The night was hot and sticky, and the hood of her red McLaren P1 was warm against her skin, but Lucy Daystar didn't even notice, as lips pressed behind her earlobe, scraping gently. She ran her fingers through the soft, thick, curly brown hair of the boy as his hips met her own. His tan skin was flushed from their heated make-out session.

Hands flew across her clothing, pulling her red blouse from her skirt, and running his fingers along her sides gently.

"Oh, God," he murmured, as she scraped her nails over his neck. Lucy paused, pulling back to stare at him. Her brow furrowed, and she pushed against his chest to get him to back up.

"No," she said, shaking her head, "go home, Roger."

"What? Lucy-"

"Home, darling. Don't bring my father into this." Lucy pulled her shirt back down, running her hand through her curly black hair. "Move, lest I hit you with my rather expensive car."

Dumbly, Roger stumbled back from the car, tripping over the curb. Lucy shook her head, as the butterfly doors slid upwards, and slid into her car. He stared as she sped by, a mischievous look slipping onto her face as the tires squealed on the pavement.

Merlotte's was packed as usual, being one of the only restaurants in Bon Temps. Conversation dimmed as Lucy walked in, heels echoing in the silence as all eyes were drawn to her. Lucy smirked, and five seconds passed before the talking continued. The girl flipped her curls over her shoulder, slid onto a bar stool, and looked up at the bartender.

"Evening, Sam," she greeted, resting her chin on the palm of her hand.

"Hey, there, Lucy," Sam answered, offering her a smile, "the usual?"

"Yes, sir," Lucy smirked up at him, watching his blue eyes twinkle. Sam smiled again, wrote out the order, and handed it off to Lafayette in the kitchen. He picked up a glass and filled it with beer, placing it in front of her after wiping away the overflowing froth from the sides. Lucy raised the glass to her lips, looking at Sam from beneath her lashes. The man flushed, wiping down the clean counter with an air of anxiety about him. The phone rang, and Sam snatched it up from the wall quickly.

"Evening, Merlotte's!" he greeted cheerfully. He paused listening to the person on the other line with a small smile. "Hey, Tara," he paused again, nodding to himself, as a blonde waitress came over, putting a few menus back in their rightful place. "Yeah, she's right here." He handed the phone over to the blonde.

"I'm so sorry, Sam!" The blonde gushed, "She knows not to call me at work."

"It's fine, Sookie," Sam grinned, "at least you don't abuse the privilege like Arlene does."

"Hey!" Arlene snapped, walking out of the kitchen, red hair swaying, "I heard that!"

"Oh, I wish you would hear that!" Sam teased.

"Please, Sam," the middle aged woman scoffed, "I have kids!"

Sookie shook her head, putting the phone up to her ear. The conversation didn't last long, but Lucy caught the gist of it; Sookie's uppity best friend Tara had once again lost her temper and quit a job before she could be fired. A smirk played on Lucy's lips as Sookie came over, whining and placing her head on Sam's clean bar-top.

"Why does she do this?"

"Because, Sookie dear, Tara isn't great with people, and is not meant to work in customer service."

Sookie sighed and watched Lucy take another sip of her beer.

"Uh-Oh." Dawn, another one of Sam's waitresses, placed a plate of steak and potatoes in front of Lucy, before looking at Sookie, eyes full of warning, "Mack and Denise Rattray are about to sit down in your section."

Sookie's dark eyes shot to her section, where the two Trailer-Trash drug dealers were standing at a pool table. Mack slapped his wife in the ass, making her turn and slap him in the face with a shout of, "What the fuck?!"

Lucy made a face; the Rattrays were the worst kind of people, and she couldn't wait until she could pass judgment upon them. The things they would say about Sookie behind her back made Lucy seethe in silent anger. Sookie was a very kind individual, and she was damn good at keeping secrets.

Sookie let out an aggravated sigh, grabbing the menus she had just put away.

"Don't let them get to you Cher," Sam soothed, "they're not worth it."

He got an eye roll in return and she sauntered towards the table, fake smile plastered on her face.

"Two tecate's, Sam?" Dawn asked, finally doing what she had approached the bar for. Sam smiled slightly and filled up two more glasses of beer for Dawn's customers, topping Lucy's off while he was at it. The phone rang again and this time, Lucy leaned across the bar, grabbing up the phone.

