AN: I promise, I'm working on the next chapters for "The Louisiana Vampire Murders" and "The Prisoner." It's just…I had such a shitty day at work today, I came home and the one-shot just wrote itself. Honest, my fingers moved by themselves…

It's been a while since I've read the first book or watched the original TB episodes, but I've always wondered how things could have turned out if Eric intercepted early on around the time when Bill first met Sookie…this story explores one possible outcome…

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…

Eric's interest was piqued. When Pam had reported to him that Bill Compton had been accosted by drainers, it wasn't the loss of Compton that warranted a raised eyebrow. It was that he was Sheriff and therefore responsible for the vamps in Area 5, and having drainers on his turf was just un-fucking-acceptable.

Now, sitting before Eric in his office, Bill was reluctant to explain how he escaped their clutches.

It didn't sit well with Eric. It was obvious he was hiding something.

Putting his long legs up on his desk, hands folded across his stomach, voice monotone and face assuming a perfect mask of boredom, Eric continued his line of questioning.

"And you just magically de-silvered yourself after they had drained several pints from you."

Bill opened his mouth to answer but then shut it, opting instead to nod his assent.

Eric sighed and then continued. "And these would-be drainers just happened to drive away after you were somehow liberated from the chains. And despite your enhanced night vision, you weren't able to see what they were driving or what they looked like."

Bill nodded again, his face stoic. Eric scrutinized him for several seconds. Bill remained resolute, but Eric was a patient man.

Had a less astute inquisitor questioned Bill, it would have passed unnoticed, but Eric caught the subtle tell: a slight tic in the jaw.

Eric played along; let the fool think he got away with something. He would find out the truth soon enough. He straightened up and slid his legs back under the desk.

"Alright Bill, fine. Pam, have him sign a statement detailing these events. I will have to submit them to the queen within 72 hours after the incident, as per protocol when reporting draining incidents. Have it ready for me to look over when I get back. I have other matters to attend to." At the mention of the queen, Eric caught another of the man's tics.

Pam nodded impatiently to Bill, thrusting the paper under his nose while Eric made his way out the back door. Taking to the sky, he headed to Bon Temps, to a bar that was reportedly run by a shifter, where Compton supposedly had his run-in.

Eric landed in the deep shadows of the woods on the edge of the parking lot. He inhaled deeply…Yes, he could track Bill's scent. He followed it over to an area where blood had undeniably been spilled. He could also pick up the scent of three other individuals. One male, two female. The male and one of the females smelled similar… body odor, cum, cheap beer, and meth.

But the other…Eric took a deep breath. 'Mmm…delicious. Fae, perhaps? Subtle, though-not pure fae. But what would a fae hybrid be doing out here, especially with a wounded vampire?' he thought to himself. He followed the tantalizing scent back to the parking lot, and towards the bar. Intrigued, he smoothed back his long hair and decided to investigate.

Suppressing the urge to wrinkle his nose in distaste from the fried food stench that permeated the air, his sharp eyes quickly evaluated the area. Immediately, he caught the eye of the owner, the shifter, who was tending bar. The shifter seemed to recognize Eric, nodding his head deferentially.

Eric ignored him and coolly scanned the crowd, searching for the source of the elusive scent. It hit him right in the balls as a curvy blonde waitress bounced up to him.

She had to crane her neck up to look at him. The smile on her lovely face was genuine. "Hi there, it's pretty busy tonight, but you're in luck. Just cleared a table out in my section." She nodded to a booth to the right of the entrance. Eric grunted an assent and followed her, eyes hypnotically latched on to her voluptuous ass, barely covered by the tiny black shorts. He licked his lips and smiled back as he took a seat and accepted a menu.

"Just you tonight or are you waiting on someone?"

He smiled wider, "Just me."

She beamed, "Okay, there's not a big menu selection, but—"

"I will have a True Blood, if that is something that is offered in this establishment."

