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Sookie was asleep on the couch when Jason gently shook her awake. Her eyes fluttered open and looked up to see her brother holding a mug with steam rising from it.

“Morning, Jase,” she smiled.

“Shit, it’s almost noon, Sookie,” he said and handed her the mug.

Sookie sat up and looked into the mug to see a black liquid inside. “What is this?” She inhaled the aroma and felt her mouth water a little.

“Coffee.”

She’d never seen black liquid before but it smelled too good not to try it. Sookie lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip. It was a little on the bitter side, but she liked the flavor. It seemed to perk her up immediately, and even though it was a very warm drink, she found herself gulping it down.

“That was delicious,” Sookie said when the mug was empty.

“Wow, you drank that pretty fast,” he said, sounding impressed. “It’ll wake you up and give you some energy.”

“Do other humans know about this?”

“Well yeah. Everyone drinks coffee. There’s even a coffee shop empire called Starbucks. You go to a bigger city and there’s one on every corner. Here we only got one in the Target.”

“Is there more?” Sookie held out the mug.

“Yeah, a whole pot full. C’mon I’ll show you how to make it.”

Sookie followed Jason off the couch to the kitchen.

“Did you enjoy your evening with Dawn?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he grinned. “She got out the handcu—never mind.”

Sookie peeked in his head and then wished she hadn’t.

“You let her chain you to her bed?”

“Hey! How did you know that?”

“I can read your mind, Jase. What is a rim job?”

“I am not tellin’ you that,” he huffed, and pulled the coffee pot to the edge of the counter.

“I’ll just ask Eric,” Sookie shrugged.

“You know what, I have a web site for you to look at,” he said. “I learned a lot from it, and you can too. Just don’t go askin’ me any more questions about my sex life.”

Sookie giggled and said, “Just so you know, I don’t usually read your mind but I wanted to know the rest of your thought.”

“Well thanks for not always readin’ it,” he said, and then showed her how to make coffee.

“I think this is even better than ice cream,” Sookie said as the energy kicked in. “You know this kitchen could use a good cleaning. So could Gran’s house. Do you have a mop? Do you still own the other house? Why are my hands shaking?”

She was talking quickly and started to move around the kitchen, tidying things up.

“Whoa, I think you shouldn’t have any more coffee right now,” Jason said. “You’ve got a caffeine high.”

“I feel like I could run to Shreveport and back,” Sookie told him.

“Well don’t try. You’ll have a crash halfway there and nothin’ good’ll come out of it.”

Sookie nodded.

“Oh! I saw Fintan last night! He gave me some things,” she said and popped to the bedroom to get the box and then popped back to the kitchen. She lifted the lid and let Jason look inside. In the light of day she realized either she had miscounted the money or it had grown overnight.

“He gave you all that money?” Jason asked, his eyes going wide.

“Yes,” she answered. “I can pay you back for the things you bought me. Eric has offered me a job working at his store on the nights you are off. I can support myself. I don’t want to stay too long here and annoy you.”

“You don’t annoy me, Sook,” he said. “We should probably go to the bank and open you an account. I got all your important papers there in a safe deposit box.”

“That’s what Eric said I should do too. Oh, and I have a phone now, but I don’t know how it works,” Sookie told him. “I was too tired to play with it last night. I’m always tired when I come back from Eric’s house.”

“Gettin’ too close to too much info there, sis,” Jason shook his head. “Lemme see the phone, I’ll show you how to use it.”

Sookie picked up the plastic rectangle and handed it to Jason.

“Eric put his number in there already for me.”

Jason fiddled with the phone and got it to light up. It made a little beeping sound and he tapped the screen.

“What is it beeping for?” Sookie asked.

“You got a message,” he said, and then hit another button and screamed as he dropped the phone.

“Did the device hurt you?” Sookie asked while crouching down to pick up the phone. She looked at the screen and gasped. It was a picture of Eric’s manly parts.

“Why is he sendin’ you dirty pictures?!”

“I don’t know!” Sookie’s cheeks flamed. “I didn’t ask him to.”

“I didn’t need to see no vamper’s cock!”

Sookie stared at her brother and the horror on his face made her want to laugh.

“Does it not look like any other males’?” Sookie asked just because it was funny.

Jason narrowed his eyes at her and said, “More or less…”

Sookie turned the phone and said, “Looks like more to me.”

“Yeah, so it’s pretty big. Who cares?” he huffed.