"Hello!" She greeted, winking at Sam as he gestured for her to give him the phone. "Merlotte's Bar and Grill, this is Lucy speaking, how can I help you?"

"Hi, Miss Lucy!" The voice of Coby Fowler flowed through the phone, bringing a smile to her face.

"Hello Small Human! How are you this fine night?"

"Is my Momma there?" He asked as an answer, making Lucy chuckle, "Rene won't let us watch a scary movie on HBO."

"Just a second, then," Lucy placed the phone against her shoulder to muffle the shout, "Arlene!"

"Oh, shoot!" Arlene was quick to move behind the bar and grab the phone, "Hello?" Lucy listened as she settled herself back into her seat, beginning her meal. "Well, honey, if Rene says you're too young to watch a scary movie on HBO, then I'm siding with him." Arlene glanced at Sam, who was staring at her impatiently. "I know he's not your daddy, but your daddy doesn't want to live with us anymore, remember?"

Sam sighed and shook his head, going back to cleaning the dirty dishes. Lucy snickered, picked up her steak, and went towards the serving hatch, through which she could see Lafayette making a batch of burgers, shaking seasoning onto them.

"My compliments to the chef!" she announced, drawing his attention. Lafayette looked up, and smirked at her.

"You expect anything but perfection, Momma?" He teased, scooping more potatoes onto her plate with a wink.

"Never," Lucy replied, eating her food and watching him work. They stood in companionable silence until Sookie came up, looking annoyed.

"Can I get some onion rings?" she requested. "And if you drop a couple on the floor, that's fine with me."

"Got it!" Lafayette chuckled, looking up at her. He did a double take, grinning. "Oooh, Sookie! Chicka-chicka-bow-wow." He did a little jig, which made Lucy snicker. Sookie, on the other hand, just looked confused. "You look like a porn star with that tan. And pink lipstick." He approached with a serious look on his face. "You got a date?"

"No," Sookie shook her head, tone implying that the answer was obvious. "When I wear make-up I get bigger tips."

Lafayette burst out laughing, taking a step back from the serving hatch. "Yes, girl, that's right. These damn rednecks are suckers for packaging." He did a little shimmy, showing off his body. "Take Lucy for example," Lafayette flicked a soft black curl over the girl's shoulder. "She's got everything going on, from the pencil skirt and low cut blouse, to the glitter eyes and the winged eyeliner, and it works for her. Don't act like I didn't see you with Roger earlier, sugar. Left him high and dry. Poor bastard."

Lucy raised her eyebrow, a slight smirk on her face, "He brought my father into the situation. I don't take kindly to that, hooker."

Sookie cut her a look, as Lucy so easily put her secrets out in the open. Sookie would never tell anyone her own secrets, and didn't know why Lucy told hers without a second thought. What Sookie didn't know, was that humans rarely believed the truth, and so she didn't feel the need to hide it.

"Whoa now, Momma," Lafayette smirked too, "take a bite outta my meat and calm down."

With exaggerated slowness, Lucy popped a piece of steak in her mouth and chewed. Then she turned her gaze to Sookie. "She gets even bigger tips if she acts like she doesn't have a brain in her head."

"Well, if I don't, they're all scared of me, so..." Sookie shrugged. Lafayette snorted and shook his head.

"They ain't scared of you, honey-child, they're scared of what's between your legs."

"Lafayette!" Sookie gasped, as Arlene came over, hanging up order slips for when Lafayette was ready, "that's nasty talk, I won't listen to that!"

Arlene chuckled, looking over at the cook.

"Do you even know what's between a woman's legs, Lafayette?"

"I know that every man, whether straight, gay or George motherfucking Bush is terrified of the the pussy."

"Lafayette!" Sookie squeaked.

"Ooh," Dawn appeared behind Lucy's left shoulder, grinning, "what are we talking about?"

"Pussy."

"Hey Listen," Arlene was still laughing, "not everybody is gay, okay? Not everyone wants to have sex with you."

"Oh, you'd be surprised Arlene. People you know." Lafayette teased. Arlene scoffed as he waved his hand over his face with a smirk. "That's all I'm saying."

"Well I don't want to have sex with you." Lucy shrugged, winking at Lafayette.

