"Hey Sook, long time no see." Sam says coming through the front door in his black suit, his hair slicked back and his clothes seemingly freshly pressed.

"Hey Sam." I greet him with a small smile, the next person in line to greet me Tara and then Lafayette who is followed by Arlene. More are there, the line going out the door and I stay in my place greeting everyone, doing my best to stay strong as I glance repeatedly at the coffin I can't see into from this angle. Jason is absent and in the back of my mind I'm furious with him, but I let it go for now, knowing it is something to be dealt with later.

Once everyone that seems to be arriving has done so, the pastor has everyone have a seat and starts reading from his book.

She's lowered into the ground a few hours before sunset, tears being shed by all in attendance and I hand a key to Sam as we are all in the parking lot leaving. "This is to the house; can you make sure Jason gets it?" I'd taken care of giving him ownership of the house through Gran's lawyer and had already received half her savings money and life insurance which was a lot more than I had anticipated it to be. I'd opted to let him keep his half of all the money along with the house even though he hadn't talked to me for a while, as I figured he'd likely leave me alone.

"Where you headed from 'ere?" He asks curiously, putting it in his shirt pocket.

"Shreveport for now, I got a job at the newspaper as one of the people proofreading articles, so I'll work really late at night. I'll keep looking for better jobs in bigger cities, bigger newspaper and publishing places, maybe New Orleans. Oh, you can take my old car if you want it, the keys should be in the kitchen in the farmhouse, I'm not sure if it still runs bit if not then you could sell it for scrap the title is in the glovebox. The apartment I got last week is really close to where I work now, so no worries. I'm planning on a new car as soon as I need one." Not that I couldn't just teleport everywhere anyway. I don't say that part though, as he's never known about anything beyond my telepathy. Niall had come to see me in my junior year of college, helping me to understand what I was and showing me how to defend myself with my light as well as teleportation. He'd wanted me to come with him to learn even more, but I'd refused, and he'd respected it as I was well on my way to graduating as valedictorian.

"That sounds like good work for ya, I'd imagine you won' be swamped with people too much. Also, don' take this the wrong way, but I'm really also sorry about the timin' of all of this. Your Gran would have loved to have celebrated with you." In his head he's watching me walk down the aisle on TV as the school graduation had been broadcasted and many at Merlotte's had been interest in seeing me get my diploma as well as deliver my speech. Gran had been declining rapidly while I'd been taking my finals, Sam calling me just hours after my walk at Graduation to tell me that she'd passed.

"I understand what you mean and yeah, she would have, she was really excited when I got accepted to an Ivy league school even though it meant I was leaving. The nurses said she was just completely out of it when they tried to put it on the TV for her." I stop myself form saying more, not wanting to lose my composure any further before giving Sam a hug goodbye.

"Let me know if I can ever do anythin' for ya." He says with the window down in his truck before backing up and leaving along with everyone else.

Saying a quick goodbye to my friends as well, I see everyone off before I walk back towards the farmhouse. Grabbing a small box from the porch, it's the last few items I'd wanted to get from the place and had set aside earlier in the morning. Now that I'm alone, a fresh set of tears drops down my face and I sit on the porch swing for a while, listening to the insects and nightlife slowly come awake as the sun sets. "Goodbye Gran." I mutter, touch the porch banister one more time before teleporting to my apartment entryway. Kicking off my shoes, I leave the box on the edge of the dining room table and go to grab myself a bite to eat from the refrigerator.

I'm stuck using paper plates and plastic silverware as I haven't bought real stuff yet. The thought of keeping Gran's dishes and cookware had made me too sad and apart from a few heirloom pieces I packed into storage, I'd given a lot of it away to Gran's friends. Glancing at my sparse, small living room, I pass it as I head into by bedroom and strip my clothes into the dirty laundry hamper. Getting a shower, I stand in the hot water for a long time, saltwater mixing with the fresh as it goes down the drain and by the time I come out I feel exhausted. Falling into bed, I curl up under the blankets and stare at the blank wall as I slowly fall to sleep.

When I wake in the morning, I find that I'm surprisingly alright feeling, not completely unstable as I slowly work my way through a breakfast of leftovers from a couple nights prior. I take my day one step at a time, getting through it as I occasionally find myself crying despite not actively thinking about the previous few days. The remainder of the week goes the same, small tasks being completed each day as I slowly get things in order in my life before my first day at my new job ten days after the funeral.

I'd walked by the building a couple times in the past days as I'd gotten more familiar with the city, making my way into the front door. The receptionist happily points me towards a staff elevator on one side of the room even as she seems to be getting ready to leave and I'm not surprised as it's nearly midnight.

Getting out of the elevator in the basement, I am surprised by the size of the open room. "Hi." Looking to my left, I see the source of the voice is the only other person here, standing to hold his hand out.

"Hi, I'm Sookie. I think I'm in the right place? I'm a new editor."

"Yeah, alright, you're the girl Martin mentioned. I'm Shane, the other editor. There's only two of us, now. There used to be three, a guy who was the original editor and who retired recently and another girl who moved across the country. It isn't really a three-person work load, but they're supposed to hire another person soon so that we'll be able to rotate nights for time off." He starts showing me how it works soon enough, telling me to be careful as we do in fact hold the only currently compiled copies of the next days paper.

