"What?...I mean... hello." she began.

"Tara, its me, Sook." the voice sounded nervous.

"Oh, hey Sookie, what's wrong?" she exhaled loosening her hair, allowing it to cascade down around her neck.

"Bill, told me that you seemed sick or something today...So I just wanted to call and check up on you."

"I'm fine." she rolled her eyes as she thought of Bill. Sookie had seen her all day and didn't see anything wrong. But the minute Bill notices something, she was interested, she cringed at the mental image of Bill even saying her name.

"You don't sound fine."

"I'm perfectly fine. Never been better."

Twisting the phone cord around her fingers as she talked, Tara slipped off her shoes. There were so many things she wanted to tell Sookie, but the timing just didn't feel right. She didn't want her annoyances of the day helping to push Sookie farther away. If anything, she wanted to get Sookie as far away from Bill as humanly possible.

She yelped, the feeling of cold hands caressing her the warm flesh of her stomach and chest caused her to almost lose her breath.

"Tara?" the voice yelled back.

"Lover," he began as he pushed her braids to one side of her neck.

Tara knew whose hands now groped and grabbed at her. His skillful touch could never be erased from her mind, not in a million years would she forget those long fingers and how they traced an icy hot path over her skin, how he knew all of her. Losing track of the conversation she didn't reply. Why now?

"Tara!"

"Oh...yes...?"she half moaned into the receiver.

"What happened? Are you okay?" the voice panicked almost yelling through the phone.

"Hang up." he whispered to her while darting his tongue in and out of her ear. He began trying to peel the shirt from her body.

"No...I mean yes...I just...hit my...I hit my ankle on the end table by the phone." she inhaled sharply as a hand unbuttoned and slid down the front of her shorts. Rubbing her through her panties she instinctively backed against him. At least he finally realized I hate when he rips my shorts. Feeling his length against her backside, she bit her lip, trying to stay focused on the conversation."

"Tara, do you need me to come over there?"

"NO!" she stopped, quickly pulling herself away from him. "No, Sook, I just need some rest is all." refastening her shorts she took the phone and took a few steps forward, without looking back. "I'm gonna go take a couple of aspirin and I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Are you sur-"

"Sook, I'm positive, okay? Say hi to Bill for me, will ya? Seeyalater, bye."

"Okay Ta-"

-click-

Tara hung up the phone turning around to face the handsome intruder. Her eyes wide and nervous as a very nude Eric, stood before her in the living room.

"Lover, it wreaks of werewolf in here. I mean, his scent is everywhere..I can even faintly smell it on you, probably from being around him so much. I will send someone over to clean this place, tomorrow." he looked around. Feeling her unwelcoming stare he asked, "What? Do I have something on my face?"

She rolled her eyes knowingly, "Eric what the fuck are you doing here?"

"You, if you'd only stop talking." he padded towards her, reaching for her as she stared up at him.

"No. You know what I mean. Not even two hours ago, you were yelling and angry, and now you wanna fuck?" She went to the sofa where his clothing had been neatly folded and tried handing them to him. "Not that I mind, but what changed?"

He stood with his arms and legs apart as is he was inviting her to frisk him.

"You wouldn't mind putting those on for me, would you?"

She tossed the clothes at his face, watching them fall to the ground as he stood motionless. She took a seat on the sofa, crossed her legs and sighed.

"Aw, not in the mood to play, I see." he pouted putting on his clothes with vampiric speed. He went and stood over her.

"We gotta stop this." she sighed again.

"You just love opening old wounds, don't you?

"Just tell me why you're here." she pulled at her skirt, adjusting it so it almost covered her knees, but was too short to make its way over them.

"Your defiant side always gets to me, but I couldn't stay mad at you, lover."

"I wish I could say the same for you. Just walking up in here like you run things... and please stop calling me that."

A little wounded by the little barbs she was throwing his way he decided to sit. He admitted his stance must be intimidating her. Perhaps being at even level with her would allow her to see things a bit differently. He took a seat directly next to her on the sofa.

She looked away, wishing that he wouldn't sit so close, that he wouldn't stare at her with those eyes of his.

"I told you that I would protect and protect you, I have."

"From what? Nothing's trying to get me."

"That might soon change."

"No, it won't. Cause I can't do it." shaking her head vehemently "I ain't gonna do it."

"We've been over this, lover. It's what we both want." he crossed his arms over his chest and began pacing.

