the walls, and all over Pam and the girl she was feasting upon.

Pam felt guilty and annoyed. Guilty that she had started without him, even though, it was his idea and annoyed that she had to leave her dinner to nurse her master.

"Eric, you can't tell me there's nothing wrong with you." standing in the door of the bathroom, she wiped some blood from her lips with the back of her hand and licked it off of her fingers.

"I'm fine."

"I'm fine. I'm fine." she mocked using his cold voice. " You sound like a broken record. You never pass up an opportunity to feed on a hooker,especially ones with asses like that." she shook her head. "So tell me what's wrong."

"Everything is different this time."he sighed knitting his eyebrows, looking at his and Pam's reflections in the mirror. "It shouldn't be this way."

"Everything is different with what?"

"with her."

"You don't mean with that girl you bought home, do you?"

"Tara."

"There's nothing I can do or say to make this go away, is there?"

"Its like I've developed..."

"Don't say it. Don't say it.." she plugged her ears with her index fingers and pretended to gag.

"feelings... for her."

"You can't mean that Eric," she shut the door behind her trapping them in the bathroom.

"No. I care for no one the way I care for you, Pam. That will never change and not even the true death will change that...but with her, I feel...shit... I don't know what I feel." he slammed a fist on the sink counter making a crater and several small cracks. "...its more than with Sookie Stackhouse."

"So, you're over that one...and on to her friend...I warned you Eric. You're acting like a breather."

"We once were."

"But we aren't anymore. We're better." she set her hands to fixing his shirt. "But I can't tell you what to do."

"I'm perplexed by her. She's strong-willed and truthful, admirable qualities in a lover, no?"

"If all you want from her is to help you kill Compton then I don't understand why you need her that much. But to get over Stackhouse by using her best friend to kill her boyfriend is another twisted project altogether."

"...and"

"Oh yeah, and you fucked her." she sighed. "How do you get yourself into all this shit?"

 She rubbed his back in small circles leading him back into the bedroom where the one girl was still bleeding. And the other was lying on the floor rubbing the carpet.

With Eric away, Alcide and Tara were walking still walking on eggshells with each other. Not knowing how to act around one another was becoming difficult. They knew they liked each other but didn't know what to do about it. Their little kiss was proof of that. Eric, would be back soon enough and then what? Tara wasn't about to make any split decisions so hastily. Alcide had been right about some things but in the end only she could really judge her 'friendship' with Eric. His jealousy had to mean something, his careful consideration of her when it came to her safety had to mean something too. And was he really over Sookie or was she again just being used to get Compton out of the way for him to get closer to Sookie? She had so many questions and not enough answers for her to do anything. She would play it all by ear, the same way she did everything else.

She was tidying up a few things in the living room when Alcide came down the stairs. He had just taken a shower and his hair was wet and clinging to his face and neck, curling in a way that made her stare.

"Tara, today's your day off. Why don't we go somewhere?" he asked out of the blue.

"Uh, I'm not really one for going out." she shook all the embarrassing thoughts from her mind.

"Not even for dinner?" he half argued half pleaded.

"Well...I am kinda tired of being cooped up in here." she conceded throwing him a weary glance."What you thinkin' bout?" she leaned against the wall near the kitchen crossing her legs at the ankle.

"I was thinkin' we should go to Merlotte's or somewhere else and just relax." He walked over to her touching her forearms, rubbing them slowly. "How's that sound?"

"Sounds like I dunno." she shrugged a look of discomfort rising from the idea.

" You know something, I'm a body guard to someone who doesn't need one. You didn't witness a murder, or sell drugs, or pick a fight with anyone, right? So why is it suddenly a crime to go out for a drink and something to eat?"

"No, Eric just wants to protect me."

"Protect you from what? You haven't done anything, yet."

"You're right. I didn't do nothing to nobody."

Feeling the heat from his strong hands she relaxed laying her head against the door, eyes closed. Just when she was dropping her defenses, an image of Eric popped into her head causing her to jump back from Alcide's touch.