It only takes a few days to figure out most of my job, quickly falling into a new pattern as the days turn into weeks. My work starts each night at midnight, ending only when the paper is ready to be sent to print and there are many a morning that I end up in a waffle house around the corner to eat a breakfast for a late dinner before heading home to sleep. I usually don't rise until two or three in the afternoon, not minding it though as I was never much of a morning person anyway.

I'm almost a month into working there when they hire the new girl, another woman fresh out of college and I maintain a superficial relationship with her just as I've done with Shane. I don't like the thought of getting too close to either of them, especially Shane as he's thought about asking me on dates, which I wish to avoid. I idly hope they will get together and leave me alone, but I doubt I'll be that lucky. It's my first night off, and I pull on a long dark dress that falls from my shoulders to below my knees before slipping on my short black heels. My hair gets brushed out straight as I don't feel like putting it up and I take a stroll down the street slowly as I get used to the way there.

It had been in many of the articles I edited when I started, the club Fangtasia reopening after a dramatic remodel following the bombing of the main dancefloor. Apparently, the only ones injured were humans, and it seemed to have been a major factor in the recent shift towards passing vampire's equal rights. It had been in national headlines for a couple days and well as still receiving regular mention. The local newspapers went on about it for nearly two weeks and several recent articles had talked about the finished remodel and reopening planning. After the first few articles I'd edited, I ended up learning a lot about vampires, doing extensive research on the internet as I tried to learn about their history as well. I'd ended up talking to several of the people who'd interviewed the owner and pulled the memories from their minds so that I could get a better idea of what he was like.

The newspaper had made oddly vague and little mentions of him, my curiosity peaked when even the people who interviewed him seem unable to remember much about him. But then when I looked closer, one by one, I realized they'd all been glamoured. I'd considered breaking the vampires magic in their minds but decided against it, unable to see what was hidden and not wanting anything traumatic to affect them. A fair amount of digging around on the internet doesn't reveal much besides his name, and a consensus that he's at least four or five hundred years old if not older. There's no mention of his whereabouts before Shreveport and I wonder how long he's been here.

Neon signs begin to greet me as I see more bars, people loitering around as it's dinner time and lots of the places serving food on terraces and balconies to hungry individuals. There are voids scattered around, none of them within sight though until I go around a corner to spot Fangtasia across the street. A vampire with blond hair done up in fancy curls and a black leather, gothic outfit stands at the door, carding people as they get to enter slowly. A second door further behind her has a second vampire stationed as he seems to be watching the people that exit. An Asian man in a closely cut black suit, his hair cut short to his head as he watches inside the club with a stern face, not even glancing my way as I get in the line to enter. Making sure my scent is undetectable, I wait patiently as the line moves slowly but steadily, my turn next as a pair of women in skimpy red clothes go in.

"ID." She says with a saccharine smile and I hand it over as I had it ready, her fingers taking it from mine as she flips it over and inspects it closely. "Aren't we dressed nice this evening." She's glancing me over as she says it and I can't help the smile on my face as her tone tells me she's not just teasing.

"Sorry, I don't swing that way, but thanks for the compliment. It was the only thing in my closet that I thought would fit in." I chuckle as I take my ID from her and she waves her hand towards the inside of the club.

"Well I hope you have a good time. If not, come find me later." The wink she gives me is paired with a fangy grin and I chuckle amusedly as I go inside, wondering if she gives everyone the same treatment for the sake of the image of the bar.

The bar is to my right, a long black and gray marbled countertop with drinks at regular intervals as most of the seats are taken. The dance floor in the center is black tile, the rest of the floor matching it and paired well with the mahogany and red fabric booths around the walls of the club. Several free-standing tables are on the back side of the bar as well as an empty DJ table and a small booth of merchandise with a vampire sitting behind the register. I head towards an empty seat at the bar slowly, getting a quick rundown on the place from multiple human employees. There's a stage on the far side of the space from the bar, a rather impressive and large wooden chair sitting empty with black curtains hiding the wall behind it. It looks to be intricately carved, but I don't want to get too close to it as I wish to stay unnoticed, sitting and waiting for the bartender as he speaks with someone else.

"What can I get you?" He asks, appearing before me in an instant and I smile politely. It looks as though he might be from South America and I wonder about his age, his void steady and unwavering as I gentry try to see if I can get in.

"A gin and tonic, please." Nodding, he moves away for a moment to get what he needs.

Returning, he mixes it in front of me and hands it to me a second later. "Date tonight?"

"No, I've just been working a lot. I wanted to enjoy a night to myself and thank you for the drink."

Not replying, he moves away to where someone else has sat down and I wonder how much it'll be for my drink. I sort through some of the memories of the human employees, all of them paid well and with full benefits. There's even a clause for coverage of the cost of a psychologist in case anyone is feeling in need. It doesn't seem to be used much though as I find that the humans are all well treated, although the public is nothing that can be spoken for.

"Who are you?" A man asks as he sits next to me, breaking me from my thoughts and I look him over as I see in his head that he wishes to get me in bed. Distaste sours my mood as I don't like the feel of his mind, someone who is deceptive while also being easily swayed.