"This is what you want. I only wanted to get Sookie back...but since I've been with you all I've done is push her into Bill's arms, and out of this house, not to mention let a strange man sleep here."

He stood again when his little psychological strategy failed. He returned to pacing, not fully sure how to rectify this new dilemma. How was he supposed to tell her that he didn't want them to be over? That he was miles away from caring about what happened to Compton. Why'd he have to be so pigheaded. In the beginning of this he was sure that they would kill Compton and then Sookie would turn to him for comfort, the way he'd planned. He didn't count on Tara being so different. She was unlike all the others. Now she wanted out of their deal. He couldn't have that happening.

"Where are you getting all these idea from, lover? Don't you trust me?"

"I don't know anymore. Its just I keep getting the feeling that you aren't playing fair. I mean for all I know you and Bill could be working together to kill everyone Sookie cares about.

"That's a terrible idea." he laughed.

She didn't think that it was funny at all. In fact, she thought that there was a great possibility that what she'd said could be the truth.

"So says the guy who had my cousin locked in the basement of a club..." rubbing her toes into the carpeting, she tried not to get all worked up again. This little meeting would likely ending up with Eric's invitation being resent.

"Ouch." pretending to be shot, he placed his hands over where a heart once beat.

"God knows what fucked up shit, you vampires can come up with."

"It seems we're back to square one, lover. Have I failed at proving my loyalty, somehow?...I mean it would be unfortunate for us to end this without meeting the terms of our agreement."

"I'm tired of just fucking around, Eric...and frankly, I'm not in the mood to fuck you tonight. I'm tired and dirty and I can still hear Bill's voice in my head. So, maybe you should lea-"

He didn't let her finish, he wouldn't let her finish. He wasn't sure as how to best show what he was feeling. His calm demeanor and smooth air wasn't working, just proof that she was unique. Others would have fallen for his every word, hanging on to it, like life giving manna. He swooped her off of the sofa, a hand supporting back, the other under her thighs as he carried her up the stairs.

"I said no." she looked confused but was still too intrigued to fight back, yet.

"You're tired and filthy."

"I can wash my-"

He shook his head, finally reaching the top of the stairwell, she pointed him to the bathroom and he opened the door with one hand and walked in. "Now that you are closer, I definitely agree. You need a bath."

"I don't smell that bad." she frowned as she hit against his chest.

"You wreak of werewolf, if only you knew how putrid their stench is to vampires you'd let me burn these clothes." he said, placing her on the bath mat in front of the tub.

She blushed thinking back to the time when she'd let Alcide kiss her, and the time he spent holding her hand. He was anything but filthy. He smelled amazing to her, and most of all he understood her.

"What are you thinking of?" he asked feeling the change in her.

"You." she lied.

He leaned down, locating the the knobs that controlled the hot and cold water. He quickly turned both of them and then turned a third knob which signaled the shower attachment to kick in.

She faced him abashedly never having seen this side of the usually, overbearing, larger than life, vampire.

"I've been thinking about what we said earlier." she spoke up.

He remained focused on getting the water the right temperature, he really didn't want to talk her about earlier. It would only bring up that she might not want to remain his lover anymore or something worse.

"I want to tell my cousin about us...and all of this...I can't just keep all this shit to myself any more...its killing me."

He sighed in relief at least she wasn't asking for their relationship to end again.

Getting impatient with his silence she gave him a firm thwap across the back of the head.

"Eric, I know you hear me, dammit. So answer me. Say something..."

"Fine. Tell your kin-folk," he mimicked her accent, poorly. "but if, you do decide to tell him then, Alcide must be with you at all times, no questions asked."

She fought the urge to hug him, she was still pissed from the rest of the days events. Some physical distance would be better for right now.

"Agreed." she sighed.

He stood and began to head for the door.

"I'll be waiting downstairs. When you finish, then join me."

Twenty minutes a renewed and refreshed Tara descended the stairs. Red silky pajamas flowing coolly on her skin. She came and sat on the chair where he pretended to watch the news.

"So what did you want to talk about?" she picked up the remote clicked the power button, so she could hear him better.

"I want to talk about you. I want to know you."

"You already know all there is to know about me. Lafayette surely must've told you, alcoholic mother, messed up childhood, fucked up life, sleeps with co-workers, sleeps with vampires, pre- meditating a murder of a vampire." she furrowed her eyebrows, confused in whatever it was that Eric was trying to do. "I think that about covers it."

