"Shit!" Tara Thorton stared down at the deflated tire on the front driver side of her old model sports car. So much for leaving Bon Temps. She could feel her frustration mounting. Here she was, stranded on the side of a deserted road, in the dark, by herself, in a town crawling with blood-sucking vampires and vicious supernatural beings. You couldn't find a more foreboding scenario in a Hitchcock flick.

Tara took her red hoodie off the passenger seat and pulled it on then dug in her pockets for her cell phone. She hadn't made it too far outside the city limits. Maybe she could call someone to come pick her up. But who did she trust enough to call?

Her friendship with Sookie was on shaky ground as it was. She could just imagine how that conversation would go. Hey, Sookie, I know you said you didn't wanna be alone and I told you I was coming right back, but I decided to ditch town and got stranded instead. Can you come get me? Yeah, that would go over real well. Plus, she wouldn't be able to bear it if Bill, Sookie's murdering, two-face, piece of shit vampire boyfriend, showed up in tow.

She wasn't ready to face Sam either, not after his confession about being a shape-shifter. Her mind was still reeling from that one. She'd had enough dealings with the supernatural world to last her a lifetime.

Her thoughts drifted to Jason Stackhouse: her protector, unrequited crush, and murderer of the one man she ever loved. No way would she call him. He might shoot her fucking car.

She was now wishing she hadn't thrown away that application for AAA membership. Finally, she decided to dial her cousin Lafayette's number. Hopefully, he and his new boyfriend, Jesus, were at Lafayette's for the night.

Fuck! No signal. The woods must be interfering with the reception.

Normally, she'd be cussing up a storm and acting a damn fool right now, but that was the old Tara. The new Tara was going to remain calm and figure this out on her own. This was just a small hitch in her plan to start anew. It was nothing to get worked up about, right?

She heard a wolf howling in the distance. Fear clogged her throat. She stared at the dense line of trees along the road and took a deep, shaky breath.

Think positive, she told herself. I'm not some dumb damsel in distress. If I can fix up my mama's house with nothing but a hammer, Robertson screwdriver, and some duct tape, I for damn sure can change a tire.

She went to the back of her car and unlocked the trunk.

Maryann must've kept a jack in here somewhere. Or does a crazy-ass maenad just use magic when she gets a flat?

She dug through the various bottles of motor oil, a plastic funnel, packages of spark plugs, a three gallon gas container, cables and a large bottle of anti-freeze.

"Bingo!" she said out loud, spotting the jack and crowbar.

"Need help?"

Tara screamed, bumping her head on the inside of the trunk hood. She spun around to face the male voice that had scared the living shit out of her.

She rubbed the top of her head and squinted. "Alcide?"

Relief spread over her at the sight of the blue work van with Herveaux Construction written on the side in white letters.

"Tara? Is that you?" He got out and walked towards her. He looked a lot bigger than she remembered.

"What you doing way out here?" he asked.

Running away from my fucking troubles, she almost said, but that would be too much like the old Tara.

"I was heading out of Bon Temps but caught a flat."

Alcide turned his head to inspect her tire. "Hmm, I see. You got a spare?"

"Yeah, it's in the trunk. I was just about to put it on."

His lips quirked up into a lopsided grin. "You want me to handle that for ya?" She waited for him to add little lady, but he didn't.

"You think just because I'm a female I can't change a damn tire? I may not be a fucking werewolf like you, but I can sure as hell take care of myself."

His face turned serious. "I have no doubt about that. I didn't mean for you to take offense, Tara. I was just offering my assistance, but if you'd rather-"

Tara wanted to kick herself. Here he was offering to help her out of a dangerous situation, and all she could do was throw accusations his way. That was the old Tara talking. Alcide had never been anything but nice to her since she met him. He wasn't a psychopath like Franklin. He helped her rescue Sookie from that crazy vampire king, not to mention shooting that V-addicted freak, Cooter. And he hated vampires almost as much as she did.

"I'm sorry, Alcide. I didn't mean to bite your head off. I've just been having a bad…year."

"It's okay. I understand."

He took a step closer, smiling down at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "New look," he said, his dark gaze moving to her hair. Tara self-consciously ran a hand over her short, curly bob.

"Yeah, new everything."

"I like it. It really shows off your cheekbones."

She felt herself blushing. "Uhm…thanks."

He walked over to her trunk and lifted out the jack and spare tire as if they were mere paperweights. He was a burly man, the outdoorsy type who looked like he spent his days chopping wood and doing hard labor to build a body made of steel. He could make a woman feel dainty in his arms, no matter what size she was. The type of blue collar man Tara had always been attracted to.