"I'm just enjoying a drink to myself, thank you." I tell him with a dismissive tone and I'm unhappy when I feel his hand land on my shoulder.

"Come one now, don't be like that." He says with a confident grin, certain he can get me to like him if I drink some more.

"No, thank you, as I said before I am not in the mood to go home with some random guy." My voice is terse as I am nearly ready to turn him away mentally.

"Well, I don't have to be random. Let's get to know each other." Scoffing, I am about to lash out at him silently when his hand is suddenly removed, and he looks at the void I sense behind me with surprise.

"The lady would like to be left alone." The Spanish accent is undeniable as I realize the bartender is standing behind me, his hand gripping the mans wrist and pulling him up from his chair. "You need to leave." He informs the man, looking at the exit pointedly.

"Wow, I'm sorry, you didn't have to do that." I say a moment later as he appears back behind the bar handing me a second drink as my first one is nearly gone and he just shrugs.

"His kind is unwelcome here." He states simply, and I smile.

"I can imagine why… how much are these?" I ask tapping my full glass and he hands me a piece of card stock from behind the bar. It lists the prices for all the basic drinks and I glance it over quickly. "Thank you." I mutter as he walks away, looking over the drink options and flipping the card to see the 'house specials'.

There's some interesting choices, and I'm considering choosing one but go against it as I get distracted. The crowd seems to be buzzing with a new energy as a blond head walks straight through it, cutting a line through the people until I see the tall man turning to sit in his chair on the stage. Thoughts of the humans confirm that this is the infamous Eric Northman and I look him over as I swivel my bar stool around. His eyes sweep the crowd, not stopping on anyone before he pulls out a cell phone and I put together my mental image of him with the actual vampire himself as I look at his face. He's handsome, that's for sure, and I'm surprised when I feel myself drawn to him but turn away as I grab my drink to finish it.

I observe the club for a couple of hours, making the occasional small chat with a woman named Ginger who seems to talk faster than anyone I've ever met. She goes on and on as I just nod along, not seeming to care that I'm not really listening and walking away beyond earshot even as she rambles about every inane detail of her life. I'm not sure if she clocks out but she's gone after a while, not reappearing before I pay my bill along with give a tip before leaving, nodding politely to the Asian vampire on my way.

The grocery store is a needed stop on my way home as I remember a few things I need before I walk to a couple blocks away. After getting everything checked out and popping home from a quiet corner, I put it away and heat up some soup leftovers from before work. I grab a shower after I've done some cleaning of the apartment and end up staying up late as I don't want to disrupt my work routine, going to bed just before dawn.

My next few days at work are uneventful, the time passing by without incident until my next day off when I decide to go to Fangtasia again. I'm not sure what draws me back to the place but something about the atmosphere appeals to me, the same bartender from the previous time there and he recognize me. A gin and tonic is already in front of me as I sit and enjoy the alone time to myself, making progressive use of my digital books. Eric does not appear while I'm there and I leave a few hours later, giving the bartender a good tip again before I stand and walk out.

I'm leaving when I contemplate that I've worn the same outfit to Fangtasia twice, heading home to change to more comfortable clothes then departing once more. My first stop is a small boutique I'd passed multiple times on my way into the grocers, an assortment of clothes for club goers available there and I find several good outfits to help me fit in at the bar. The second place I go to is a chain store with more 'normal' clothes and I find my supplemental items there, darkly colored underclothes and dark shoes in different styles as well as hair ties and skin care products. Carrying all of my bags bundled together I leave the store, turning and nearly going to an alleyway to pop home but stopping as I see a bookstore I hadn't noticed before tucked between the clothing store and an electronics store.

"Anything in particular you're looking for?" A middle-aged woman asks as I enter the small space, but see that it stretches back as the building must be narrow but long.

"Not really, I just never noticed this place here before and I wanted to have a look."

"Alrighty, well do you want to put all of your things down on one of the reading tables? Nobody should bother them while you browse." I thank her for the suggestion as she points to a few small sitting tables along the wall to my right. Bookshelves stretch the length of the entire place, full of lots of treasures as I find that I have to limit myself on what I'm going to get for now. Promising that I'll return soon, I thank the woman as she hands me the bags with my books and I grab my other bags before heading outside. Ducking into an alley I finally pop home, dropping the bags onto my couch and sitting down to rest for a moment.

Work feels strange the next few days, my mind repeatedly drifting back to Eric. I even find myself typing his name into a correction when I'm mindlessly fixing a small mistake and must fix that as well. I'm surprised when I sense a werewolf coming down in the elevator just before I'm about to go home, almost a week having passed since my last visit to Fangtasia. The doors ding open and he walks in, looking around curiously and I'm surprised when I recognize his face although his name hadn't rung a bell as I pluck it from his mind. "Can I help you?" I ask, standing before him.

"Yes, I'm looking for a Sookie Stackhouse?"

"That would be me, but who are you?"

"I'm Alan Beverly." I flush, standing straighter and holding my hand out which he takes.