"Me either," Arlene laughed. Dawn nodded in agreement.

"Well, you ladies don't know what you're missing." Lafayette began humping the counter, smirk growing. "I've got six gears on these hips."

"No, Baby!" Dawn turned and sauntered away, "You don't know what you're missing. You can watch her walk away, make you wanna slap it?" Dawn slapped her own ass as she walked away.

"Oh, you wanna slap it, Lafayette?" Lucy teased. Lafayette scoffed and grabbed the order slips Arlene had brought.

"Everybody knows that. Everybody's been there. John's been there!" Lafayette gestured to his fellow chef.

Sookie looked around, mortified, glancing around for help.

"Take these, baby!" Arlene walked away backwards, holding her hands up to her chest, "peaches and cream! Peaches and cream!"

"I'll give you a little cocoa! Ain't that right, John?"

Sookie swallowed thickly and darted away. Lucy snickered and finished her meal, passing it back though the hatch for Lafayette to put in the sink. As she walked away she heard Lafayette call after her, "Oh, Momma, I do love watching you walk away!"

An hour later, Lucy sat at the bar again eating the peanuts Sam had scattered around and teasing the staff. Tara Thornton stormed into the bar, threw her bag down, and grumbled loudly.

"My life sucks."

"Tara," Sookie said from off to the side, "don't go feeling sorry for yourself, that's just lazy."

"Well, how come I can't keep a job?"

"Maybe because you can't keep you big mouth shut?" Lucy teased. Tara cut her a sarcastic look.

"Bitch, who asked you?"

Lucy rose an eyebrow, snagged Tara's margarita and took a sip. Sookie giggled at the interaction.

"How you doing, Sookie?" Sam asked, as he placed a glass of wine in front of Lucy, grinning at Sookie happily.

"I've had better nights," Sookie replied with a shrug.

Lucy suddenly tuned out of the conversation, blue eyes wide as she looked towards the door, long before the vampire opened it. When he sat down in a booth, a dazed looking Sookie went up to him, after allowing herself a little jig in honor of Merlotte's first vampire.

"What the hell, Sookie?" Tara muttered. Lucy shook her head, narrowing her eyes at the vampire, before sliding Sam a hundred dollar bill, telling him to keep the change. "Where the hell you going?"

"Home," Lucy grumbled. "My night is ruined."

"No, come on, stay." Sam loosely grabbed her wrist, looking up at her pleadingly. "Help us keep an eye on her?"

"You'll owe me a favor, Sam Merlotte."

"I'll do anything to keep her safe, Lucy."

Lucy rolled her eyes, and pulled her wrist from Sam's grip, sitting back down on her stool.

For twenty minutes, Lucy watched the vampire, whom she recognized vaguely as one who had walked into Eric Northman's bar a week ago, requesting to live in Area 5. Eric hadn't reacted well after the meeting, so Lucy didn't appreciate this particular vampire much. Lucy also watched Sookie, who seemed far too interested in the vampire for her own good. Though Lucy, herself was concerned when the Rattrays showed an interest in the vampire.

A while later after Sookie visited the table, she came charging back to the bar, grabbing Lucy by the hand.

"Lucy, we have to stop them! Please, tell me you'll stop them! Give me your word!" she cried. Lucy rose an eyebrow. It had been a long time since Sookie had asked her to 'give her word' about anything.

"What's wrong, Sookie?" Lucy looked over the blonde's shoulder to see the Rattrays leaving with the vampire.

"It's the Rattrays! They're going to drain that vampire! We need to stop them."

Lucy's eyebrow rose even higher.

"Uh-uh!" Tara cut in, having been listening in to the conversation from Lucy's other side. "No, way, Sookie, we don't need to have anything to do with that vampire."

"Tara, I am very disappointed in you and your small mindedness." Sookie hissed. Tara opened her mouth to snap back, but Sam interrupted.

"Sookie," he soothed, "That vampire can take care of himself, I promise you."

Sookie, suddenly realizing that the room was once again filled with loud thoughts, spun on her heel. The booth she'd left the vampire in was empty.

"Shit!" she ripped her apron off and ran out the door. Sam stared after her, eyebrows furrowed. He looked over at Tara.

"You know how to tend bar?" He asked.