"I, of late, realized that it is important to know more about the people..."

"..the people that work for you." she added dryly. "That sounds like a good way to boost moral around the workplace."

"the people you...see often enough to call lover." he decided those words were as close as he wanted to come to saying what he truly needed to say.

"Oh...um...okay." she folded her legs on the chair, trying to think of some quick rebuttal. She found none.

"I will sit here and and listen."

"You? Listen?" she laughed in his face "Those words comin' from your lips, don't belong in the same sentence." she hit his arm playfully, realizing that she had lost her bad mood. Point 1 for blondie. She thought. "Be specific. Ask me questions and I'll give you answers."

"That sounds like we'd actually have to have a real conversation." he frowned playfully.

They sat there for almost an hour asking each other questions. Tara knew more about Eric's past lives than she would have ever thought possible. Like that he remembered every place he'd ever been and could recall memories by the music accompanying the era. And he found her life up till now a series of depressing letdowns. He was taken aback by her resilience. Most humans he knew would have died by now or resorted to doing drugs.

"I am glad that you are feeling better, lover" he said seeing that her pissy demeanor had nearly vanished completely. She altogether seemed a lot happier than she'd been all day, he thought.

"That shower made me sleepy. And when I'm sleepy I get happy."

Just as she began to stretch and yawn he reached into the pocket of his blazer. He pulled out an old looking amulet attached to a chain of gold. He held it up in front of her, watching her as she watched the trinket spinning in the light. Her eyes grew wide as she tried to figure out what it was.

"What kinda voodoo shit, is this? I'm a Christian." he laughed at his lover.

"Its an amulet crafted by one of the villagers of the Viking city, where I was born."

"Oh." she sat stunned.

"It grants the wearer a shield of protection by the guardians of earth, so I've been told."

"You don't believe it works?"

"I doesn't matter what think. I've no use for it. I cannot die, therefore, I don't need the guardians protection, any longer." he undid the clasp in the back and placed it around her neck.

"Thanks." she felt her neck as the tiny sculpted creature created chills in her body.

"Its damned better than the chain you used to wear. So, I only hope you'll readily dispose of the silver one."

"I dunno. I might have to use it soon." she tried to look serious but her face exploded in laughter when she saw him scowl.

Just as she laughed Alcide burst through the door. His face went to stone as he trudged pass everyone, going into the kitchen as he muttered his hellos.

When he came back and sat on the sofa next to Tara, Eric stood quickly motioning to Alcide to come with him.

"Alcide, you'll receive some instructions later. I'm sure you can handle them." Eric stated throwing a glance to Tara who stood fixed on the sofa as her boys exchanged words.

Slightly annoyed he just gave a short grunt and nodded. He knew anytime alone Tara had with Eric would have her eating out of the palm of his hands again. He was certain now that her time with him that night might have undone all the work he'd put in. But he planted the seed. She would have to figure it out on her own.

"What was that all about?" Alcide questioned after Eric flew off into the distance.

"Nothing happened. We just talked."

"Okay." he shrugged and began walking past her.

"Okay?" she cocked an eyebrow at him. "That's all you have to say?"

Climbing the stairs three at a time he was already in the bathroom when he shouted back,

"Yep."

"So you've got absolutely nothing to say about it?"

"What do you want me to say, Tara?"

"You know you wanna say somethin'." she shouted back as she took to the stairs.

"Stop picking fights. You've already made it clear that your with him. So as your bodyguard, there's nothing left for me to say except," A shirtless Alcide met her at the top of the stairs. "Goodnight."

"I know it bothers you but you and I together just wouldn't be right...not right now at least."

"All we have is right now. We could both get shot, drained by some vamps or something tomorrow, then, where would we be?"

"You know what I mean."

"Just spend the night with me." he reached out and pulled her to his chest.

"I...I can't." struggling to get free, he just held her close. She stopped struggling as she heard his heart beating faster at times then slow, as if it was talking to her. She closed her eyes and imagined a world without stress.

"Would it be so bad if I just held you close to me all night? We'd both be warm and I wouldn't have to dream about it anymore." his rugged voice rumbled in his chest and it shook her. She would just let this careless whisper of things that couldn't be nag at her.