His name is on the plaque in the entrance as he is the owner of the company, his thoughts quickly shielded as I don't wish to eavesdrop on my boss's boss and I smile pleasantly. "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you for a moment. Is there something I can help you with? We're done editing for the night and Shane already left, so I was about to head out as well."

"Yes, I just wanted to come see how things were settling for you? I was the one who took a special interest in your application as you are local, and your Ivy league degree doesn't hurt." He says with a grin and I chuckle, getting the distinct impression that he's trying to flirt.

"Oh, I enjoy the work and I like the relative quiet. I've also never been a morning person, so this job makes my schedule perfect. Thank you for hiring me, sir." His smile twitches down for a second and I peek at his mind to see that he's reprimanding himself, reminding himself that he is in fact my boss and can't act unseemly.

"Well that's good to hear. If you need anything, do leave a message with my secretary for me. You can go, I'm going to have a look around for a bit as I like to check up on things every now and then." Nodding with a smile, I step past him and reach the elevator, the doors sliding closed as I look at his back getting further away.

My walk home is quiet as I'm mentally preoccupied, thinking about what it's like to date a werewolf but never having done so as one never appealed to me in that way. I'd met a few in college but they didn't catch my eye like Eric did… my step falters as I realize I'd just compared my boss and werewolves from college to Eric all at the same time. Shaking my head, I wonder what is wrong with me as I get out my card key, unlocking the apartment complex main entrance. The stairwell is vacated, and I glance back through the glass door to see nobody is there before I pop straight into my living room. Putting my shoes by the door I go about making a single serving of spaghetti, watching a movie as I eat it. After a shower I end up lying in bed reading until I end up passing out with the book in my hands.

My next day at work is a quick one, the Sunday paper not yielding much for me to do and I stare at the clock for several minutes as I consider my options. Popping to my bedroom I change into a black long-sleeved knitted top and black slacks. I find my recently bought pair of simple black wedges comfortable to walk in as I try them out through the apartment. Putting my hair up in a tight bun with a pair of wooden hair sticks Niall had given me, I finally add the barest smudge of grey eyeshadow as I look myself over in the mirror. I pause for a second, surprised by how good the outfit looks on me. I'd known that it would fit when I bought it, but I hadn't actually tried it on yet and decidedly feel confident in it as I pop to an alley near Fangtasia.

It's only going to be open for a couple more hours and I don't know if Eric will even still be there, but I'm feeling oddly energized as I bounce across the street. The blond vampire is not at the entrance door, instead the Asian one as they've switched places and he looks at my ID silently before I'm allowed inside. The bartender is the same South American vampire from previous nights, Marcel, I learn as I pick his name from one of the few waitresses who overheard Eric say it. He's polite, nodding in welcome as he sets a drink in front of me and I was thankfully able to get the last bar stool against the wall, making it easier to go unnoticed. I keep my attention mentally on the mind of the bartender as I have in previous nights, not necessary trying to get into a vampire's thoughts but focusing on the blessed silence as I don't have to hold my shields up. Reading I've found is much easier, a theory I confirm as I can feel myself reading faster and comprehending quicker. I tune out the bar sounds with ear buds attached to my phone, loud orchestral music crashing in my eardrums as I have my favorite tracks on a list to repeat.

My attention is turned as I'm changing books, something caught in my filter, a thought that I can't ignore as I focus on the source. Just drop it in… there we go… now we just wait until a few minutes after she drinks it. I'm sickened by the thoughts of the man, turning my head towards him as he casually walks away from the table where he'd just dosed a woman's drink. Lifting my hand to get the bartenders attention from the far end, he appears a second later and I point out the table making sure he knows which one I'm talking about. "I just saw that guy dose a drink with something over at that table." Pointing at the other table, he looks between them before looking at me with a blank expression and disappearing. I realize he's gone onto the stage behind me as I track his void and I stiffen slightly, hoping nothing comes of it.

The man who dosed the drink is soon escorted out by a different vampire as the bartender returns to his station and the would-be victim receives a new drink. After finishing a third drink I decide that I'm ready to leave and go get dinner somewhere nice, asking for my bill to which he nods as he goes to get it. His cash register prints up the ticket and he hands it to me, surprising me when it says the amount due is zero. "The owner would like to thank you for your observation as his wish is to keep all of his patrons as safe as possible. Your drinks were free tonight."

"Oh, well, I'll just leave a tip for you then." I give him what would have been the cost of my drinks and stand to leave as he looks mildly surprised.

Turning, I'm surprised when Eric is standing in front of me, his height towering over mine as he's at least a foot taller and he stares down at me with icy blue eyes. "You will come with me." Feeling the pressing of his glamour on me, I do as he says so as not to create a scene and wonder what he wants as I follow him into what appears to be his office. His desk is large and looks to be solid wood, his chair behind it nearly as large as the one on the stage and he directs me to sit across from him. "How did you know the man tried to rape the woman?"

"I seen him drop the pill in her drink when he thought nobody was looking." Keeping my voice flat, I do my best not to give anything away even as he narrows his eyes.