Too soon. He yelled inwardly. Too damn soon. Just the other night he kissed her. She didn't reject him but she wasn't all there, either. But some of her was better than none at all. This strong, opinionated goddess before him was all he could think about. He hung his head, dropping his arms as she side stepped him, walking to the kitchen table as she pretended to straighten imaginary objects around her.

"I just don't think that's a good idea, Alcide."

"Why isn't it a good idea, Tara?" he turned around following her foot to foot. "You don't belong to him." he burst finally getting to the heart of the matter.

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly opened them quickly and continued walking into the living room. She knew the direction this conversation was about to take.

"I don't belong to him...I don't belong to nobody but myself."

"Right, so why are you being so stubborn. When someone likes you and you like them back...you try...you make an effort to be with that person." He trapped her between the sofa and the wall.

With nowhere for her to turn, he quickly closed the gap between them, he staring into her eyes, he searched for a sign, anything that would give him hope for their cause.

"It's like this; I'm with Eric but I don't necessarily belong to him. And I like you...I do...It's just too complicated."

"Tara, that's not fair." he took small steps forward as she took big quick ones backwards.

"Not fair for who? Life's not fair."

"Well then its about about to get a whole lot more unfair cause we're going out." he grabbed one of her hands, snatched up his keys and closed the door behind them.

"Okay."

Sitting in his van, the car stalling in the drive-way, they never made it into town.

Giddy and just as nervous as teenagers he slowly traced the outline of her face with his hand, stopping short when he reached her collarbone.

"You really like me, huh?" she relaxed a little letting him take his time lingering on her skin.

"I do." he moved his hand to grab hers squeezing it lightly as he gazed at her

"But you don't know nothin' about me."

"I want to." he stared at her fingers, trying to soak up every detail of the hands belonged to such this woman.

"No, you don't." she grumbled back. The feeling that the conversation was going to take yet another turn she didn't want she threw out her disclaimer. "My life is fucked up..messin' with me your life gon be fucked up too... How could you like someone as fucked up as me?"

"Everyone has had their share of fucked up shit to deal with. Its what you do afterward that defines you."

"Spoken like a true normal person."

"Did you forget I'm a werewolf?"he grinned

"Okay, but that's not as fucked up as it sounds." she laughed warming a little to the idea that he was trying to comfort her.

"Wanna know what's really fucked up?"

"What?" she turned her head to finally face him, her hand still trapped by his own.

"I want something that I can't have and its killing me."He kissed her hand placed it back on her lap and they drove off.

A few days later.

"Another round, please." A burly man slurred out as all his friends hooted. He had apparently broken up with his girlfriend and needed a little pick me up. They were getting sloppy and unmanageable.

"Don't ya think you and your friends have had a one too many?" she said pointing to one guy who was spinning on his bar stool like a toddler.

"C'mon Tara, he ain't doing no one no harm. We promise to be good boys, just slide us another round."

"Alright, but this is the last one, okay?"

"Yes Ma'am." he nodded emphatically

She skillfully got all the beers and slid them down the bar to the guy and each of his friends. A new silver chain swinging from her neck, as she turned quickly to see the door of the bar opening and a certain someone walk in. It just soured her stomach to see that all eyes were on him and it took everything in her not to rip the wood from the walls, jump across the counter and stake him.

"Good Evening, everyone." he said politely.

"Evenin' Vampire Bill" a small group of people muttered back. His killer charm and smile slid into place but the people were still wary. No amount of stories about his time in the army could ease their minds. As far as they were concerned he was looking for a snack of the fleshy variety.

Sookie's eyes lit up as she saw her beau walk through the door. She knew he'd come to pick her up as he had been doing for the past couple of months. Then she looked at Tara. It just sucked that her and Tara weren't talking, she thought.

He walked as if he was going to his preferred booth then decided to sit at the bar a few stools away from where Tara was. The group of guys sitting at the bar sobered at the sight of him, collecting their beers and scrambled to an empty booth.

Damn him, Tara thought.

