Jessica moseyed down the road back toward the Compton estate, sated and replenished after an evening of feeding. As she walked, she allowed her heightened senses to take in the peaceful night around her, the crickets, bullfrogs, and other harmless creatures of the night. As her thoughts wandered about her head, she thought back to Hoyt and the lie she had told Bill earlier. As much as she genuinely did want to see Hoyt and make amends, she had not eaten satisfactorily in days, and did not want to risk a recurrence of the event that had separated them in the first place.

She sighed, remembering the brief but wonderful times she had experienced with Hoyt and lamented once again her permanent state of virginity. Perhaps there was an operation, but for the time being, she could not fathom a way of researching the possibility without consulting Bill, and the prospect of that conversation was far too mortifying for her to comprehend at the moment.

Jessica approached the porch of the Compton house, but not before noticing a splash of color lying at the foot of the door. As she got closer, she realized they were flowers. Her breath stopped for a moment in a surge of hope that they were from Hoyt, but she steadied herself before inspecting the bouquet and noticing the small card that sat beside them. Excited, she unfolded the paper and read, "Dear Jessica – I stopped by but you weren't here. I'm sorry for everything. Love, Hoyt." Without a thought, Jessica embraced her abilities and sped off into the night in search of Hoyt.

Moments later she arrived at his house and quietly knocked on the door, realizing only then that it was nearly midnight and it was all too likely that both he and his mother were sleeping. Still, she persisted. Sounds came from within and soon she heard Maxine telling her to hold her horses. Jessica's stomach dropped at the sound of her agitation. The door opened and Maxine appeared in her nightgown. Jessica's eyes were immediately drawn to the bite marks on her neck, sending a pang of shame throughout her.

"Oh," said Maxine, "it's you."

"Hi there Mrs. Fortenberry. I was wondering if Hoyt was here?" Jessica forced a smile that she knew neither she nor Maxine were believing.

"No he is not. And frankly I think it would be in your best interest and his if you no longer see each other."

"I understand why you feel the way you do about me, Mrs. Fortenberry. What I did to you was wrong and unkind, and I know that you weren't in your right mind when you said the things you did, but...you just gotta believe me when I tell you that I have no intention of causing your son any harm. Or you."

"Well it's a little late for that don't ya think?"

"Please, I made a mistake. I'm still not sure how this whole vampire thing even works and I can't help sometimes that I lose control. It's just part of the gig."

"All I want is for him to have a normal life and he's never gonna have that if he's going around with you!"

"Well have you ever thought about what he wants?" Jessica could feel her temper and voice rising.

"He doesn't know what he wants, he's a very confused boy!"

"First of all, Mrs. Fortenberry, Hoyt is not a boy, he is a grown man. Second, he knows what he wants more than you could ever understand. Do you know how amazing it is to find someone in this ass-backwards town who doesn't run away from me the second I order myself a True Blood?"

"Listen you don't have to tell me how kind he is, how gentle and good he is. That's my point. He is too good for the likes of you."

Jessica let out a chuckle. "Don't I know it! The first time he saw my fangs I coulda died of shame. But he just shrugged it off, told me it was my nature and there was nothing wrong with it. I know damn well that I don't deserve him, that I can't give him the kind of life he would have if he were with a human. But it's his choice, and as much as you hate it, he's chosen me. I don't understand it any more than you do, but it's his life, and as his mother it's your job to tell him it's okay."

"Don't you tell me what my job is. I've been taking care of that boy for the last 28 years."

"And now it's time for him to take care of himself. And maybe someday that'll be up to me. You'll always be his mother, Mrs. Fortenberry, but he can't always be your baby."

Jessica could see she had broken down most of Maxine's wall, but she still wasn't giving up the fight.

"But…" Maxine began feebly, "But you're…a vampire!"

"I know I am. But I wasn't always. I care about your son and he cares about me, and as far as I'm concerned that's about as human as you can get, whether you like it or not."

Maxine sighed. "He's at Merlotte's."

