Song: Oh Be Clever - River

In one night, everything had been taken from her. Blood was power. Blood was influencing. It was responsible for giving life. it was responsible for ending it. The copper liquid flowed through every organism, tying all of them together. Transferring blood could save someone. Or it could steal their life, slowly but surely. Before, their blood could make them feel ancient and powerful, a mystical force flowing through their veins, giving them the miraculous gift of life. Now they know knew they were prey, giving life to those who are stronger, more terrifying, more volatile, more cruel than anything they could ever imagine. Now their blood was their greatest weakness. Winn wished for the simple nondescript figures that went bump in the night. Reality was the nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.

Splashing water onto her face, she gripped the edges of the off-white chipped sink. Her head rose slowly and stilled when she saw her reflection in the mirror. There was the white jagged scar on her cheek, a reminder of the past she had lost and the future ahead of her. The splash of freckles that gave the appearance of being callously thrown stood starkly against a pale face. She lowered her long dark lashes as she grabbed her concealer, dabbing it over the permanently dark circles beneath her eyes.

Closing her eyes she breathed deeply, gathering her tumultuous emotions before shoving them down. Quickly she moved around the small studio grabbing black pants that had been haphazardly thrown over an old chair. As she began out the door she took out the small card from her leather jackets pocket and scrunched her nose when she read the name again: Fangtasia. What kind of circus name was that?

It took a few seconds to start the car she had bought off a desperate seller. It was a banged up piece of rust, easily mistaken for being an abandoned vehicle. American cities were not something she believed she would ever get used too. They were large concrete jungles, though the further away she got from the city center, the farther spread out everything became. As she drove, the city lights became sparser the closer she got to the outskirts of Shreveport. She was nearing the club and out here was nothing but the occasional seemingly abandoned building and the weeds fighting through the cracks in the neglected cement pavement. Broken glass glittered beneath the neon orange streetlights. Out here it seemed, were mostly just warehouses.

The car slowed to a roll as she pulled into the small parking lot with dread. In front of her in large scrawling cursive letters, blinking in neon: Fangtasia. There was a red carpet as if the club was for the elite, instead of the uneducated rednecks desperate for a bite. How could they even want that?

Why there was any popularity surrounding vampire clubs was beyond her. Didn't they understand leeches were dangerous? Or were they all just looking for a new way to commit suicide? Winn suppressed her frown, suppressed her urge to yell at them they were all lambs going to certain slaughter. If not now, then later. But socialising with vampires, that was an inevitable fate. Humans were food and nothing more - could be, nothing more.

The line was long, snaking nearly to her car. The excitement and nerves were palpable in the air as the humans shifted on their feet, filling the desolated area with eager murmurs.

After a ten minute wait she made it to the door where a thin, stoic vampire female stood as bouncer. She had heard some of the men behind her laughing over the diminutive woman being a bouncer. But Winn knew better - everyone in this line could be dead if she wanted them to be without batting an eye. She swallowed at the intrusive thought.

"Welcome to Fangtasia," the female drawled with absolute apathy as her eyes flickered over Winn, "and why should I let you in?"

"I want to have fun with a vampire?" Winn questioned, fiddling with her sleeves. The look the vampire gave her made her skin crawl. Technically it wasn't a lie, just that her idea of fun involved revenge.

The answer seemed to be satisfactory and with a sign she unclipped the red rope and let Winn in. To walk into a bar full of vampires was placing herself in a parlous situation, but one necessary to take. For a moment she stood staring at the door, staring at the gates of hell. Instinct made her freeze, fighting for survival. If she went in there she was in an enclosed space with ravenous vampires. But determination pushed her on and she stepped over the threshold, holding her breath in nervous anticipation.

Warm red bathed her as she stepped indoors. Instinctively her hair stood on end as she took in the vampires scattered across the room. Some of theirs eyes flickered over her like she was fresh meat ready for them to sink their fangs in, before gliding away with feigned disinterest.

The place was gaudy. Dark reds and blacks on the carpet and walls; neon lights; victorian era chandeliers replaced with fake glowing red lights; strippers; and various vampire puns on signs, hammered into the walls. She frowned as her olive coloured eyes flickered across the room. It was like looking at a crazed fans idea of what a vampires bar would look like. She snorted as she watched the strippers grinding on the pole - whoever had made the place had to doing this for the hell out of. To pack so many cringeworthy items into one confined area had to have been an intelligent, conscious choice. There was a joke behind it, just one she wasn't privy to understand.