“Jason I don’t know if size is that impor–”

“It’s important, no matter what chicks say,” he said. “And I got enough, trust me. Dawn ain’t never complained.”

“Jase, I wasn’t saying you are inadequate–”

“Whatever, just get dressed so we can go to the bank.”

Jason’s head looked like it was going to explode.

“Would you prefer not to discuss this topic with me?” Sookie asked gently.

“Yes, I would prefer not,” he said.

“I apologize if I upset you,” Sookie said sincerely and then left the room to go put clothes on.

She selected a dress and then brushed out her hair. She still wasn’t wild about the contraption that held her breasts up, but she wore it anyway because it what human women did. Afterward Sookie went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. It was something unnecessary in Fairy, but it was on earth. In Fairy she never got sick, never had a cavity and both were common afflictions on earth. When she was ready, Sookie met Jason in the living room with the bundles of bills that were in the box. Just to see if the money was multiplying on its own, she’d left two of the bundles in the box.

“Ready to go?” Jason asked.

“Yes, I think so,” Sook nodded.

She followed Jason out to his truck and he helped her climb up into the cab. He got in on the other side and drove them into town to the bank. Sookie remained quiet and became resolved to move out of Jason’s house as soon as she could. She was enjoying getting to know her brother, but Fintan was giving her the chance to try being independent. That meant she should try to do it on her own. Fintan had given her the means to ensure she could live comfortably, so even if her brother didn’t still own their family home, she would be able to afford a new place.

The bank was nearly dead so they were helped immediately. The man’s look when Sookie produced close to $100,000.00 in cash was priceless. Sookie took ten of the bundles and gave them to Jason. She felt like it was the least she could do. How much did she really need? Especially if she was going to have income. It seemed selfish and greedy to keep it all to herself.

“Sook, you ain’t gotta do that,” Jason said.

“I know. I want to,” she said. “Please take it, Jason. It’s a gift from your family, too.”

“I didn’t realize the Stackhouse family was so well off,” the banker said.

“The Stackhouses ain’t,” Jason said. “I suppose I will be making a deposit today too.”

Sookie was relieved Jason was taking the money, but the banker’s thoughts were unsettling.

I wonder if they’re V pushers. I hear tell there’s lots of money to be made selling fanger blood.

Why in the world would anyone want to sell vampire blood? How would humans even get their hands on it?

Then Sookie saw an image in the man’s mind of a silver net being thrown over a vampire to weaken it. The vampire’s throat was cut and the blood was collected in a bucket. The vampire was left out to die in the sun. Sookie took note of the banker’s name. If he was in the business of draining vampires, he was about to have his clearance sale.

As soon as the account was set up and Jason’s deposit was made, they left the bank.

“I think that guy is into draining vampires,” Sookie told Jason once they were back in the truck. The banker certainly took pleasure in the thought of a vampire being drained.

“Shit, really?” he asked. “It’s never the ones you suspect. He did just buy a fancy new car.”

“He thinks we got the money selling vampire blood.”

“He can think that all he wants, we know it ain’t true,” Jason said.

“Of course not. Do people really do that?”

“Yup. V is a drug now. People capture vampires and drain them, then sell the blood.”

“That’s terrible,” Sookie said.

“Why? Vampers do the same thing they just drink all the blood instead of sellin’ it.”

“It’s not the same, Jase! They need it to survive. It’s food to them. They don’t drain humans just for kicks and make profits from the deaths,” Sookie argued.

He was quiet for a moment and then said, “I suppose I could see that.”

“It’s not the same thing at all,” Sookie sighed and looked out the window. “This realm is so backwards.”

“Maybe we can work on changin’ that,” Jason said. “Just as soon as we find the vampire that murdered Gran.”

“Do you know anything about that night?”

“Not much. I was already moved out. Gran usually didn’t come outside at night, but it was a pretty night. Sometimes she liked to sit on the porch and look at the stars. She was found by one of her friends on the porch, face down in front of the door like she was tryin’ to get inside. There was a glass of tea and a book on the swing.”

Sookie’s eyes welled up and she said, “I’m sorry you had to go through that alone, Jason.”

He reached for her hand and said, “Me too.”

“I can talk to Eric and see if he knows anything about it. Since he’s the boss around here it’s possible he knows who was responsible.”

“I’d appreciate any help he could give, even if he is a vamp.”

“He’s really not a bad man, Jason.”

He pulled into a parking lot for a place called Merlotte’s Bar and Grille, and parked his truck.

“Is it okay if we have lunch here?” he asked. “Hoyt’ll be here. And Sam Merlotte.”