Jessica grinned and hugged Maxine quickly.

"Thank you," Jessica said. Maxine shuddered at the rapid freezing touch before watching the young vampire run out into the night.

When she got to Merlotte's she could see they were closing up. Arlene was locking the doors at that very minute and Terry, Tara and Lafayette were all making their way toward their cars. Her eyes darted around for Hoyt but there was no sign of him.

"Can I help you, honey?" Arlene said, walking up behind her as she spun around frantically looking for him.

"Oh, I was…I was looking for Hoyt Fortenberry. Is he here?"

"Ya just missed him as matter of fact. Left about 25 minutes ago."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"Not to my knowledge. Didn't say much all night, just sat there drinking a beer looking all melancholy-like. Wonder what coulda done that to him, he's usually happy as a clam."

Jessica looked crestfallen. She only had a few more hours before dawn and couldn't spend the whole night looking all over for him.

"Hey, do I know you?" Arlene asked.

"I've been in a couple times. I'm…well…" she and Bill still had not determined a way to define their relationship. "I'm a friend of Bill Compton's."

Arlene looked skeptical. "A friend? What kind of friend?"

"Oh nothing romantic or anything. Shit any woman who so much as looks at Bill gets Sookie in a state. I guess you could say I'm kinda his daughter actually."

This did not clear anything up for Arlene, so she asked the hot-button question.

"Are you a vampire?"

Jessica nodded sheepishly.

"Huh…I didn't know vampires could have kids."

"They can't," Jessica felt a twinge of pain at the reminder, "Bill turned me a few weeks ago."

Arlene looked her up and down. "Oh now I remember you! You were that missing girl they were talking about on the news all that time ago! I was wondering why they just stopped the investigation. Well how bout that. If you don't mind me asking, how does that work? You know…'getting turned'. Is it painful?"

Jessica was getting impatient.

"Well…sort of yeah, I mean, I had to be killed for it to work so…that part wasn't too much fun. But if you don't mind miss, I really need to be finding Hoyt."

"Oh shoot of course! I'm sorry, sometimes I forget that y'all are on a bit of a time crunch."

"It's all right, don't worry. But it was nice to meet you!" Jessica called as she began walking away.

"Hey you come back for a True Blood any time you want, we got all types!" Arlene replied. As she watched her go she said to herself, "Nice girl. Hoyt and a vampire. Who'd a thunk."

All Jessica could think to do now was go back home and pray an idea would come to her, or that Bill and Sookie would be back by now and if they weren't occupied, could help her search. As she trudged back toward the porch, she heard a small steady noise coming from its direction. When she saw what it was her heart swelled with relief. Hoyt was sitting on the floor of the porch beside the door, snoring as he dozed in and out of sleep. Silently, Jessica leaned down beside him and kissed him sweetly on the cheek. He roused awake to the sight of her smiling at him, fangless.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey yourself."

"I came by earlier but you were out. Where were you?"

Jessica avoided looking at him, unsure how to approach what was now a tender subject between them, but Hoyt could guess.

"Were you feeding?"

Jessica looked up at him, a bloody tear or two dripping down her cheek. Hoyt gently wiped them away with his thumbs.

"Hey, it's all right. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it's just…as long as it ain't my mama."

They laughed pathetically.

"I'm so sorry Hoyt. Sometimes…I don't know how to control what I can do. I've only been at this a few weeks and just the things she was saying about me…"

"I know. They were wrong. And I understand why you did what you did, it just scared me a little is all. But she's better now and hell, everybody's gotta eat don't they?"

Jessica nodded. "Still…it wasn't right."

"Shush now, it's all over with. Turns out my mama's not the woman I thought she was anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't really wanna talk about it right now. But listen…I've been doing some thinking about all this and…well…if you're ever uh, hungry, you know you can always come to me."