Sookie's eyes widened in excitement. "Oh, yeah, sure! You're in luck, we sure do!" She cocked her head and winked, "You know, you're the second vampire we've had in here. I guess we'll need to order more!" Skipping off in her tantalizingly tight shorts, he watched the blonde relay his order to the shifter, who reached out and held on to her arm while looking at her with an intense expression. No words were exchanged, but when she turned back to Eric with his drink, her grin had dropped a few notches and seemed forced.

"Here you go, sir-"

"Please….it's Eric. Northman. And you are?" He bent over towards her chest, as if searching for a nametag, all the while unashamedly leering at her breasts.

She backed up, narrowing her gaze. "I'm Sookie."

"Sookie?" he chuckled. "What a delightful name! Somehow fitting for such a beautiful, unique woman." His eyes raked her up and down as he took a swig of the blood.

She blushed and dropped her gaze. "Nah, not so unique." She looked up at him from under her lashes. Suddenly, she turned, as if someone had shouted her name. With a delay of perhaps two seconds, a customer had called loudly to her, gesturing to his empty beer pitcher.

She bit her lip and smiled apologetically to Eric as she went to tend to her table.

Eric had not missed the subtlety of the situation. She had turned in the man's direction prior to being called. Now, that wasn't necessarily remarkable. However, as he watched her bustling about in the busy bar, his keen eyes noticed that she always seemed one step ahead of the customers' needs, at times pausing if listening to unseen voices. Once again, someone less observant would not have thought twice about it. But Eric had definitely scented fae on the delectable woman, and he had learned the hard way, with the fae you never fucking knew what lay under the surface. The thought that the woman was psychic was a real possibility—he had stumbled upon such gifts from time to time over the years. It was especially interesting given that Compton had failed to mention Sookie's presence during his "attack."

Eric, with his many centuries worth of experience and insight into the nature of man and supe alike, was able to put two and two together quickly. Compton had returned to his hometown to procure this woman, of that he had no doubt. And somehow the queen was involved.

…

Eric stayed until near closing, ordering two more True Bloods, which sat untouched, to justify his presence in the booth. As Sookie came back for last call, he asked her to sit for a moment to talk to him.

"Um, ok. Sam, my boss, shouldn't mind since it's slowed down." She smiled and slid into the booth across from him. Eric took note of the dilated pupils in her beautiful blue eyes and scented the air. She was definitely attracted to him. Excellent. It was mutual.

"Sookie, you said something that interested me earlier. You mentioned that I am the second vampire to visit this bar. Would you be able to describe the other vampire or know his or her name by any chance?"

Sookie laughed, "Yeah, his name was Bill. Vampire Bill. I thought the name was kind of funny, you know? It was just so…commonplace. I expected something more exotic I guess."

'Son of a bitch,' he thought, his anger brewing at Compton's duplicity.

Sookie continued. "Yeah, Bill's real interesting. He fought in the Civil War, if you can believe it? I can't believe there are people walking around who are over a hundred years old!"

Eric smirked inwardly but feigned interest. "Ah, he told you about his history, did he?"

"Well, I-I kind of helped him out when he was in…a bit of a pickle. He said he owed me afterwards and asked how he could pay me back. After he told me about his Civil War experience, I was thinking he could maybe speak to my Gran's historical society meeting. He's supposed to come by here tomorrow night after I get off work. I thought I'd ask him then."

Eric suppressed a growl. He had no intention of letting Compton sink his fangs (and other things) into this delightful southern belle.

He looked at her speculatively. "Then that is a shame, because I had hoped to see you again tomorrow as well." He raised an eyebrow and lifted her hand to his mouth, placing a light kiss on her delectable skin.

She blushed and stood. "Well, I better get moving. I gotta get everything ready for tomorrow's shift." She gave him the tally for his tab. He handed her a hundred dollar bill and told her to keep the change. She attempted to argue with him but he insisted, saying that her service was impeccable and the gratuity was well earned.

As he turned to walk out the door, he noticed her admiring his ass. Smirking to assure her that he noticed, he drawled, "Ms. Stackhouse. It was a genuine pleasure meeting you. I'll be seeing you. Soon." He strode outside, turned to make sure she kept eye contact, and winked before he shot up into the sky.