"No, you see, I too witnessed him put the pill into her drink and was already having it handled before Marcel told me what you told him. With where you were sitting, there is no way you could have seen what he was doing as his back was fully to you. Thus, I would like to know how you actually knew what he was doing, and I would also like to know how you seem to be ignoring my glamour." I'm stunned, not sure what to say as I hadn't realized he would be so observant before kicking myself. He owns and had ran the place for years even before the remodel and recent reopening, so of course he knew what he was doing surveying the club floor every night.

"Well, firstly, I'm sorry for trying to trick you into thinking I was under your control. Secondly, I would rather not tell you how I knew what he was doing, and I would hope you can leave it at that. Lastly, I would like to go now as I have yet to eat anything since this morning." I'm nearly going to stand when he growls and I'm not sure what to say before he's moved, sitting on the edge of his desk only a few feet away.

"That is not how this works. You are in my area, I am the Sheriff here, and I will know what you are." Blinking at his threatening tone, I almost want to literally, physically kick myself as I realize it makes perfect sense.

"I'm really sorry, I had no idea. I'm Sookie. I didn't know you were the Sheriff, I'm not really in touch with any of the supernatural community. I just moved back here after I finished college a couple months ago." I find myself rambling when he's smirking slightly and I go quiet.

"I see. What did you major in?" His tone is flat, and I answer automatically after having been asked the same question or a variation of it multitudes of times over the past several months.

"European and American History, I have a four-year degree in both. I graduated valedictorian at Columbia University." He pauses before speaking and I wonder what he's thinking, staring me down with no emotion to give anything away.

"You said you moved back, so I take it here or at least Louisiana is your home. New York is far away for a human to travel from home, was there not a closer school that would allow you the same studies?" I smile hesitantly, not having answered this honestly before as nobody had ever asked since it was an Ivy league school and the obvious choice once I was accepted.

"I got offered a full scholarship to any school I got accepted at as long as my grades stayed above a ninety percent. I applied to all the schools I could and got accepted at Columbia even though I didn't think I would be. It also reminds me of the Parthenon, and since it's as close as I'll likely ever get to actually visiting the real thing, I decided to go there."

He smirks, raising an eyebrow as he sounds questioning. "You got a full scholarship and picked your school not because it was an Ivy league, but because it looks like a place you'd like to visit? Why did you come back here though?"

"Well, I like the jobs that my education opens up for me. I don't usually go into crowds too often, since I'm rather introverted, and I'd like to find a quiet job somewhere record keeping or doing something like that. Right now, I'm working to edit the newspaper which is nice work and I like it well enough, so I'll probably keep doing that until something better comes along. I have enough savings if I wanted to focus on a job hunt at any point, so I'm not worried about making more money right now." I reason, fully aware that he is pumping me for information but not minding as I find myself oddly wanting to open up to him.

"I see, and why is it that you do not enjoy crowds?" He leans forward, sort of blocking me from leaving my seat and I feel my nerves creeping up a bit.

There doesn't seem to be a problem for him to wait as I think over my options, considering whether I want to actually tell him or not and I find myself concluding that I must. I won't be able to get away without teleporting, which will undoubtedly either tell him what I am or make him incredibly interested in finding out. He wouldn't likely take much time to find me after speaking with the vampire at the front door, since she seen my ID. Leveling him with a serious gaze, I see him stiffen his stance slightly. "Should I tell you what I am, I would hope you would not go spouting it off to everyone in town. I'd rather not be the target of more than potentially just you."

"Why would you be a target?" He demands, the smirk he'd previously worn gone.

"Because, I am a fairy. I'd hope you understand that I would prefer not to have to defend myself constantly. I just want to live in this area in peace." He's stone still, unmoving before he's behind his desk, now lightly glowering at me and I'm quiet as I'm not expecting this change in his demeanor.

"Niall allows you to roam free of his realm?" The inquiry is a justifiable one since the realm is mostly closed off from travel.

"Grandfather said I can go anywhere I want." I say without thought and I clamp my mouth shut.

"Grandfather?" His tone is quieter than before as I can see him simply wanting confirmation and I can feel myself blushing a little.

"Yes, Granddaddy Niall Brigant, to be exact. I'm his granddaughter." There's a pregnant silence as I stare up at his emotionless face, not sure what will happen before he's appearing very calm again.

"I see, so you used your fairy powers to figure it out." The deduction makes me remember what we'd originally been talking about and I nod.

"Well, I'm telepathic, so I just read his thoughts." His frame goes still at this new piece of information.

"You can read my thoughts?" He demands, tense again, and I lean back into my seat.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. No, I can't hear vampires at all. Werewolves are fuzzy but not completely undoable and humans are usually the easiest." I tell him honestly, not sure what else to say. I blush when my stomach growls loudly and he glances down at my midsection before moving his eyes back up to my face. He doesn't move to stop me as I grab a pen from his desk along with a sticky note from a dispenser. "I'll leave you my phone number, and if you need anything then you can call me but you got your answers for tonight and I'd like to go get dinner." Writing it down, he takes the square of paper as I hold it out and doesn't say anything as I stand. "Thank you for the drinks, and the conversation. Also, you've got a really good bartender." His placid nod a second before my teleport reassures me that we've not gotten off on the wrong foot and I'm soon walking alone into a steakhouse down the road.

