I wake up slowly the next day, gradually coming out of a pleasant dream. I don't know what it was but I'm smiling when I finally come to. My Viking is still wrapped around me with an arm around my waist and a leg protectively thrown over mine. Although I've gone to sleep with him in my bed before this is the first time he's been there when I woke up. After snuggling for a while longer I roll over to study his features in the dim light coming from the bathroom.

There is something impossibly other about Eric that I've always been drawn to. He is a collection of contradictions, both beautiful and deadly. He has the strong features of a warrior and is obviously built to fight but there is a grace in his bone structure that is unexpected in someone of his size. I wonder what he was alike when he was alive.

I've always fought to play down how attractive he is (lord knows he's conceited enough as it is) but now that he's 'sleeping' I memorize every last detail of his face. I reach out and trace his brow line, his prominent nose, and his lips. Brushing the long, blond hair out of his face, I pull the covers up to tuck him in. I know he doesn't feel it but I can't resist the impulse all the same.

Finally I kiss both of his eyelids and drag myself out of bed for a shower. The clock on the nightstand reads 3:00. That gives me a little over three hours before Eric wakes up and we can drive home. I wonder briefly what will happen when we get there. Will anything change? Does he expect me to come to his house? Where does he even live? It's kind of odd that I've never seen or heard of his house but I think that's because I knew where Bill's was. If we weren't neighbors I suppose I wouldn't have known about his either.

I take a long, hot shower, dress in yesterday's clothes and am just heading out for some coffee when I'm startled by a loud noise. After jumping ten feet in the air I realize it's music that I'm hearing.

Soy un perdedor

I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?

What the hell? Is that Beck?

Soy un perdedor

I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?

Yup. Frantically I spin around until I realize that it's coming from one of our cell phones. I have no idea which is which so I check the caller I.D. and groan. Quinn; it's definitely mine. Pam obviously had some fun with my ring tones before she gave me the phone.

I start to hit the button that would send it to voicemail but then reconsider. I'm going to have to deal with this eventually so I may as well do it now, before Eric wakes up. Talk about awkward. I pick up in the middle of the word 'loser' and sigh.

"Hi, Quinn."

"Babe! Thank god; I've been trying to get in touch with you."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't have my phone and I just got a replacement. Listen, we need to talk."

"Yeah, about that, Babe. I'm at the guard stand but these assholes won't let me in. Can you come out and talk to me?"

"You're here?" I ask incredulously. "At the compound?"

"Yeah, it took a while to find you or I would have been here sooner. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?"

I pause to consider his request. I really don't want to see Quinn at all. The only reason I got involved with him was because I was trying not to think about Eric. In fact, I may have been trying to anger Eric into taking some sort of action. Still, I was involved with him until a few days ago so I guess I owe him an explanation. The least I can do is tell him to his face.

"Alright, Quinn. I'm on my way."

"Thanks, Babe."

For lack of pockets I tuck my phone in my bra and head out to the front gate. I have to walk through the main house and then down a long driveway before reaching the guard stand. A were watches me as I approach and I stop to explain who I am and that I'm coming right back in. Once that's settled he opens the gate and I step out to meet Quinn. I don't see him at first but then I hear his snarly mental signature and realize he's standing a little ways down the block. He looks pissed off – all six foot six inches of him. I guess he must have gotten into it with the guard.

I walk down to join him. "Hey, Quinn. How are you?"

He looks well considering that he just took a wooden arrow at the summit. I guess whatever the healers did must have really helped. As a were-tiger Quinn heals a lot faster than humans anyway so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

"I'm fine. Are you alright? I didn't know if you got hurt or not."

"Yeah, I'm great –"

"What the fuck, Babe?" Oh hell, he's looking at Eric's bite marks.

I sigh as he grabs my arm and starts trying to pull me down the street. "Quinn, stop it. I'm not going anywhere."

He doesn't stop or even slow down.

"Damnit, Quinn, I mean it! Stop this right now and let's talk."