"We can't. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." She finally looked up into his eyes. He released his hold on her and she backed up in the direction of her room. "You get to follow me to work as I explain you to Sookie." She tried to pull off a normal we're just roommates tone. Which failed miserably. "It'll be a lie, of course."

"Sookie's the blonde broad who left you here cause you don't like her vampire boyfriend?"

"Yeah, that's the one and she ain't no broad." she rubbed her arms still feeling Alcide's warm embrace.

"My bad." he chuckled seeing her defend her friend. "At any rate, that should be fun."

"You don't mind, do you?"

"No, its my job." he turned and walked back to his room, leaving her to stare after him as he closed the door behind him.

"Shit." she cursed again looking into the amulet Eric had given her.

Tara woke the next day with a clear resolve. She was determined to stick to the plan this time. In her eyes Eric was taking the steps needed to show her that she was more than just a pawn in the game, even if she felt as if she was taking two steps forward and three steps back every time she looked at her mess of a situation. She gazed at the little talisman Eric had given her before he left to go back to business. This will work. He had told her repeatedly while staring into her eyes. You have nothing to worry about. He laughed while she cursed at his continual use of the word lover. Don't dwell on the meaningless, lover. He had whispered in her ear when he was leaving.

She made her way to the out of Sookie's room and peeked in on her room where Alcide lay sleeping. She a stared at the strong plains of his back breathing in and out as she slept peacefully on her bed. What she wouldn't give to feel the smooth muscles there, lingering just long enough to feel the warmth.

She was perfectly fine with just looking, touching would be another dangerous thing. He shifted a little and she scooted away from the door quickly fearing he might catch her spying on him.

She ran into the bathroom closing the door carefully, so as not to make anymore noise than she could help. She washed her face, not really sure if she recognized herself. Who was she becoming? She had no idea. At least she wasn't thinking about her past anymore...she had a way too messy future ahead of her. One, she didn't exactly like thinking about, either.

As she came down the stares the front door began creaking. The knob began turning slowly and she froze in her place, her heart screaming at her to run for the closet. She watched as the door finally swung open and Jason Stackhouse, slinked in. His face fixed in a way that made her laugh audibly. He looked up and she could tell he nearly pissed himself.

"Jesus H. Christ, Tara!" he jumped his heart nearly bursting through his white wife-beater.

"Jason, what you doin' sneakin' round here like a fakeass Andy Bellfleur?"

She met him at the end of the stairwell trying to get a good look at his face. If there was one thing she could count on with Jason, it was that his face revealed everything anyone needed to know about him. That was one thing that made him so loveable to her and every other female with a pulse in Bon Temps.

"Well...um...I was looking for Sook." he nodded quickly

"You know good and well she's been stayin' with Bill for like a month now." She kept trying to get a good look at his face. He kept avoiding her gaze realizing that this wasn't how this was supposed to happen."You on V again?" she quickly looked down at his jeans.

"NO!" he waved his hand quickly. " No, ma'am I don't do that shit no more. You know what it is? I gotta get more sleep at night. Damn, Hoyt keeps me up all night wit his lovey-dovey talks bout' this vampire chick he likes and I ain't been getting my eight hours. I think I'll go work on that right, now. Bye, Tara."

"Stop right there. Earth to Jason, I ain't a spring chicken. I been knowing you long enough to know when you lying to me Jason Stackhouse. Now, look me in the eye and tell me why you creepin' round Gran's house like you stole somethin?

He rubbed a hand down his face and looked around for an easy escape. He shoved his hands in his his jean pockets and sighed, shaking his head in regret.

"Can I have somethin' to eat first? Don't wanna die on an empty stomach."

"Sure. C'mon in the kitchen."

Tara whipped up some scrambled eggs, some grits and lots of bacon. She sat a large plate in front of Jason who woofed the food down without a second thought.

"Now, you gone tell me what you was doing here, spying on me?" she sat on the counter near the fridge swinging her legs as she watched him swallow hard while he thought of something to say.

"Now, Tara, you not gone like what I'm bout' to tell you," he began his blue eyes pleading with hers for forgiveness already. "But I'm gone tell you anyway." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and place a hand on either thigh as he began licking his lips.

"Would you spit it out already." she spat.

"Alright. Alright. Geez." he pleaded stuffing another strip of bacon in his mouth. "Vampire Bill said when he saw you at the bar the other day that you looked different, so that same night, I'm guessin before he went back to get Sook, he asked to me to see what I could find."