There's not much more than a second glance when I say I'm alone and the hostess seats me, the waiter polite as I ask for a spread of small orders of a multitude of dishes. I pick between my different foods slowly as I pull out the e-reader Gran had gotten me for my last birthday, using it to catch up on some reading I'd wanted to do as I eat. When I leave I leave a large tip, all of my leftovers bagged up for me and I leave them in my refrigerator, deciding to go to bed after doing a load of laundry.

I'm surprised by how much the sunlight hurts my eyes the next day, not having been out in it much recently. I smile as I go into a grocery store to see the newspaper I edited on the stand for sale, appreciating being able to see the fruits of my labor. I'm surprised when I see Alan down one of the aisles but duck past, hoping not to be noticed. I've forgotten that I even see him as I pull bread from a shelf, stiffening at the tap on my shoulder and turning to see him.

Pulling my ear buds out, he smiles. "You look pretty good for just going grocery shopping."

Not prepared for him to say that I glance down and remember that I'd just thrown on the outfit I'd worn for a few hours the previous night. "Oh, yeah, I was planning on a nice lunch after this." I lie smoothly, and he nods.

"I see, well if you're alone I could join you?" He shifts an inch closer and his brow furrows slightly, causing me to look into his thoughts. What am I doing? She's my employee- why the fuck do I smell Northman on her? Fuck, she better not be a fangbanger, I can't fucking stand that shit, ruins the best girls-

I cut off from his mind, externally unchanged as only a second has passed but I am internally groaning as I berate myself. This is why I don't get into people's minds, especially people I work with or have to be near, as I hear things I don't want to. "Actually, I was going to Bon Temps to meet up with an old friend, so maybe another time."

He blinks at the rejection, not expecting it and unresponsive as I tilt my head to him respectfully with a polite smile, turning to walk away. Checking out quickly, I leave and pop home as I hope that I don't have to deal with him again any time soon. I'm almost done putting everything away when my phone pings and I retrieve it from its charger in the bedroom, not taking it with me often as nobody ever calls it. I'm surprised when I see that it's Crystal, the girl who started as the other editor, asking if she could take my shift tonight as she really needs the extra hours. I respond telling her to get it approved by Martin as he is the entire HR department and is in charge of scheduling before contemplating what to do with my newly free night.

Remembering the lie I'd told Alan, I decide to do so after all, changing into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before calling a cab. It'll be pricey, but I don't want anyone to question how I arrived as nobody really knows what I can do besides… Eric. I ignore the realization that he's the only one I've really divulged anything to.

Sam, Tara and Lafayette are all working when I get there, taking a seat at the end of the bar after looking around to confirm Jason is not there. I find myself laughing genuinely for the first time in a while as we all talk while they work. I tell them all about my job, my apartment and the people I work with, but I omit my recent visits to the vampire bar. I know what they would think, and I find that their lives are much the same as they always were as they tell me about the goings on of the small swamp town. Arlene comes in with the kids a while later and I'm excited to see how big they are compared to the last time I seen them. She'd left them with her mother for the funeral and it had been a couple years now. Jason, although I'd expected him to come in since I assume he still can't cook, doesn't show up and nobody makes mention of him before I leave.

My visit is overall a good one and I reflect on it during my car ride back to my apartment. It's dark now, my meal at Merlotte's having taken the entire afternoon as I'd enjoyed simply being back in my first work place amongst friends. Sitting down on my couch I'm quick to pull up a book I'd started while I was at Fangtasia, and I find myself increasingly drawn to the idea of going there as I keep getting distracted by the thoughts bouncing off my shields from the neighbors above and below me. After a while I cast away my uncertainties and go to change my clothes, switching the black knit top for one just like it in deep dark red and an ankle length, black flowing skirt. It looks simple but nice, my hair being brushed out straight again instead of putting it up this time.

Grabbing my small handbag, I pop to a place nearby to Fangtasia and walk the side streets until I'm soon in line to go into the bar. I'm surprised when the blond vampire woman at the door points at me and waves me up. "Consider yourself a VIP, girly." She grins with fangs on display again and I cock my head to the side slightly before I go in.

"Why?" I ask, and she frowns, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Because the boss man says so, and I'm busy, so go." I nod, not arguing as I walk in and head to the bar as the stage is empty. Marcel is there to hand me a glass as I sit down on a stool next to the wall, a flit of recognition going through me as I realize that there are several sets of vampire eyes on me. I thank him for the drink and he nods before turning away and I leave my ear buds out as I no longer want to be fully unaware here.

I'm trying to mind my own, continuing my book when I can't help but keep glancing up and around as I frown. "Marcel." I say quietly, his head turning towards me from the other end of the bar and he's before me a second later.

"Did you need something?" He's looking at my glass at it's still half full and I empty it with a grin before he moves to grab another.

"I'm a bit curious as to why I'm the center of attention tonight for many of the area vampires." My hard stare seems to be something he doesn't want to ignore as he doesn't turn away the way most vampires would if they don't wish to answer from an assumed human.

"There is a protection order in place for you." He says flatly after a moment of silence and I nod, not asking anything else of him as he walks away.