All of the recipients of the club were dressed in leather and metal, tattoos etched into their skin. It was sheer luck that her outfit helped her blend in relatively well. While she didn't look like she was heading towards a BDSM convention, her dark attire drew no special attention. Winn made her way to the bar, hoisting herself up onto a stool furthest away from any of the commotion. "What can I get you, doll?" The bartender asked and she blinked in surprise, before fighting the urge to recoil. His fangs were out, brushing against his lower lip. Her heart began hammering and she wiped clamming palms on her jeans.

"Just water." She managed to get out.

He raised his brow but didn't comment on it. As the vampire turned his back to her she reluctantly tore his gaze away from him. Her eyes peered into the dim-lit room, scanning each and every face she saw. Each face that didn't match the Vampires made her feel a mixture between disappointment and utter relief.

Finally her eyes came to the back of Fangtasia. The ground was elevated, with red satin covering the wall. Most peculiar was a wide chair with a tall vampire sprawled on it, hands curled around the armrests as if it were a throne he sat on. His long blonde hair fellows forwards, curtaining him from the world. It was only now Winn realised he had been there all along and hadn't moved a fraction. Only his eyes seemed to flicker occasionally, taking in his court of desperate fools in front of him.

She stared at him. Through the strands of hair she could see his pale face. There was something about him that gave her a vague sense of familiarity. After a few moments she realised he reminded her of her father, though it was only the curve of his red lips. A pang of pain gripped her heart and her body tensed. Her eyes stung with unshed tears and she blinked rapidly, willing them to disappear so she could focus on what she could still change.

Seeming to catch her thoughts his eyes flashed to her. They were crystal blue and cool as glaciers. Quickly her gaze flickered elsewhere; the way the vampire looking at her was chilling and she didn't want to be a focus of his attention.

She blinked as one of the strippers blurred for a brief second. The female was a vampire, then. It was unnerving. They weren't natural. It made her skin crawl. She tightened her hands into fists. As Winn tightened her jaw, she didn't see the blonde vampire on his mock-throne look at her narrow his eyes in suspicion at her behaviour.

Out of pure desperation Winn remained at the bar for another hour, sipping on her water occasionally and watching the faces in the crowd. But new faces were hard to come by tonight, and none of them matched the description of The Vampire. Biting her lower lip briefly in frustration she concluded with a defeated sigh that the vampire she was looking for had disappeared into the shadows of Shreveport. If she was unlucky, it was long gone by now, off to destroy more lives. If luck was on her side, and if a god - any god - existed out there, then they would meet again. And she would end The Vampire.

Slipping off her chair she placed the empty cup on the bar, with a five dollar bill. While not knowing how much water cost, she assumed at a joint like this tap-water was cheap and that money should more than cover the bill. Careful not to touch anyone she began towards the exit.

Just as her fingers reached out to touch the gateway that would lead to much needed cool air and freedom away from vampires, she found her way blocked by a looking figure. The vampire had materialised next to her and his cold hand shot out, wrapping around her bicep and tugging her closer to him. He towered over her, and his mere height and broad shoulders seemed to encompass her.

"Let go of my, you swine." she snarled. The insult came out in Norwegian, her native tongue. She felt like a feral animal now, desperately fighting to get out of the corner the vampire had backed her up into. She grew short of breath as the vampire tightened his grip on her, bruisingly hard. Winn swallowed her yelp of pain. The bar had gone silent as both human and vampire alike stared at the unfolding scene with curiosity or bloodlust. Only the cheerful rock music carried through the space.

He raised an eyebrow, before replying, surprisingly, in Swedish, "And what is a little Nordic girl like you doing so far from home?"

"No reason." She knew for the rest of this short-lived conversation she would be speaking Norwegian.

Unblinkingly he stared at her and she swallowed in fear. "Hm." Was the only acknowledgement he gave before dragging her further back into Fangtasia, the exit growing smaller.

She let out a desperate breath and then her hand desperately tried to pry at his icy fingers, loosening his grip. Instead he tightened his hold; this time she cried out in pain. Her feet found no solid footing and she was but at his mercy as he half-dragged her into a backroom. She found herself in an office. The door shut behind them with a slam.

He knocked her back into the chair so hard it nearly tipped over and she struggled to place all four legs back on the ground. The vampire leaned against the desk and crossed his arms, expression one of deep displeasure. He towered over her. "Now why don't you tell me a little more about that suspicious behaviour of yours in my club? Make it fast, I don't have all night."

Her voice came out far weaker than she had wished as she tilted her head back to meet his piercing gaze, "I didn't realise water was that suspicious."

His small smirk in response was coloured with menace and she shrank back. The blond vampire placed his hands on either side of the desk. "So evasive. Luckily I have spare time on my hands, though I can make this go a lot quicker. Wouldn't it be a shame for you if you had to wait in line for my attention?"