"What the fuck, Jason?" throwing her arms up she jumped off the counter hitting several times in the head and arms. He flinched trying to dodge her strong punches.

"Tara...Wait...Stop...Hey...Dammit...Tara...I'm sorry."he finally caught her wrists, to which, she replied by trying to knee him.

"What in the fuck do you mean, Vampire Bill asked you to check it out?

"He said that, you shouldn't even know I was here. Because you might deny it later if we find that something was up."

"What else?"

"He said that if I caught you sleeping, I should check for bite marks among other stuff. His reasonin behind that is that you smelled funny when he saw you...like a vamp or a were-wolf...Which I told him was complete and utter bull-shit. I told him if there's anybody I know in the whole wide world that would stay away from those two things it would be Tara Thorton."

"Well, you picked a real great time to check, Jason. It's 9:00 am. Most people are awake." She shook her head slowly. She couldn't help but laugh at the lovable dim-wit that Bill had procured to do his dirty-work for him. This solidified his shittyness to her and she had no choice now but to get prepared to fight back.

"Well at least I know ain't nobody else here with you, right?"

"Yeah...right. Ain't nobody here but me." she lied.

Alcide nearly ran into the kitchen with nothing but a pair of boxer-briefs on.

"What's going on in here, Tara? Are you okay?" he stood ready to pounce on Jason who now stood facing the rugged man with his fists up.

"I could say the same thing to both of you." Jason started, looking suspiciously between Tara and Alcide.

"Jason, it's not what you think." she muttered the cliché as she felt a strong headache coming. She sat down realizing things just got twenty times worse.

"You got that right," Alcide offered thinking morosely on how he wished their situation was what Jason was probably thinking about.

"All alone, huh, Tara?" Jason grinned slowly dropping his fists down to his sides. "Well everybody got get some sometime, right?"

Seizing this opportunity to get a jump start on the story she'd be telling Sookie later, Tara, ran over to Alcide, placed a hand over his bare chest and kissed his cheek.

"Just go with it." she whispered into his ear as she rubbed the back of his neck with her other hand.

"I'm not complainin'," he took advantage of the lie to further his own motives. Kissing her back, he decided to up the anti by slipping in his tongue. Tara almost fought back but decided the more convincing the kiss was the better, right?

"Alright. I get it. I get it." Jason cringed playfully still smiling.

"Yeah. I just love me some Alcide." she slapped his back causing Alcide to curse.

"Well, then I guess my work here is done." Jason nodded assuredly as he brushed himself off. "I can tell Vampire Bill that everything is peachy keen in Taraland and my ass is saved."

"Jason," Tara began quickly moving away from Alcide whose right hand had found its way to her lower back. "Don't tell no one, especially Bill, about Alcide here." she looked back quickly. " I wanna be the one to tell everyone bout him, okay?

"So, I'm the first to know, bout you two?" he asked sheepishly. She nodded.

"Yeah. So let's just keep this our little secret, okay? I'm gonna tell Sook at work and Lala too."

"Okay. Okay. I won't tell no one, scouts honor." he proclaimed, sticking out his chest as he held up the hand sign.

"Thanks Jason." she bear hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"No prob, Tara." he hugged her back. "Well, I gotta go get ready for work...and don't worry, I won't tell no one."

He brushed pass her and stood in front of Alcide clearing his throat, trying to be manly.

"It was nice meeting you." he held out a hand averting his gaze from the rest of Alcide's body which was only being covered by the boxer-briefs.

"Same here, man." Alcide grumbled back giving Jason's hand a firm shake.

"Tara, here, is like my little sister, so if you hurt her...well, let's just say it ain't gone be too pretty for you." he laughed

"Don't worry bout that. If anyone is gonna be doing the hurtin' 'round here then its your girl, Tara. She's a tough one."

Jason left and in his wake he left behind a whole slew of problems that were vast approaching.

"Go make yourself decent." Tara implored as Alcide stood baffled by this new information she'd told him.

"Damn, you've already seen me naked, woman. There's nothing else to hide." he shot back.

"Whatever. Just go get ready to go with me to work and put on a happy face, cause shits about to get really weird now."

"Weirder than your best friend's boyfriend sending someone to spy on you?" he laughed

"You don't know the half of it." She sighed staring out of the window overlooking Gran's backyard. "You just don't know...its getting harder and harder to breathe."