To her surprise, he started unbuttoning the top of his flannel shirt. Was he about to change into a werewolf right in front of her? She took a step back, her eyes widening. "Whatcha doin'?"

"My shirt's new. Don't wanna get oil and dirt on it."

He peeled it off his broad shoulders and handed it to her. "You mind holding it for me?"

"N-No problem." She waited until he turned his back and placed her nose to the shirt's collar, inhaling deeply. The plaid garment smelled of forest pine, saddlewood and a masculine musk that made her feel heady. As she watched the muscles in his back and shoulders working beneath his smooth, tan skin, she felt her nipples tightening.

No, Tara. He's a werewolf. The new Tara wants nothing to do with supernatural werewolves or otherwise.

He twisted the crow bar and his biceps bulged. Sweat glistened on his skin under the moonlight. God! She wanted to lick it off. I swear, Sookie needs her head examined, choosing a cold-blooded vamp like Bill over a red-hot specimen like Alcide. Then again, her loss could be my gain.

She bit her bottom lip. Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

Alcide wiped the sweat from his brow with a rag from his jeans' back pocket. "All done," he said, standing up to face her.

"Thanks."

He reached for his shirt. She handed it back to him without meeting his eyes.

"So where you headed?" he asked, sliding his arms back into the sleeves.

Tara blinked, not sure what to say. She hadn't planned that far ahead. Her first thought was to get out of Bon Temps, not to pick a destination. "I ain't sure yet. I guess the road'll take me where it takes me."

He gave her strange look but said nothing.

She dug in her pocket and took out a couple bills. "Here," she said, holding the money out for him to take. "For fixin' my tire."

He refused her with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Don't insult me. Keep your money. It's the least I can do."

No need to tell her twice. She stuffed the money back into her pocket. She could use every bit of it for gas and food.

"You hungry?" he asked as if reading her thoughts. "There's a tavern about a mile up the road. You can help me celebrate. My treat."

"Whatcha celebratin'?"

"The end of Eric's hold over me and my Dad. And no more associations with vamps. Period."

"That definitely sounds like a reason to celebrate."

He gave her a smile that made her insides flutter. "So you wanna join me?"

Her stomach chose that opportune moment to growl its sentiment.

Alcide's eyebrows quirked up high on his forehead. "I guess that answers my question."

Tara laughed. "I'll follow you in my car."

He nodded and headed back to his van.

Damn, a man having an ass like that should be illegal, she thought, as she watched him walking away.

The tavern and the people reminded Tara a lot of Merlotte's. She felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of leaving it all behind.

"So what can I git fer' ya, sweety?" asked the brunette waitress with a humongous rack, which Tara noticed she didn't mind shoving in Alcide's face whenever possible.

He looked across the booth at Tara, giving her an eager smile. "Get this lady whatever she wants then I'll decide next. I'm so hungry I reckon I could eat a whole deer."

And he probably has, Tara thought then pushed it out of her mind to focus on the menu. Everything looked delicious, and there was a bit more selection than at Merlotte's.

"I'll take a rib-eye burger deluxe, well done, with a side of fries and a beer."

The waitress wrote down the order. "Will that be all?" she asked in a stilted voice.

"Yep."

"Tara, you're a lady after my own heart," Alcide joked. "I like a woman who ain't shy about eating in front of a man."

"Well, you definitely met the right one cause I got no problem doin' that."

Tara could see the slight curl of the waitress's mouth and flash of disgust in her eyes. She didn't know if it was jealousy or prejudice that put that look there, and she didn't care. It was on the tip of her tongue to cuss the bitch out. But no, that was the old Tara.

"And thank you, Alcide," she said, smiling gracefully across the table at her companion. "And thank you.." she stared at the white name tag on the woman's tight blue top, "Cindy."

The woman snorted and turned to Alcide. "And you, Suga'?"

"I'll have the same, but make mine rare."

"Coming right up," the waitress said, leaning a little more forward than necessary to pick up his menu. Tara waited to see if one of her giant boobs would pop out and make an appearance the way they kept straining against the low V of her shirt. The waitresses at Hooters dressed like nuns compared to this one.

"So, why you really leaving Bon Temps?" Alcide asked as soon as the waitress left their table.

"I just wanna start over. Do something new. Be somebody new."

"I get that. Sometimes I feel the same way."

She considered him for a moment. "Then why don't you?"

"Too many responsibilities. I gotta be there to keep my dad out of trouble."