"No," Tara said, finality in her tone, but Sam handed her his apron, demanding she "fake it". Tara rolled her eyes. She stared at Lucy for a moment, before slamming her hands down on the bar. "Well?"

"Well what?" Lucy asked, sipping at her wine.

"Ain't you gonna go help Sookie?"

"Sookie can wait a few seconds until I finish my wine, Tara."

"I cannot believe you!" Tara seethed, "That vampire could-"

"Tara," Lucy drained her wine, "that vampire can't do anything while I'm around. I promise you, if I thought he was a danger to Sookie, I wouldn't let her anywhere near him." She stood, and stretched, before putting her hands on her hips, "I ought to check on her, however." She walked out of the bar, adding a sway to her hips that had everyone watching her leave.

Sookie was threatening the Rattrays with a knife when Lucy reached her. Mack had a heavy iron chain around his neck, and was struggling to breathe, but Denise was glaring Sookie down something fierce. Lucy took one look at the prone vampire on the ground, and shook her head.

"Mack and Denise Rattray, draining vampires and the distribution of V is punishable by law in many of the southern states." She walked out of the shadows, hands behind her back. Denise turned her glare on Lucy.

"This ain't none of your business, bitch!" she snapped.

"Leave now, and maybe I won't report you to the Sheriff of Area 5. Vampires don't take kindly to the draining of their own kind." Lucy's eyes flashed, "Put your hands on Sookie Stackhouse, and you'll find yourself at the gates of Hell, faster than you can ask for forgiveness."

Denise narrowed her eyes further, then turned around, shouting for her husband to leave with her. He was still on the ground, struggling to breathe and pry away the chain. "Come on, Mack! Can't you get that fuckin' thing off? Let's go!" She grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him to his feet. She went to snatch the blood she'd drained from Sookie's vampire friend, but Lucy cleared her throat.

"Leave it," she ordered.

"I will kill you for this." Denise promised.

"I'm immortal, darling. But try, if you like." Lucy smirked. Denise glared again, dragging her husband off with a snarl.

Sookie watched until they were in their car, before she rushed to the vampire, grabbing the silver chain the Rattrays had laced over his wrists and neck, pulling it off gently. Steam rose from the wounds, and the vampire hissed quietly. Lucy peeked over Sookie's shoulder, watching as the wounds closed up.

"Shut up!" Sookie breathed in shock, making Lucy chuckle.

The sound of a revving engine grabbed their attention, and they saw the Rattrays' car speeding straight for them. "Grab his feet!" Sookie cried, grabbing the vampire under the arms. Lucy took his feet, and together they moved him out of the way of the car as Denise drove it up onto the embankment they'd just been on.

"I'm gonna get you bitches!" She shouted out the window. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I despise the Rattrays."

Lucy entered her apartment building close to dawn, ignoring the doorman as he yawned tiredly from his post at the desk. The apartment building was vampire-friendly, though it's tenants were usually human companions. Lucy was the only exception that she knew of. With a yawn of her own, Lucy entered the Elevator, and keyed in the code for her apartment, which was the penthouse loft of the old, converted warehouse. The doors slid open to reveal her home, the light-tight panels already down for the day. She walked towards her bed, kicking off her shoes and unzipping her skirt as she went. Her shirt fell to the floor at the foot of her bed, and she crawled into it's soft, warm embrace. Her head hit the pillow with a soft thud, making the man that occupied her bed groan softly and wrap his arms around her.

"Eric," she murmured, snuggling further into his arms. His cold nose trailed up her throat, pausing when they reached behind her ear.

Roger's scent from the beginning of the night was still there, and it made the old vampire growl with useless possessiveness.

"Mine," he snarled, pulling her in closer, nuzzling her neck. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I stopped a vampire from being drained in Renard Parish today."

Eric was instantly still, and he raised his blonde head to look at her intensely with his blue eyes.

"Bill Compton? Who was draining him?" Eric said the vampire's name with distaste.

"Mack and Denise Rattray. I don't think we'll have to worry about them for long. They'll get what's coming to them one day soon."

"If they cause you harm-"

"Immortal, love," Lucy reminded, stretching languidly against the Viking's naked body. "All is well. Let's go to sleep, before you get the bleeds."

Eric grumbled in agreement, closing his eyes, and listening to the too-fast heartbeat of the angel next to him until he fell dead for the day.