Chuckling at her shocked reaction to his method of departure, he headed back to Fangtasia. He wanted to talk to Pam. He had some plans to thwart tomorrow night.

…

….

The following night:

Sookie stood by her car outside of Merlotte's. Everyone else had left for the night and there was no sign of vampire Bill. She looked at her watch. Yep, he was late. Darn it! She felt foolish and began to dig in her purse for her keys while silently cursing to herself.

Distracted by her thoughts, she didn't catch the malignant intent heading towards her until it was too late.

….

….

Pam was enjoying herself. After all, besides shopping and fucking, torture ranked at the top of her list of her favorite things.

Bill, to his surprise, had been frustratingly resilient and resistant to pain. Well, not entirely. Oh, he had suffered, but not enough to loosen his tongue. He had held out the night before, refusing to divulge any information.

And now…tonight, Eric, bored with the screams and his child's gleeful giggles, decided he'd had enough. It was nearing the time for Sookie to get off work. He wanted to be there waiting for her. Given her physical reaction to him, he didn't think she'd be too disappointed at Bill's failure to show.

If there was one thing Eric had learned across the centuries, it was to what extent males, regardless of species, were attached to their dicks. Reaching out with an iron grip, Eric twisted Bill's crotch and hissed in his ear, "I grow weary of this game. I know who "rescued" you from your "draining." She is quite delightful, is she not?"

Bill glared and whimpered with pain, but didn't answer.

Eric continued. "As a matter of fact, I would also hazard to guess that the queen is somehow involved." Bill's eyes widened in shock for a split second before he spat out, "I have done nothing wrong. I intend to file a formal complaint with—"

Eric squeezed his pathetically small package and nodded to Pam. "Hand me those old garden shears, would you?"

Her eyes glinting and mouth upturned in the most wicked smile Eric had seen in some time, Pam handed over the shears with the efficiency of a surgical nurse.

Holding the rusted tool up to Bill's face while yanking on his junk, Bill caved. Just as Eric knew he would.

As soon as the words were out of his traitorous mouth, Eric didn't spare a second to hesitate. Faster than lightning, he was up and out of the club, taking to the air immediately.

If what Bill said was true, and he had every reason to believe him now, then he may already be too late.

….

…

Eric smelled the blood well before they came into view. In a rage, he dispatched the Rattrays with clinical precision, breaking both their necks before throwing them to the side of the road.

Kneeling down, he knew immediately that she had not been dead long. Likely, she had been taking her dying breath as he killed the pieces of shit that would soon be gator bait.

He didn't think twice. He scooped up her body and flew into woods. Cradling her head back on his lap, he tore a gash in his wrist and poured his blood down her throat. He continued reopening his wound until he began feeling the effects of the blood loss.

He stopped and closed her mouth, kissing away the blood that had leaked out of her beautiful lips. Leaning back against the tree, he pulled out his phone.

"Pam. I need you to come to Bon Temps, over by the shifter's bar I told you about. There's been a…change in plans. No, go ahead and keep Compton locked up in the basement—he's not going anywhere for a while. We have some other things to discuss. Oh, and Pam, bring a case of blood and some blankets. I know you won't appreciate getting your upholstery stained. After you dispose of the bodies—yes, yes, the drainers, I need you to drive me to my safe house in Monroe. I will be going to ground there…if all goes well, you will have a new sister to welcome soon."

He ended the call without waiting for his child's reaction. He was confident that he caught Sookie in time and that his blood, as ancient as it was, was potent enough to revive her. Looking down at her inert form, he wiped a matted lock back from her face.

"Soon, Sookie, soon…you will make a magnificent vampire, and I swear to you no one will ever hurt you again."

Letting out a great sigh, he settled back against the tree and waited for Pam's arrival.

…

…

Thanks for reading.

BTW, if any of you are wondering why I have a review with my pen name, I asked my husband to read the story to see what he thought of it...he thought he'd be supportive and leave an anon review, not knowing I was still logged in. I promise I didn't review myself! And of course, this site only allows you to delete anon reviews. Sigh...Bless his heart, he meant to be sweet...