Alcide marched upstairs trying his best not to feel giddy after his little show with Tara. Her kisses always made his mind venture to some not so rated G events.

“Are ya sure, I can't just go like this?” he hollered from in front of a suitcase on the bed, grinning as he pictured her face, her eyes rolling and maybe even a smile as she searched for an answer.

“Just...just get dressed!” she yelled back. She hated that he could get her at a loss for words, something Eric had mastered with his touch, Alcide had managed to create with a simple look and words alone.

“And make sure you look good....I can't be seen fake-datin' someone who looks like I picked him up off the street.”

“What's your boyfriend gonna say bout' all this? Or is this all part of his divine plan to kill this Compton guy we all seem to hate?”He picked out a shirt he thought would be okay for just meeting some new faces, nothing too serious.

“No, it ain't part of the plan and you'll do well to keep this shit to yourself. You know how Eric checks in with you...well, just leave it to me to tell him that I've added some duties to your job description.”

“There's a lot of that going on here, lately.” he laughed heartily pulling on his jeans. “ I mean you're keeping a whole mess of secrets from everyone...you must be tired.”

She decided not to answer. She was already up in Sook's room and had decided on a top to wear. There was just the matter of retrieving it from her old room, where Alcide was now.

She got up still in pajamas and walked in not realizing Alcide was still changing, not really caring what she was about to do to him, she walked straight past him and up to her dresser where most of her clothes still lay. She picked up her navy blue printed tee and stripped, putting it on right there in front of him. He stood frozen as she discarded her pajama bottoms, finding some capris that hugged her hips and thighs just right flaring out a tiny bit at mid-calf.

“Uh, not that I'm complaining but what are ya doing?” he almost whispered

“Leveling the playing field. I've seen you buck naked...I felt you deserved a little somethin' somethin'. Its also gonna keep your mind on me when we get to the bar. I need all of your attention on me cause unlike Sook, I can't read minds so you're gonna have to pay extra close attention.”

“Oh...Okay.”

“I'll fill you in on all staff on the way there. In the meantime, try to close your mouth...droolin on the bed ain't sexy.” she winked, leaving the room as he stared in disbelief.

At Merlotte's

Tara burst through doors looking around for anyone who worked at the bar. She spotted her Arlene right away, Her red curls bouncing around as she forced smiles to old bitties and older men who were too friendly.

“Mornin' Tara.” she waved joyfully as she escaped the crowd of patrons.

“Hey Arlene, you seen Sook, Lafayette, or Sam?”

“You know your cousin's in the kitchen, and Sam...only God knows where there that man ran off too. He's been worrying over a lot lately especially since the last time you were here. He hired some new girl today and I can't seem to keep her outta my way. And Sookie shouldn't be too far off. I think she's in the little girl's room” she put a looked around cautiously batting her false lashes as she added gave Tara the, and just between you and me look, “probably putin' makeup on some of those bite marks. The people are noticin and they ain't tippin' her like usual.”

“Well that's not good.” Tara rubbed the side of her neck thinking about the places she'd been bitten.

“ She's been getting bitten more and more if you ask me....and nothing good and godly can come of something like that. I'm just glad there are still sane people like us who won't dare go down that road.” She patted Tara on her shoulder and sashayed away, waving politely to the older patrons that she hoped to squeeze a tip out of.

Tara brushed off Arlene's rant and ran to the kitchen. Her shift wouldn't start for another hour so she could introduce Alcide to everyone and they could fawn over him while she worked.

“La La, you in here?” she scanned the area seeing a few pots on the stove.

“Who's askin?” he peered from behind the pantry straightening his du-rag as he walked over to greet her.

“Hey, its just me.”

“Someone's got a little glow goin on,” he smiled, and pointed at her. “So, where is he and where can I get one?”

“What you talkin bout', ain't nobody glowin' up in here unless you putin radiation in the food.” she smiled nervously.

“La La's got his ways of knowing....the dick is that good, huh?”

