Someday You'll Find Me (Eric Northman/ True Blood)

Rumors and Lies

TARA POV

I walked toward the bar passing the rude, whispering and snickering patrons, not giving any fucks at all. I was used to it, either you loved me or hated me. I could handle it either way. My eyes remained focused on my old friend happily preparing my gin and tonic.

"No one could ever make a better G and T." I smiled, Sam was still just as cute, blonde and scruffy as ever. And, my god, does that man know how to wear a pair of Levi's.

"No one besides you," he smiled sliding the drink to me. "Let's go talk." I held up my glass and nodded to him in thanks.

Before I could take a sip, he lifted the counter for me, so I stepped behind the bar, following him through the kitchen doors, pass the walk-in freezer. His office was exceptionally tidy with the exclusion of his desk. It looks like he finally purchased a laptop and got rid of that big old monitor and desktop. I was happy that his business was still doing well despite the new strip mall opening on the main road.

I took a seat and a sip of my afternoon imbibe.

He leaned against his desk, his expression was odd. He knew something and whatever it was is significant. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his wild blonde hair.

"Damn Tara, I honestly don't know where to start...So much has happened..."

I downed my drink, set it on his desk. "Start from the beginning." I lowered my hands back slowly to my lap, a foreboding tingling taking residence at the base of my skull.

"Okay..." He nodded, "has Eric ever told you anything about me?"

"I didn't even know you knew Eric, so the answer is no."

I wasn't sure what to think about this. Eric said no more secrets, yet he failed to mention knowing a longtime friend of mine. I suppose me and my Viking are even now.

"How long have you known Eric?" I probed.

"I met him back in 01 when you left him, he came looking for you here." He shook his head ruefully. "I've been working for him ever since."

"What, working for him...are you a werewolf?" The only humans Eric employs are fangbangers, or werewolves and Sam Merlotte is no fangbanger.

"Not exactly..." he drawled, "I think it's best that I show you."

I swallowed hard and nodded. In a blink of an eye, Sam disappeared, his clothes dropped to the ground. I gasped, stunned, simply trying to figure out what just happened. Suddenly, I heard a faint little squeaking noise. I leaned in closer, and there he was; a little mouse popped out of Sam's cowboy boot, alert pitch-black eyes, twitching pink nose, sensitive whiskers, tiny paws like hands, pink scrawny tail, and white shiny fur.

"You're a shapeshifter!"

The moment I said that he changed back to Sam, a very naked Sam; he hurriedly put his jeans on.

"Why don't you say it a little louder, I don't think the people across the trailer park could hear you." He hissed while snatching his short-sleeved flannel shirt off the ground.

"I just can't believe it, there are not many of you left," I breathed in sheer disbelief. "Meeting a shifter is like the chances of winning the lottery."

He nodded, "True, not many of us left, we don't run in packs like wolves...I kind of wish we did." He shrugged.

I realized how little I actually know about Sam. He never talks about his family or where he comes from.

"So why are you telling me this now?"

"I knew you'd be back once you got word of the kidnappings and I'd been wanting to tell you for years...Like back when we dated, I always knew you'd understand..."

"Of course, I understand, I'm a witch... but honestly, my return is a coincidence." I let out a weary sigh and leaned back in my seat. "I have a lot going on, to say the least, but the coven is my priority." Eric can handle the vampire business, I thought to myself.

"First, let me tell you why you're getting all the whispers and stares."

"You mean more whispers and stares than usual, I'm used to that, no big deal."

"You never did give a damn what anyone thought of you," He smiled that sweet country boy smile and blushed, "I always loved that about you."

"You loved me?" I felt my cheeks burn.

"Seriously Tara, I think that's what the murder of Nicole is all about..." He said sullenly.

"Do you think someone is hunting witches."

When he nodded my grief began to surge with every expelled breath.

"Sarah Newlin is blaming this all on you."

"What!" All my good feelings washed away, the moment I heard the name of my biggest mistake.

"She' s telling people that you stole money from vampires, that's how you acquired your wealth, and you ran leaving your Coven to suffer the consequences.

"I'm gonna fucking kill that bitch!"

"Shit Tara please lower your voice." He rasped. "Listen ...I know she's lying. One, I know how you got the money, I was the one who helped Eric find Stan. Two, the cops cleared any vampire of the crime. They found human DNA on Nicole and the autopsy revealed the time of death was at the peak of the day, roughly between noon and 3 in the afternoon...she was also sexually assaulted by the male human." He muttered the last part somberly, and my heart sank into my gut, the thought made me nauseous. "The cops know that it's not a vampire, but they won't release that information. It's a tactic they use to entrap suspects.

"So, the townsfolks have no idea that the killer is human, leaving them with the idea this is all my fault and at any moment an army of vampires will come flooding into town to kill me, my coven and anyone who stands in their way...Why haven't you told anyone what you know?"

"I don't exactly know how to tell them without giving myself away." His voice trailed off. "My past Tara...being a shifter...Look, everyone loved Nicole. We're all praying that Arlene and Sookie are found unharmed and the scum who did this shit pays. Most of the town is on your side. Most of them never looked down or judged any of ya'll for practicing witchcraft. But now, Sarah she's poisoning people...people are scared now."

"Now they are looking at us as a dangerous cult and I'm the Jim Jones leading my people down the deadly Kool-Aid path...Goddamnit..."

Remorse etched in my heart and I blinked back the tears that gathered in my eyes.

"Sarah spoke to the cops, and then moved her entire coven out of Beauregard Parrish, no one knows where they are. I can't even find them, and I'm a good tracker. I think she's scared too, I haven't seen her since Nicole's funeral."

"Fuck Sarah, she's a vindictive cunt, and she'll do anything to hurt me. She could be helping my coven instead of trying to turn them against me. For all, I know she could be behind this."

"Tara, I've been shifting every night and watching over the Coven. Moon Goddess closes at 6 PM now, cops patrol the strip mall all day and the girls don't go out at night."

"Thank you, Sam." I swallowed throatily and exhaled.

"Your welcome Tara...the killer is defiantly a white male, someone who easily fits in around here. He knows his way around the woods and is possibly a hunter. Some of the tools used on Nicole were..." He took a deep breath, "I'll keep investigating, and give you all the information to do what you need to do...Deal..."

"Deal..."