"Tara," he nodded demurely.

"Mmhmm." she turned her back to him trying to make herself seem busy. She wiped down the counter, helped people who had already been served, and wiped out the inside of the microwave at least twice.

"May I have a True Blood?"

"Sure thing." she didn't try to hide her disgust for him as she took one from the fridge, popped it into the microwave, waited and took it out. She purposely left it a little cold; maybe he'd get the hint and leave the bar. She put it on the counter as he reached for it stopping short when he saw her malicious stare.

"Are you well, Tara?" he quirked an eyebrow at her.

She slapped a hand firm on the counter and leaned in closer to the pale man, her eyebrows furrowed, the corner of her mouth twitching as she spat. "I'm fine. Never been better." She nodded and turned away from him. Then, as if she remembered something else, she spun around and lowered herself to meet his glared. "I know what you did, how you got Sookie."

He kept his composure. He was too old for this. Whatever she'd seen or heard he'd soon put an end to the very thought of it. Sookie was his and no one not even her best friend was going to get in the way of what belonged to him "Whatever do you mean, Tara?"

"Don't play dumb, asshole." She whispered furiously. "Don't worry, I won't tell Sook… I'll leave that to you to tell her."

His fangs came out and he hissed a warning to her. "I told you Tara, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. I've done nothing but save Sookie and keep her out of harm's way. Whatever you've heard, you were surely misinformed." he glared at her.

"Fuck you," she spat.

He eyed the chain swinging from her and just as he was about to glamour her, Lafayette came out of the kitchen, having witnessed the argument from his post. He ran up behind her and tried to pull her away from the counter. She tried to fight her way free, kicking and swinging her legs as he pulled her towards the kitchen.

"Excuse us for a moment." he yelled back to Bill, as he carried her off.

He put her down and got in her face. "Bitch, what are you trying? I thought I told you to stay away from vampires."

"Damn, Lafayette, you don't know what that fucker is doing to Sookie. And you only told me to stay away from Eric."

"I've expanded my hate to all of em, okay." he said lowering his voice. "Besides, what Sookie does is Sookie's business."

"Not if she don't have any control over herself." throwing her hands in the air, an exasperated look came over her.

Sam came from his office and saw Lafayette holding Tara hostage in the kitchen. He thought she'd lost her temper at a rude customer.

"Tara, c'mon now." he walked up putting a firm hand on her shoulder. "Whoever upset ya, just ignore em, okay."

"Fuck that." she shook his arm from its place on her shoulder. "I want Bill Compton's ass outta here." she said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Tara, you know I can't do that. Why don't you just ask Sook to tell him to wait outside?" he shrugged placing a hand on his forehead.

"Sam, now you know I ain't about to do that."

Lafayette jumped in putting a manicured hand on his waist. "Shit, well someone better do something for Mr. Compton turns into Mr. I'mabouttobiteabitch, okay." He quickly ran back to a pot of rice that was boiling on the stove. "Y'all gonna make me burn this place the fuck down." he muttered to himself.

Tara threw up her hands. "You know what, I'm fine. I'm gonna go out back and get some air, okay. But when I come back I'm not serving him. She flipped her braids behind her and stormed off leaving a baffled Sam and nervous Lafayette in her wake.

She made her way through the back door and felt that she could suddenly breathe. The air just wasn't right back in the bar. It was heavy and tainted; tainted with malicious thoughts and bastards like Bill. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, realizing she hadn't thought about or seen Eric, since the other night when he'd promised to protect her and do anything he could to help her. She realized that it wasn't going to be easy being 'friends' with someone she couldn't call directly. It was shitty that she had to be in some danger, dead, or dying for him to come to her.

Just as she was about to go back in a familiar wind passed through.

"Tara." he bellowed standing in front of her.

She looked around and pulled him to a clandestine part of the building where anyone who might come out back couldn't see them.

"What are you doing here, you through wit your business?"she whispered

"Yes, and felt you were distressed, so I came." his eyebrows furrowed.

She blushed and put her head down, wanting to rest it against his chest. She shook her head slowly.