"I do not mind being watched but being stared at is rather annoying." The words are quiet enough that the nearest human on the barstool a couple down from me doesn't hear, but I know that most if not all the vampires can. I don't miss the slight smirk on Marcel's face after I said it and I'm mildly surprised when it works, no longer feeling like I'm being watched by a crowd as I read.

Taking the last drink of my glass I swipe my finger to turn the page of my book, nearly having finished it after a short while. I reread back over several parts I had wanted to review before pulling out my small notebook and making a few notations in my information pool. I'd been considering writing my own history book on vampires, something that I couldn't find anything similar to on the market and I had begun to gather information not long after starting to work at the newspaper. The more I gathered the more I realized the book would be more similar to an omnibus as hints to vampires were scattered all throughout history. It was becoming more of a venture than I had thought it would be before I begun. As I flip through the pages I sigh when one rips after I fumble it slightly, the paper worn thin as I'd erased and rewritten things on both sides multiple times to maintain some semblance of organization from one page to the next. "Perhaps this would help?" I hear Marcel say quietly, a tape dispenser appearing before me and I look up gratefully at the gesture.

"Thank you very much." My notebook back together, I stow it away before browsing through the titles I'd bought recently to read soon.

"Might I inquire as to what you are reading and writing?" He asks quietly as he takes my glass and brings the bill when I ask for it, and I hear a curiosity in his tone that vampires usually hide from mortals.

"Mostly notes on history, I'm thinking of writing a book. I was meaning to ask if it'd be okay for me to bring a laptop in here. I might buy one soon since the paper is getting hard to manage and my notebook is almost full." There's a hint of surprise on his face as I tell him, and he answers automatically to my question.

"The policy is no cell phones or cameras on the premises, but the boss might make an exception if you asked him. He's not here tonight." Nodding, I thank him as I pay my bill, leaving him a tip before I leave out the exit. I end up in bed a short while later, nearly asleep as the sun is rising soon when I hear a text message ping on my cell phone. Please come see me soon. I'm confused, not sure who sent it as there is no name and I don't recognize the number before I realize it must be Eric.

Before going to work the next day, I pop to a Best Buy in New Orleans and am surprised at the prices for the better laptops. It takes a while before I bite the bullet and pick the one I like the specs of the best while making sure it doesn't have a camera or microphone and putting the nearly two-thousand-dollar charge on my credit card. It doesn't take me long to set it up once I get back home and I waste no time starting to get all of my notebook digitized. I'm no where near done when I have to go to work and return to my task as soon as I get off, staying up until a bit past sunrise before passing out tiredly in bed.

It's nearly dark when I rise, and I go about making myself dinner, working on my laptop some more before going to work and when I get home, I finally finish transcribing all of my notes. Destroying the papers, I make sure to make a backup on a flash drive I put in the laptop bag I bought as well as uploading it to a cloud storage. Making a cup of hot chocolate, I start organizing all of the information into a more palatable form, the beginning of a book coming together over the course of the next few evenings. It feels like I've been working two jobs and I decide to take a break this night, instead getting ready to go to Fangtasia. I'm in the mood for a drink and Eric had wanted to see me anyway.

There's a lot of humans loitering around the doors, no vampires detectable outside and I wonder what's going on before slipping my shields down slightly. Going from one of the busy staff member to the next, I learn that the bar got approval for a 'Rave Night' in which anyone can enter. Pam and Marcel are both behind the bar and I slip a bill into his hand at the same time that he hands me a drink, so I can leave at any point if I wish. Eric is not present on his stage and there are a lot more vampires than normal here tonight. Taking a seat at a vacant table for two in the back corner, I don't get much done as I am repeatedly approached by drunken and bold, barely legal adults of both genders. I give each of them a mental nudge with my telepathy to help turn them away, making sure that I don't have to bother Marcel or Pam, as I finally catch her name thought of in the head of a human waiter. Catching sight of Eric as I'm exiting a short time later, I see him appear on his throne as I'm almost out the door and I wave at him with a smile as I leave. Turning down the street towards a residential area, I start walking to get away from any prying eyes and am a block away when I prepare to teleport.

I'm unprepared for a hard to read mind to come barreling towards me from behind, the resulting blow to my head unavoidable. I see stars, my thoughts completely disoriented as I fall in a boneless heap against the wall of the building I'm walking next to. "Fucking fangbanger, you'll get what you deserve." Someone's scratchy voice rumbles above me and I barely comprehend what they're saying before I feel someone gripping my pony tail. A scream tears from my lips as they lift me up by the hair and a blow lands in the center of my chest a second later leaving me gasping for breath and in pain. His grip takes my arm a second later and I feel myself being thrown through the air, my arm also screaming in pain as it feels like something is broken and I land biting my tongue as I try not to scream again, my foot certainly twisting the wrong way. I'm trying to gather my thoughts, knowing if I can do so and focus for long enough that I can pop away to safety.