“Sure. I’m hungry anyhow,” Sookie said. She jumped down from the truck and followed Jason into the building.

It was a little dark inside, but her eyes adjusted quickly to it. Jason led her over to a table where a tall, handsome young man was sitting.

“Sookie?” the boy stood up.

I can’t believe she’s really here. Thank you, God.

Sookie smiled and said, “You must be Hoyt. You look so different since the last time I saw you.”

Hoyt gave her a big hug that lifted her off the floor and kissed her cheek.

“You look great, Sookie. I’m happy you’re here,” he said.

“So am I.”

Hoyt put her down and pulled out a chair for her. Sookie sat down and took the glossy, folded paper Jason handed her. She opened it and inside were different kinds of food.

“Uh, Jase?” Sookie looked at her brother.

“Oh you just pick what you want and they cook it for you,” he explained.

Of course. Sookie got that feeling of being an alien again, but she knew it would go away in time. She read over the menu and decided to try something called honey buffalo wings and French fries.

“So how’ve you been, Sookie?” Hoyt asked once the three of them were settled at the table.

“I’m a little overwhelmed right now,” she said. It wasn’t as though she could go around telling people she’d been in a parallel universe. “But I’m happy to be here.”

She sure looks pretty. I’m happy for my brother. It’s good to have her back. He was going crazy on his own. Maybe Sookie’ll help straighten him out a little.

“She’s doin’ good gettin’ back into the groove,” Jason smiled proudly at his sister. “You shoulda seen her this mornin’ when I gave her coffee for the first time.”

“It was glorious,” Sookie grinned. “Does it make you jittery, too?”

Hoyt chuckled and said, “Nah, that goes away after a while.”

“I thought she was gonna start spinnin’ in circles just to get dizzy.”

“I was already spinning,” Sookie admitted. “But I enjoyed it.”

“I’ll make sure to take you to Starbucks soon then,” Jason smiled.

“Yeah, get ‘er a double shot,” Hoyt said.

“She’ll be thinkin’ she can fly with that,” he laughed.

“Hey, don’t go complaining. I might just clean your whole house top to bottom,” Sookie offered as a man about Jason’s height came over to the table. He had strawberry blond hair with just a little bit of silver mixed into it. His neck was literally red in the back and he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

“Sookie Stackhouse,” the man said. “It’s good to have you back. I’m Sam.”

Sookie offered her hand, as seemed to be the human custom, and said, “It’s nice to meet you, Sam. Are you a friend of my brother’s?”

Sam shook her hand and said, “Yes ma’am. I’m a few years older than him.”

“I’m a few years younger,” Sookie told him. “So this is your business?”

She tried to read his mind and discovered it was cloudy in there. None of his thoughts were coming in too clear. That made her nervous. He wasn’t a vampire, but Sookie knew there was more out there than just humans and vampires. Whatever Sam was, he wasn’t a threat to her kind.

“Yep. And to celebrate your return, lunch is on me.”

“Alright!” Jason grinned. “Thanks, Sam.”

As if he hadn’t just deposited ten thousand dollars in his bank account.

“That’s very kind of you, Sam,” Sookie smiled up at him and she was sure she saw the redness in his neck creep up a little. “I was thinking to try the honey buffalo wings. Are they good?”

Hoyt nodded. “Sure are. Especially if you have a beer with ’em.”

“Sook don’t need to drink no beer,” Jason said.

“Why not?” Sookie asked. She knew what it was. There was plenty of it in Jason’s refrigerator at home.

“Yeah, why not, Jase? The girl’s gotta live a little. Besides, we’ll keep an eye on her. She’ll be safe and sound,” Hoyt said.

“Three beers it is,” Sam said and walked away before Jason could protest.

◊ ◊ ◊

When Eric woke with the sunset it was to the sound of his fairy, giggling. He sat up and saw her twirling around in his room, and smiled.

“Good evening, Miss Stackhouse,” he said.

“Helllloooo, Vampire,” she slurred and turned his way. “You look mighty naked this fine evening.”

“You reek of alcohol,” he said.

“Do I? I only had beer,” she giggled… and hiccupped.

“Just one?”

“Four.” Sookie counted on her fingers. They were glowing and she shot a ball of energy his way. “Feel that? Is it still fun to be drunk?”

Eric stiffened when the ball of energy hit him and he felt everything in it that she was feeling. It made him feel… silly.

He grinned and said, “Yes, but don’t do that again. I have another meeting tonight that I can’t attend drunk.”