She swallowed. "I wasn't doing anything."

He leaned forwards and she became light-headed. The outside world and all its horrors slipped away, and it was only a striking blue eyes that held her in place like a life ring thrown out to sea. His voice was like soft as velvet and each word wrapped around her brain, "Tell me why you are here, so far from home."

The words bubbled up like a stream between loose lips, "I am looking for the vampire who murdered my parents. Shreveport was the last place I saw it before I lost track." Four years ago they had had their lives snuffed as if they had meant nothing at all. Two years ago vampires had made their presence known to the world. Being alone in the world and hunting down a vampire who had ripped everything away from her was not how she had imagined twenty-four to be.

He leaned back, face regarding her with an intense, unreadable expression; his lips were drawn in a hard line. She blinked harshly and pushed back into the chair. That information she had shared with no one. A cold shiver ran up her spine. Whatever had happened wasn't natural.

"Go." His voice was cold as winter.

Her eyes narrowed in paranoia, but his face remained in absolute conviction. She had no means to evaluate whether he was going to drain her dry the second she turned her back on him. But if he meant it, then she would not test the beasts words. Quickly she left the office, flinging the door open and making her way out of the club in haste. She couldn't think of why she had told him that sensitive information, only that she had. And she needed to create distance between them, fast. Whatever had happened, she would sort out later.

A few moments prior the club had stilled as they had watched the exchange between Winn and the vampire. Now it was as if she had never existed. The dancers continued luring in the lost souls fascinated by the creatures of the night, and men continued to dream endlessly of a dancer they would never get. Several people swayed on their feet, eyes glazed with alcohol and mind clouded with poor judgement. The lights flickered various colours across the club, immersing the club-goers in red and blues hues. Nearly unconsciously her eyes scanned the club as she left. Still, The Vampire was not there. The whole time the blonde vampires eyes were trained on her back, keenly following her every moment. He was leaning against the frame to his office door, arms crossed.

"Pam?" He murmured.

In a flash the female bouncer was at his side. She watched the petite girl exit the club in a panicked hurry, "What is it, Eric?"

When the girl was outside, the Nordic vampire turned to look at his progeny, "Find the girls family history."

Pam raised an eyebrow, "You think she's some type of supernatural we don't know about?"

His head shifted slowly to the side as the door began swinging shut. "No. I believe she may be from a chapter in my past I believe was long closed."

A/N: Do read since I promise it will be the only one I make!

1. I GUARANTEE this story will be uploaded every tuesday. Why can I say this with 100% confidence? Because I've finished writing this story. I'll just be using the time before every tuesday to edit through grammar/spelling mistakes . . . and hopefully catch them all ;)

(so don't look at my other unfinished stories as indication about my commitment or consistency to uploading new chapters, it's embarrassing, I'll tell you). Also I would like to imagine I have improved as a writer since my last updated chapter on whichever story that may have been.

2. I promise to respond to reviewers because it'll make me extremely happy that you've taken the time to give me a comment, any comment!

3. I got inspired to write this after watching True Blood for the first time (am I late to the party?). I have tried my utmost best to keep all characters as they were on the show. My Godric has been composed of several various characters opinions on him (such as Erics biased progeny-maker opinions, Lorenas, etc. on his behaviour) and throughout the several time-spans we saw him in. So hopefully I have kept true to his character. I think everyone has a right to have a little leeway with him as the time we've seen him has been so short, though.

4. Godric comes in soon, of course. But I will give fair warning that Chapter 3 borrows heavily from the dialogue in the show, and for that, I'm sorry. I wasn't original in any way, shape, or form there. HOWEVER, after this I will diverge completely from the shows original premise and build this story as completely my own.

5. Going from the point above, all supernatural creatures with the exception of vampires (and some witches) are either non-existent or irrelevant.

6. BLOODRULES. I'm fixing this shows inconsistency here and creating my own laws. One: the older the blood the more likely there will be negatively adverse affects/effects and withdrawal systems. If drunken straight from the source, there won't be any hallucinations, but there will still be a euphoria/high experienced. Two: the more powerful and older a vamp is, the longer and stronger a bloodbond will form, and the more a human will react strongly too it. Three: if injuries aren't immediately treated and begin healing on their own for a human, then any amount of blood won't heal it - it has to be immediate blood feeding, or the injury will ignore vamp blood. Four: claiming will happen with a vampire giving blood to the human, it'll last for a v long time, especially if vamp is once agian, older/powerful. bloodblond happens with a mutual blood exchangs. That is all.

7. Vampires aren't going to be forthcoming about their abilities and weaknesses. Something like glamouring, therefore would be no more than a rumour. None of this getting contacts at walgreens shit.