“Stop it.” she couldn't help but laugh. Her cousin was always so in tune with her. He always knew what was going on with her or so he thought. She hated to think that she would have to tell him the whole truth soon. Perhaps she would just lie a little longer. It wouldn't hurt to let him think she was happy.

“Wait right here, okay?”

“Hookah, I'm not going nowhere.” he smiled as he began to stir the pot on the stove. He was glad she was excited about something that wasn't vampire related for once.

She ran outside to where Alcide stood posed up against his van.

“C'mere, it's time to meet my cousin. He's gay but he can and will kick your ass if you ain't careful.” she grabbed his hand pulling him closer to her side as they strode in side by side. So just nod and smile...and if he feels you up..... then he likes ya.”

He gulped audibly as she continued pulling him towards the door.“Yes Ma'am.”

She pulled him straight into kitchen where Lafayette stood stirring a pot of something.

“Lafayette, I'd like you to meet Alcide.” pushing him forward to stand on his own she stood back as they began their introductions.

“Damn, hookah, where you been hiding him at?”

Lafayette looked around to Tara who stood blushing. He dropped the large spoon he was using to stir the concoction on the stove and began circling Alcide who stood motionless and unsuspecting as he stared him up and down.

“We ain't been hiding.” she joked.

“Since I know Tara gone lie....Boyfriend, where you been hiding? And are there more of you?” he stopped placing a hand on his hip as he bit his lip.

Alcide noticed how much Tara and Lafayette looked alike, especially when they smiled. It was good to know she had at least some family she could count on.

“We met through mutual friend.” she jumped in.

“Yeah, a real good friend.” he added.

“Well you need to let your friend hook a brotha up, okay?”

“Our friend's not really in the matchmaking business....in fact he doesn't even know we're an item.” Alcide continued.

“Too bad.....and word to the wise, if you insist on messin with my little cousin, here, she's real tough. So if you got time and a chisel....you might get her to be nice to ya.”

“I've been hearing a lot about that, lately. She is a tough one.” he looked back at her giving her a nice wide smile. Rolling her eyes she smiled back. Checking the clock on the wall she suddenly went over to Lafeyette and hugged him.

“Can't let you hog him, I got show him to the rest of the gang 'fore my shift starts.”

“Stingy heffer, don't wanna share her new toy with her cousin.” he gave her a funny look and returned to the stove.

“I never did like sharing” she called back. “Oh and Lafayette, I'll call you tonight, okay.”

“Yeah yeah. Get on somewhere 'fore some of these light skinned hookahs tries to steals your man.”

Alcide who'd found a seat at the bar had been looking around seeing all the sights and sounds that the town had to offer. He saw a guy in a police uniform throw back a couple shots. He caught a couple of older women ogling him from their booth. He smiled politely and then their once flirty features turned to stoned and their gazes snapped back to looking at each other. He turned around to find Tara standing right behind him. He smiled to himself as she rolled her eyes in their direction.

“Who are gonna meet now?” he stared up at her from the stool.

“Sam Merlotte, the owner, if I could just find him.” she scanned the area looking for him or any sandy headed blond with tight jeans and a cup of ice to his head.

She spotted him slipping out of his office. Grabbing Alcide's hand she jerked him from his seat and straight in Sam's direction.

She knew convincing Sam that she was dating Alcide would be one of the hardest things of all. After the brief lustful sessions they'd shared were over they were left in a rough spot. Not sure that the other was really in it for any other reason that to have a good time and to fill the growing void, it hadn't been the easiest time walking around the bar pretending they'd never done it. She had always thought in the deepest recesses of her mind that they could have worked. She thought he might have felt that way too, but she couldn't help but realize that when he was with her he really thought about being with Sookie.

Her palms starting to sweat a little and she let go of Alcide who kindly wiped the sweat on his shirt and grabbed her hand again. He could also smell something unique about the guy they were going up to next. He smelled human but with the essence of something he couldn't pin point.

“Sam,” she called as she reached him.

“You're early, Tara. Is there something you wanted to talk about?” he paused when he saw Alcide walking up behind her.

“Yeah...kinda. I want you to meet my boyfriend.”