“Why not?” Sookie began to twirl again. Her head fell back and she started giggling again.

“Because there is serious business to attend to. Afterwards, however, you may get me as drunk as you like.”

“You’re no fun,” Sookie said and promptly fell over.

Eric caught her before she could hit the ground, and pressed her against the wall.

“I will be very fun later, I promise.”

“Will you be naked later?”

“If that is what you wish.”

“You’re fun to look at. My brother saw your boy parts today,” Sookie informed him. “But he likes rim jobs so he’s in no position to judge me. What is a rim job? He won’t tell me.”

Eric barked out a laugh and said, “It’s when you let someone tongue your asshole.”

Sookie’s eyes went wide and then burst out laughing. She laughed until she was crying and had Eric not been holding her up, Sookie would have doubled over.

“No wonder he got so mad when I told everyone at Merlotte’s about it,” Sookie said through her laughter.

“I’m sure his face turned many different shades of red,” Eric grinned. “Probably after he saw my cock, too.”

“He dropped the phone on the floor,” Sookie sucked in air. “I think he was a little jealous.”

“Why wouldn’t he be?” he asked, and shifted his hips so he was pressed against her.

“I thought you had a meeting?”

“We can be quick. It may calm you down until I get back.”

“I am plenty calm,” she hiccupped, and then popped over to his bed.

Eric turned before he fell into the wall, and then he was on top of her.

“Do you not want to?”

“Want to what?”

“Have sex with me.”

“Maybe later. I think I had too much last night,” Sookie said.

“Well then,” he said, and dipped down to kiss her lips. “I will see you later.”

“Maybe. Maybe I’ll just go popping around,” Sookie said.

“I think it would be best if you didn’t,” Eric said. “I will have my vampires out again tonight.”

“I could go out with Tara. She invited me to go to a bar called Hooligan’s with her.”

“Hooligan’s? The strip club?” Eric asked with a smile. “Yes, do go there. I will look forward to your reaction later.”

“What’s a strip club?”

“Where women, or in this case men, take off their clothes and dance for patrons such as yourself.”

Sookie grinned. “I will enjoy it.”

“Just remember,” Eric said as he got off of her. “No pleasuring yourself in public. You could be arrested.”

“I won’t. I’ll be a good girl.”

“Good,” he smiled. “I must go shower now. Would you like for me to call your phone when I am available, or would you like to surprise me?”

“You can call me.” Sookie scooted off the bed.

“Until then, Miss Stackhouse,” he smiled.

“Goodnight, Vampire,” she said and then popped out of the house.

◊ ◊ ◊

Once all the vampires were assembled Eric started congratulating them.

“You all did a great job last night, and I am pleased to report there was no bloodshed. Thank you for bringing the weapons back here. I will have some of you stay and sort through them after the meeting. I want the same teams back out tonight, going to the homes of all the new names we pulled from the humans last night. Same plan. Any questions?”

No one raised a hand or spoke out.

“Great. The teams may go. We will have another meeting tomorrow night. Felicia, Chow, you two stay and sort through these weapons. The rest of you may do as you please,” Eric said, dismissing the meeting.

Felicia got right to work after putting on a pair of leather gloves so she could handle the silver. Chow, on the other hand, was dragging his feet. He was clearly unhappy with his assignment.

“Chow? Is there a problem?” Eric asked him.

“This is a bullshit job, Sheriff.”

“And why is that, Chow?”

“Because I should be out there glamouring instead of picking through pieces of silver,” he said.

“You whine like a child,” Felicia said, and Chow bared his fangs at her.

“Put them away,” Eric said. “Felicia is right. And if you complain again, she can leave you to finish this job yourself. Understood?”

Chow retracted his fangs, but didn’t answer Eric. He put on gloves and started sorting.

“I will send my day man for the weapons in the morning,” Eric said. “Good evening.”

With that, he left and flew to where Pam and Bill were so he could observe how they worked together. He stayed at a distance even though he was sure Pam would be able to feel him there. As she said, Bill did the job, but he didn’t seem happy about it. Still, he wasn’t causing problems, and that was enough for Eric.

He thought about calling Sookie, but decided that it would be much more fun to join her at the strip club. They were vampire friendly, and he was curious to see her reactions to the naked men dancing for her.

When he touched down outside the club he could sense that she was inside. He paid the cover charge with a smile and made his way inside the loud and colorful club. Eric looked around at the women waving dollar bills at the dancers, but he did not see Sookie. She was a million times more beautiful than all of these women. Most were divorced mothers who needed a night off from the stresses of knowing their lives did not turn out as they had hoped.