Tara gave a humorless chuckle. "I know how that is. I spent my whole life trying to keep my mama out of shit. Neva did a bit of good though. "

"My dad's always had a gambling problem. He's gotten himself into more messes than I can count. I think he spends more time at the casinos than he does running the family business. It even cost him his second wife."

"So why not you?"

His head tilted, inquisitively, reminding her of a puppy. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why haven't you left, too? Your Daddy's a grown man."

Alcide picked up the salt shaker and twisted it back and forth between his fingers. "If I don't look out for him, who will? That's what family is for, right? Looking out for one another, even when we do stupid shit."

She used to think the same thing, but now she wasn't so sure. "If you say so," she said.

The waitress returned with their food, and they ate in companionable silence for a while. Alcide ordered a bottle of Tequila and the conversation turned to more lively subjects.

"Damn, Tara. The way you kicked Bill off the back of my van, I was like whoa! I'd never seen a human do that to a vamp before."

"It must've been all that vampire blood I had from Franklin the night before."

"No, it was more than that," Alcide insisted. "You're tough, Tara, a survivor. I could tell it the minute I saw you. You remind me a little of Debbie."

She tossed back another shot of Tequila and grimaced. "What a way to fuck up a compliment, Al, comparing me to your crazy bitch of an ex-girlfriend."

"No, I'm not comparing you to how she is now. I'm talking about the way she was before she started running with Coot and his pack and got hooked on that damn V. She was strong, tough, but there was a tender side to her, too." He stared longingly at his empty shot glass. "It's what drew me to her. I've always had a thing for strong women."

Tara picked up the bottle of Tequila and filled his glass then her own. "Here's to crazy, psycho exes."

They clicked their glasses together and tossed back their drinks. The liquor burned a trail down Tara's throat, filling her stomach with a pleasantly warm sensation.

God, how late is it? It seemed they lost track of time and had been talking for hours.

"Well, it's been fun Al, but I gotta get going. My new life is calling." She slid out of the booth. Her legs felt wobbly. She gripped the table to keep from losing her balance.

Alcide stood, holding her by the waist to keep her from falling. "You're drunk, Tara. You shouldn't be driving."

She stared at him or rather the center of his chest. He was so damn big. "So are you," she said, poking his hard pects with her finger.

"You're right, but I think I'm a little better off than you are." He tossed a few dollars on the table then grabbed her gently by the elbow, leading her outside into the crisp night air.

"Y'know, there's a motel within walking distance from here. We could both…sleep it off."

She tilted her head to look into his rugged face. She saw something flicker in his eyes, a look she'd grown all too familiar with when it came to men. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

"You got the hots for Sookie, don't you?" she asked.

He looked startled by her question. "No, I…uh...don't…I…" his voice trailed off.

"No need to lie. Men like you are drawn to Sookie like bears to honey. I'm used to it by now."

His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, men like me?"

"Y'know , supernatural types. Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters."

"Seems to me your friend is too hung up on those two vamps to be interested in anybody else."

"So, since you can't have her, you wanna fuck me instead? Been there, done that."

She placed a hand on his chest to push him away, but his warm, calloused fingers clasped over hers, holding her hand over his heart. She could feel his body heat radiating underneath her palm.

"She was a job I had to do for Eric to settle my Dad's debt. My business is done with both Eric and Sookie."

"Are you sure about that?" She didn't bother to hide her skepticism.

"Yes," he said, pinning her with a look. "I'm sure."

What would the new Tara do in this situation? She already knew what the old one would do: fuck him three ways from Sunday.

He leaned towards her, his hand moving up to touch her cheek. His hand was so big and warm against her skin. She couldn't resist turning into his caress.

"So what do you wanna do, Tara?" he coaxed.

She looked up, searching his eyes for something that would make her say no to his question and the burning lust she felt growing inside her.

"How do I know you won't turn into a psychopath in the morning and tie me to the bed?"

"I'm not into bondage," he said, though she was sure he was only half-joking.

"I'm serious," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "I promised myself I would never get involved with another supernatural, not after the crazy shit Franklin put me through-."

"Shhh," he said, placing a finger over her lips. "I'm not Franklin or any other supe you've met. I'm just a man who, at this moment, wants more than anything to make love to you."

He hovered close, his eyes hooded and penetrating. Tara couldn't force herself to look away. She took a deep breath, allowing his heady scent to envelop her senses. This felt almost like deja vu. She needed to get things back in perspective.

"This is just for tonight, right? No cooking me hoecakes in the morning, or any that other emotional shit afterwards?"

He nodded. "If that's what you want?"

She hesitated before answering, "Yeah, th-that's what I want."

A wide smile spread across Alcide's face as he took her hand in his.