“Your boyfriend.” he half laughed giving Alcide a suspicious look to which he replied with manly head nod and what Tara thought sounded like a mix between a growl and a grunt.

“Yep. This is Alcide.”

Sam smiled wearily, thrusting out a hand and Alcide grabbed and gave a quick firm shake. This whole situation was smelling really weird to Sam. He didn't have all the pieces to the puzzle, yet. But he would get to the bottom of Tara's behavior. What was more alarming is the fact that her scent was coupled with two others, one of which was vaguely familiar. He racked his brain trying to recall where he had smelled this before....was it? Could it be.....vampire? He didn't know why he hadn't noticed it before now but the presence of this guy and this new scent around her was reminding him of her attitude the day before when she'd gone outside and came back looking ten times worse..what had she seen? Who had she seen? What was going on?

“Nice to meet you.” Alcide mumbled.

“Same here.”

“Alcide, hun, you wanna go sit at the bar and wait for me?” she gave him a look that signaled it was okay to leave. She squeezed his hand and then he let go, turning to walk towards the bar. As soon as he was out of ear shot Tara spun back around to meet Sam's eyes which were glazed over with some unrecognizable emotion.

“Tara. My office. Now.” he grabbed her arm and pulled her back inside of his little cluttered room, clicking the door securely behind them.

“What the fuck, Sam?” she snatched her arm away, still feeling his grip.

“No, Tara, you tell me what the fuck is going on? Cause I damn sure don't believe that that guy out there is your boyfriend.”

“Whoa whoa whoa....where the hell is all this coming from? You only met the guy two seconds ago and ya already don't like him.”

“How much do you know about this guy? Where is he from? Where did you meet?”

“Sam, of all the times I've asked you to trust my judgment, and you have. I need your trust more now than ever.”

“Tara, it's him I don't trust. There's something different about him.” He paced the floor not taking his eyes off of her as she stood seething behind the door. Her eyes wide and on the brink of tears that she fought like mad to keep hidden. Her hands balling into tight fists, the way she did, when she was upset, or trying to hide something. He had learned her well.

“Dammit, I promise to tell you all the details soon, but all you and anybody else needs to know right now, is that Alcide is my boyfriend. If there is anybody you should be worrying about....it should be Sookie.” she looked away furiously wiping away a stray tear that had slipped out without her permission. “Have you looked at her lately? She's been staying with Bill, ya know.”

“Yeah, I know. But what does that have to do with all that's goin on with you, Tara?”

“You of all people should be the most worried. I've been trying to keep quiet about this for God knows how long but Bill is just using Sookie. He keeps her away from everybody who loves her. She moved out cause I tried to hint that Bill was manipulating her..she just keeps looking for trouble.”

“I know it must feel like you're losing your best friend, Tara. But Sookie has to figure it out on her own. There's nothing you or I can say that would make her stop loving Bill....nothing.” he sighed as he felt one of his famous headaches starting up again.

“That's where we disagree. I know there's something I can do.” She held her chin up and opened the door. Sam pushed it shut before she could leave.

“Tara, don't be stupid. Just try to focus on keeping yourself together. There are just some forces that we shouldn't mess with...vampires and were-wolves are some of them.”

He'd finally figured out what that familiar smell was on Tara, it was vampire....but it wasn't Bill. And the other scent had turned out to be were-wolf and it was the same scent as the guy she brought with her today..He looked into her eyes and saw the fear. The fear that he'd figured out whatever she was trying so desperately to hide.

“You know I don't fool around with the supernatural shit, Sam.” she pursed her lips trying to seem calm about it.

“I don't think you're being honest Tara. I think you've gotten yourself into some trouble that you can't get out of and it has everything to do with the very supernatural shit you say you're keeping away from.”

“I don't want to talk about this right now. All I need you to do is accept that Alcide is my boyfriend and stop worrying about me.”

“I can't stop worrying about you, Tara. I never will.”

“Dammit Sam. Try!”

She opened the door and stormed out racing straight for the bathroom. She saw Sookie just as Arlene had predicted, applying copious amounts of concealer to the several bite marks that now covered her once flawless skin. She jumped at the sight of Tara who just stood watching.