"Hoyt, I can't let you…"

"Hey now, this ain't your decision. I've been doing my research and I remember talking to Sookie about it a while back, and she told me that when Vampire Bill bites her, it ain't so bad. In fact, she says it's kinda great. And besides, all I want to do is be there for you in any way I can. So…if you ever want to, you can…you know….take from me."

Jessica leaned over and kissed Hoyt for a lingering moment. When she pulled away she could see some of the blood from her tears on his face. She went to wipe it off but he grabbed her hand.

"No…leave it. I don't care."

"I meant it when I said you were too good for me."

"And I meant it when I said there ain't no such thing."

Hoyt stood and proceeded to pick Jessica up off the ground before carrying her across the threshold and into the house like they were a bride and groom.

"Bill and Sookie'll be home soon I suspect. We could go to the guest bedroom," Jessica said.

"Guest bedroom it is." Hoyt said with a smile, planting a sweet kiss on her nose. When they reached the top of the stairs, Hoyt set Jessica down and the two proceeded to kiss and touch each other. Soon enough, Jessica's fangs emerged.

They leaned against the doorway to the bedroom and after a moment of groping, Hoyt found the doorknob to let them in. Jessica moved toward the bed as Hoyt closed the door behind them. She began to undress herself and Hoyt watched in adoration before removing his own clothes.

"God you are beautiful." he said as he went to lie beside her on the bed. Jessica felt herself blush even though it did not show up on her cheeks. She looked away for a thoughtful moment.

"What is it?" Hoyt asked, taking her chin in his hand and gently bringing her eyes to his.

"Hoyt…I know it hasn't been very long but…I think I love you."

"Well…I think I know that I love you."

"Make love to me again…for the first time."

"You sure?"

Wordlessly, Jessica held his face and kissed him. As it intensified, Hoyt adjusted himself so he was lying on top of her. In a few moments, she felt the surge of pain that she would feel for the rest of her life, but upon opening her eyes and seeing Hoyt's gentle face above her she realized that he would always find a way to make it beautiful for her, and that more than made it worth it.

As their passion increased, Jessica felt her instincts grow more and more alert and sensitive. There was new desire in her that had not occurred the first time they had made love on account of Bill interrupting them. She knew what this was, but was scared that Hoyt hadn't truly meant or understood what he had said before and that now, in her moment of absolute need, he would be wary to create such an intimate bond.

She looked up at him with quiet insecurity in her eyes, aware that he knew what she was thinking but scared he would run away. Instead, he simply smiled warmly and angled his neck for her access.

"Are you sure?" Jessica whispered raggedly.

"Please, I want you to." He panted.

Without another thought, Jessica sank her teeth into Hoyt's neck. He let out a shout of pain but did not pull away. She lapped up the blood that began spilling from the puncture holes and soon both of them reached their climax. However, Hoyt did not move, allowing Jessica to take her fill of his blood. When she had, she pulled away from his neck gasping in exhausted bliss. Hoyt rolled over and propped himself up on an elbow, watching the vampire emerge from her state of ecstasy.

"Thank you." she said softly, running her hand through his hair.

"Come here," he said and pulled her face to his so he could kiss her, even though her mouth and chin were covered in crimson liquid. When he pulled away, his lips were red and this time he allowed Jessica to, giggling, wipe the blood off his face.

"You amaze me," he said. Jessica smiled bashfully, "And Sookie was right, that was actually pretty great."

They both laughed. As they rested, Hoyt began tracing the curve of Jessica's body up and down the length of her shoulder to her hips.

"Hoyt?"

"Yeah?"

"How long do you think it is til dawn?"

"I dunno. Maybe 2 hours?"

"Would it be all right if you just…stayed here with me? Until I have to go to sleep?"

"That's exactly what I intend to do."

Jessica smiled and kissed him again. She turned so they were spooning.

"Hoyt?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you sing to me again?"

Hoyt began quietly humming the same tune he had before, inserting his own lyrics about vampires. They laughed and held each other closer.

"I love you, vampire girl."

A/N: Can't wait for season 3! Hope you liked the fic!