By now my feet are pretty much dragging as the giant were hauls me down the street. I try to look back towards the guard shack but realize that we're probably out of sight. Quinn slides his arm around my neck putting me in a choke hold and I can't breathe. This is just like the crap Jason used to do to me when we were kids so I know what's coming next. The blood rushes to my face and I black out.

8888888888888888888888888888 88888888888888888

I wake up in the back seat of a moving car with my hands and feet tied together. My head hurts and I'm mad as hell as I look out the window. I have no idea where I am but Quinn is driving and doesn't seem to notice that I'm awake yet. I'm such an idiot! I was in a heavily guarded vampire compound and I walked right out the front door to meet my captor; all he had to do was ask! Pam's right; I am a danger magnet. Also, mentally challenged.

Okay, think, Sookie. You can't be far because it's not dark yet. It's October so the sun will go down around 6:30 and you woke up at 3:00. After lying around and taking a shower it must be getting close to that time now. Eric will wake up and come save you as usual. Problem solved. You just have to deal with this for a little bit longer.

"Um, Quinn?"

"What?"

"What exactly is going on right now?"

He snorts. "Funny you should be asking me that. What's going on is that your stupid ass is cheating on me with a fucking deader. That's what."

"Look, I'm really sorry about that. I shouldn't have gotten involved with you when I still had something going with Eric. It just kind of happened and…"

"I really don't give a shit. Do you think you're actually that fucking special, Sookie? Like every man you come across is just going to fall in love with you? Please. I was just working up to a deal with De Castro to get my debts settled."

"What? That's crazy!" I had sex with this asshole for Christ sakes. What is wrong with me? "That won't work anyway. De Castro can't touch me now, asshole. It won't do you any good."

"What are you talking about?"

"The bonding, jackass! I'm Eric's."

"No one saw that but me and Andre, who I conveniently killed. Doesn't count."

"Wrong! You obviously missed the party last night. You know, the one where the bonding was announced and four kingdoms swore to protect me?"

"You're lying." He's trying to sound all hard-ass but I can see his face in the rear view mirror and he's starting to doubt this whole idea.

"No, I'm not and you're going to be in a world of trouble if you don't let me out of this car right now." Who am I kidding? Eric's going to kill him.

I try to get a read on his thoughts but as usual with were animals it's not entirely clear. Mostly I get emotions and general feelings with a few stray words here and there. Right now Quinn is angry, confused and scared. He's thinking something about a plane… A plane?! No. No way am I getting on a plane with him!

"Stop the car, Quinn."

No answer.

"Quinn?"

Nothing.

"Quinn!"

A terrifying growl issues from the front seat and I picture the enormous tiger that he turns into. Maybe I should not poke the bear – or in this case, the cat?

"Shut up!" He screams. "I need to think!"

I try to think of who is actually awake (alive?) right now that could confirm what I'm saying. No one. I mean someone must have a day person that might know about it but vampires are notoriously secretive about their day men. Would Bobby know? I have no idea how much Eric actually shares with him. As much as he despises me he might not help anyway. Do I risk it? Would Quinn trust what he said?

Suddenly Quinn pulls the car off to the side of the road and for a fleeting moment I think he might actually let me go. Instead he growls at me to stay put and turns music on at full blast. He gets out of the car and walks a few feet away before calling someone.

I try the door but of course the child locks are engaged. What did I think I was going to do anyway? Out run a tiger? Not freaking likely. I guess I could try to get someone's attention but I'd probably just get them killed.

Suddenly I feel something vibrate against my breast plate and I yelp. Oh! I have my phone! I sneak a glance at Quinn and he's not looking this way. It's a little awkward since my hands are tied together but I open it and see that I have a text message from Eric. Although the sun isn't quite down yet he's starting to wake up.

Eric: Cum back to bed.

Typical Eric. I should never have left the bed. Okay, what can I say quickly before Quinn comes back?

Sookie: Quinn kind of kidnapped me. I think he's taking me to an airport.

Almost instantly a response comes back.

Eric: On my way. DON'T fight him.

I sigh and put the phone back in bra before Quinn sees it. He's still on the phone, pacing back and forth. He looks up to and sees what I see: the sun is slipping over the horizon. Night is just moments away.