He made one round through the club before he finally looked in the most obvious of places and found the object of his desire. Sookie was up on stage with the male dancers, and she was already topless. She didn’t hesitate to rub up against and rub her hands all over the men dancing with her. Eric found it oddly arousing, and took a seat right next to the stage to watch her.

She did not spot him right away, and after a moment Eric pushed his will at her to get her attention.

Sookie stopped what she was doing and looked right at Eric. She smiled in acknowledgment and then resumed dancing with the buff brunette dancer she had been rubbing up against. Eric grinned and continued to watch her dance through the rest of the song. When it ended, she was helped off the stage by one of the dancers, and handed her discarded clothing by another. One of them even handed her a wad of money and thanked her.

“See? You’ve found another way to make money,” Eric told her when she made her way over.

Sookie giggled and straddled his lap. “How did you know where to find me?”

A waiter brought Sookie a lime green shot that looked like it was glowing, and Sookie tossed it back like it was water.

“You told me, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” she giggled. Sookie was still drunk. “Right after you told me what a rim job is. Do you like them?”

“I tried it a few times, it’s not really my thing,” he shrugged, which was a very human gesture for him. “Why was your drink glowing?”

He’d never seen a human drink do that.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “But it tasted yummy.”

“How many have you had?”

“I don’t remember. Six, maybe eight?”

“And you still feel alright?”

“You tell me,” she said.

He sensed her feelings, and she felt the same as earlier. Silly, just more so. When a waiter came by with a glowing drink, Eric stopped him.

“Excuse me, but what is in that?”

“None of your concern, Vampire,” the waiter said and his hand glowed just a little.

“Fairy,” Eric whispered.

“Keep your fangs out of the princess in here,” the fairy waiter said in warning.

“Do not worry, I will only sink them into her in the privacy of my own bedroom,” Eric retorted.

The fairy snarled and was about to give Eric a taste of his Light when Sookie spoke up.

“Rhys, don’t. Eric won’t hurt me. He’s a good vampire,” she said.

“No such thing, Princess,” Rhys said.

“I think your princess has enough mind of her own to judge my character,” Eric growled.

“We’ll see,” the fairy said, and moved on.

Sookie drank her shot and said, “Don’t worry about Rhys. He was one of the males I rejected in Fairy.”

“I thought you knew no one here,” Eric said.

“I thought I was alone,” she said. “I didn’t know anyone else was here. Apparently you didn’t either.”

“I didn’t. And I am surprised this place is vampire friendly given that it is apparently run by fairies. I also wonder why you are the only one I smell in here.”

“Some full fairies can mask their scent,” Sookie told him. “I’m only a quarter fae so I don’t possess that ability.”

“Curious,” he said. “Pam will be delighted to know about this.”

“They’ll kill her if she makes threats. She won’t even see it coming.”

“She would not threaten them,” he said. “But she would perhaps petition for a female stripper she could seduce.”

“A full female fairy is rare on this realm. They’re needed for breeding in Fairy. It’s why my grandfather doesn’t want me to stay here. You cannot give me children and you definitely can’t give me fae children.”

“But do you want children?” he asked. “And if you are only a quarter fairy then why are you so needed for breeding?”

“Because I’m mostly human and will have an easier time becoming pregnant than a full fairy,” she explained.

“I see… But you didn’t answer my other question. Do you even want to be a mother?”

“Yes, I do,” Sookie said.

“Then I suppose you must continue to use me for only sex. I will never be your mate.”

“Nope. But you wouldn’t want me for a mate anyway,” she said.

“I wouldn’t?”

“Nope.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I’ll die someday.”

“Not any day soon. And perhaps you would decide to become vampire before that day.”

“Oh be serious. Which one of us is drunk here?”

“I’m only saying it is an option,” he said.

“That is as likely as you being human again.” Sookie stood up and gathered up her clothes.

“I would say it is more likely.”

“Maybe I should,” Sookie said. “I could just go out right now and find a nice vampire to drain me and turn me. Maybe Pam is free.”

“Pam would enjoy it too much,” Eric smiled.

“What about you, Eric?” Sookie leaned over him and whispered, “Would you like to drain me, fill me up with your blood and keep me at your side for eternity?”

“Not at the moment,” he whispered back.

“Then I guess I better get out of here and start looking,” she said and popped out of the bar.

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