“Sook, what are you doing?”

“I'm....I'm just coverin up a couple things.” she blushed slightly as she continued to rub in the concealer.

“Covering up blemishes or bite marks?” she walked closer to her friend. Tara placed a hand up to where at least 3 different set of bite marks lay. Sookie flinched a little.

“Well, yeah. Bill says he just can't enough of me.” she smiled crazily as Tara continued to investigate the bruises. “So much so that I have to drink from him at least twice a night to keep up with him.”

“Sook, do you hear how fuckin' crazy you sound right now? It's like you've become a totally different person.”

“Tara, see, this is why I had to go stay with Bill. You never accepted that I am different from the rest of y'all. All the negativity I get from everyone is what's draining me of my happiness not Bill.”

Tara began shaking her head slowly, marveling at the obvious delusional state her once good friend had succumbed to. She realized then and there that the only way Sookie would finally come back to her senses would be when her and Eric finished what they set out to do.

“You're right, Sook.”

“I'm glad you're starting to see the light.” she admitted happily turning to hug Tara with a few tears in her eyes.

“Sook, since you moved out....well, some things have changed.”

“What kind of changes? You're not doing drugs or something are you? You know how I feel about them.”

“Fuck no. Changes, like that I got me a boyfriend and he's staying with me at Gran's...” she trailed off.

Sookie let go of Tara stared straight into her eyes and squealed. “Oh my gosh, Tara. That's amazing.”

“That doesn't bother you? At all?!” Are you on drugs? Tara wanted to blurt out as she stood confused but imagined that if Sookie could easily be swayed into thinking she loved Bill, that his grip must be taking reign over her entire way of thinking.

“I've been thinking about moving all my stuff in with Bill for a while now anyways. I just didn't know if you would take the news well or not.”

“Oh.” She felt a pang of fear. “Don't be so quick to decide on things like that yet, Sook. You never know what might happen. Things 'round here can change in the blink of an eye and you know it.” She admonished wagging a finger in Sookie's direction like Gran would've done.

“I know but I just can't wait, though. Bill has even promised to take me to meet the vampire queen, once I get completely settled in at his place, ain't that sweet?”

Obviously caught off guard by the new information Tara nodded approvingly as her mind raced constantly about the quickening pace of Bill's actions. She didn't even know that vampires had a sheriff until she met Eric. Now, there are queens and kings too...this was just getting progressively more and more stressful.

“Yeah Sookie, that sounds real sweet.” she shook her head. Looking down at her watch she saw that it almost time for her shift to start. “I think we should hurry up and get outta here 'fore Arlene sends out a search party and someone molests Alcide.”

“Alcide. Is that his name?” Sookie dropped several containers of makeup back in her little leather kit.

“Yeah, I think you should meet him when you get a chance, okay?”

“Okay.”

They opened the door hearing a rush of noise come at them from the bar. Tara kickly made it back to the bar where Alcide sat patiently waiting.

“Everything okay?” he asked sheepishly figuring that her boss wanting to see her on account of him might have made her a little on edge.

“I should ask you the same thing. Anybody tried to touch while I was gone?” she got behind the bar and began pulling out glasses.

“Yeah, the redhead over there keeps winking at me.” he nodded in Arlene's direction as she smiled over at him.

“She's the least of our worries.” she breathed out getting ready for the start of her shift and later Bill's arrival.

She had up til now followed Eric's rules completely, and she planned on straightening things out with Lafayette later that night. Alcide was introduced to everyone and was keeping a watchful eye at the bar. Jason had been pacified, or she at least hoped he was but she could never be too sure. That boy ran his mouth like water and hopefully Bill hadn't glamored him to telling anything. She could only hope so for the sake of everyone finding out she was sleeping with and maybe having some type of emotional relationship with the vampire sheriff of area 5, who also happened to own a nightclub, the viking prince himself, Eric Northman. She was sure to see him after work or maybe sooner than that depending on her mood tonight. If things stayed calm all night and she avoided Bill then no worries, right? Wrong again, Tara.