"I'm not some damsel in a castle in bum-fuck nowhere. I don't get distressed. I was pissed off."

"I won't confuse two again but what happened that made you so pissed that I could practically feel you about to breakdown?"

"Bill's in there again and he sat at the bar and I lost it I just want to burn his fuckin' eyes out."

"Patience Tara, we'll have our time." he grabbed her chin forcing her to look up at him. He spotted the silver chain hanging from her neck and suddenly became disarmed.

She saw him staring as if he'd just remembered something bad. Of course she would need more than that measly little chain to do anything remotely devastating to him, but just the thought that she'd wear it at all, when she knew he'd protect her was causing him to question her faith in their strange arrangement.

She felt her neck and cursed inwardly at the chain around her neck. She instantly felt as if she had somehow betrayed him.

"I only wear it when you and Alcide ain't around, okay. It's not a big deal." Even after hearing herself try to minimize the situation, she didn't believe it. "Bill's been sitting at the bar lately. I think he knows something. So I got the chain just in case he tried anything."

Her eyes wide, searching his for some trust, she reached behind her neck and unhooking the chain, slipped it into one of her back pockets. She also made a mental note to put it back on once he left. Bill no doubt, wouldn't be as forgiving as she believed Eric was being.

"Its just since Sookie is staying with Bill now, and Alcide can't be with me all the time. I've been wearing it."

"Did he touch you?" he spoke through clenched teeth, thinking that maybe Compton was the one to cause his lover to have to don some silvery protection in his absence.

"I'd like to see him try." she huffed. "He didn't, but I did tell him that I knew what he did to Sookie."

He stepped away from her, calculating the damage she'd done. If he had still been alive his heart would be beating a mile a minute. He never anticipated that she'd go and do something as reckless as tell Compton that she had knowledge of the way tricked Sookie.

"Where's Alcide?" he scanned the area quickly.

"I'm ain't a baby. I told him that he didn't need to follow me to work. But he is going to pick me up."

"That's not what I instructed him to do. He's supposed to be wherever you are."he scolded.

She defiantly looked away.

"I been watching myself for a long time, I didn't need you paying someone to do it for me now."

"What if Compton had tried to glamor you, or kill you when you came out here, huh? What then, Tara?"

"He's not gonna do anything." she sucked her teeth full of cockiness.

The anger growing deep within him, he snapped.

"Fine." he stepped back into the darkness of the trees. "Don't do as I say. Protect yourself. I'll have Alcide gone tom-" she held up her hands.

"NO, I'll listen. I promise." she walked to stand behind him, holding on to his jacket. "It's just...I'm...I'm not helpless. You have to know that I'm stronger than what you think."

"I know you're strong. But he's stronger." and with that he was off. Leaving a cold breeze in his wake, he left her colder.

She went back in, a little more pissed than when she went out and everyone knew it. Bill duly noted her change in attitude and recognized something familiar yet different about her scent. When she came back to her post he got up slowly.

"I do hope that you feel better soon, Tara." He gave a curt nod and frowned a little.

"Mmhmm." she grumbled back, as she slammed glasses on the counter for cleaning.

He went over to Sookie, who hadn't caught the argument. Telling her that he needed to run a quick errand, but he would be back before she got off.

Alcide came to pick Tara up at closing time. He could already tell something had happened from the way she pushed through the doors and stalked towards the van. He knew what it was like to have a bad day. He also didn't like to be bothered after such days. If she was anything like hm, then she definitely wouldn't want to talk, at least, not until she was ready.

They duration of their sojourn home was spent in silence. He let her out at Gran's, explaining that she looked as she needed to cool off a bit. He wouldn't be too far off and that he should be back soon.

She was thankful that he understood her. If Sookie had been there, she would've tried to sit her down and interrogate her about things that she really didn't want to talk about.

Just as Tara got her key to unlock her door she could hear the telephone ringing on the other side.

She turned the key in the door, pushing it open quickly as she dropped her purse and ran for the phone.