Reaching for my light, I've nearly reached it when a sharp fire starts in my back and I realized he's stabbed me as I lay on my stomach. There's a pause before I feel my light rushing through me with rage, my uninjured arm lurching to where I sense him on my side and I grip his ankle tightly. My light passes into him, his cry of agony music in my ears and I teleport as I feel my strength flickering. Pounding music is in my ears and I remain in my position unable to move as I go from an alley floor to the wooden floor of the stage in Fangtasia. Snarls rip into my ears from all around me, the werewolf removed from my grip a moment later as he's now gone and my vision of the wood and black curtains behind Eric's chair has spots blooming across it quickly. The music is gone, or maybe I just can't hear it, I'm not sure but a moment later I realize that Eric is in my face as he seems to be speaking with anger etched into his features, but I can't hear it. I want to speak to him but find that I can't do anything, and he disappears as my vision goes completely black.

The ceiling above me is black, the surface beneath me soft as I slowly open my eyes and I wonder where I am as I slowly piece together what happened. Closing my eyes, I wonder if I'm in Eric's office and I determine I must be, my head pounding as I do my best to get my bearings. "Can you move?" I hear Eric's flat voice and relax a little, glad that I'm not alone as I'd thought. I'm unable to raise my shields and unable to block the human thoughts, their voices distracting me heavily as I try to focus past them.

"I don't know, I haven't tried yet." My voice is slower than I intend, and I wonder if it's due to the blow to the head.

"Try, I need to know if you're capable to taking care of yourself."

"If I'm not? What then?" I question, not sure what he's after.

He doesn't answer, instead staying unmoving and I wonder what he's doing as I brace myself to get up. A gasp leaves my lips and my eyes pop back open as he appears over me, my back searing in pain and he growls. "Are you unable to heal yourself?"

"I… I don't know. He hit me in the head… really hard. My shields… I can't block the humans thoughts." I say, trying to help him understand before I hold my uninjured arm towards him. "Your hand, please." It's grasping mine a second later, his cool digits holding mine stationary in his and I relax as the thoughts are silenced as I suspected they would be. If I touch a human, their thoughts are unblockable, but with vampires being a void I'd hypothesized previously that it might silence everything instead. His face is hard as I relax for a moment before smiling at him weakly. "Can you pull me up slowly, so I don't have to tense my back to get upright?" He does so at a slower pace than I intended but I'm thankful none the less, trusting that I'm safe with him or I'd already have been killed when I was incapacitated. I feel strangely weak a second later, my eyes closed as I'm suddenly leaning against him before finally standing straight up. "Thank you for keeping me safe, I'm sorry if I disrupted your night. I did not mean for this to happen."

"I know. Pamela interrogated the werewolf you brought with you. Apparently, he has been targeting what he assumes are fangbangers leaving the bar, and he's seen you coming and going frequently up until the last several days. He thought you were gone for good until you reappeared tonight, and he was angry as he thought you'd gotten smart enough to stay away. There is no tolerance for that sort of behavior in my area, so he will be ended as soon as we are sure we have all of the important information possible from him." He pauses, staring down at me without expression before speaking again a few seconds later. "I will have someone here to take you home soon."

"I'll be fine, just let me gather my energy for a second and then I can pop home." I try to tell him, and he looks at me sternly.

"No, it is not fine, Mrs. Stackhouse-."

"Miss." I cut him off and he blinks. "You thought I was married?" I ask with disbelief, having no idea why he would think that. He glances down, his free hand lifting the chain from around my neck and I look down as he holds up the wedding ring with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, no, I'm sorry. That was my grandmothers, she passed away not too long ago. She raised me after my parents passed when I was a child. I forget I'm even wearing this most of the time."

"Well, anyway, it's still not okay for you to remain alone especially if you have nobody at home to help you. I suspected as much from the lack of a scent of another on you at any time but assumed your marriage was something political arranged by Niall." His voice is as flat as usual while I feel amused, and I wonder if he will act any differently in the future now that he knows I'm single.

"Arranged marriages haven't actually been in the fae customs for a long time, they're sorta frowned upon now since they're what caused the last civil war in Fearie." I inform him, and he nods, his hand in mine stiffening as he seems to think of something before smirking.

"In that case, would you be willing to take my blood? You would be able to go home alone no problem if you allowed me to heal you. I'm assuming you know the other affects?" He asks, and I'm surprised, not sure what to think.

"Um, yeah, I know the other affects. But why are you offering that to me? Not that I'm not grateful, but I had assumed a vampire would be unwilling to give blood to someone like me." His eyebrow arches as he looks at me questioningly

"Someone like you?" He asks, wanting me to clarify.

"A fairy." I mutter quietly, not sure what else he could be referring to.

"Exactly. You are a fairy. You are the only fairy that I could likely ever get this close to and I would like to have you trust me at least somewhat as it would likely benefit me in the long run." Blinking, I chuckle a little at his assumption and he raises an eyebrow in silent questioning.

"Eric… do you think I teleported to here when I was injured by accident?" I ask incredulously, seeming to mystify him slightly as I feel somewhat agitated. "If I didn't trust you, I would have never let you get me alone before. Don't you think I would have teleported somewhere else if I trusted anyone else in this area more to help me when I was attacked?"

"I suppose I did not consider why you had come here in particular." He admits, his surprisingly apologetic tone the most I can likely ask for in the moment in the way of an actual apology.

"How long was I out?" I ask as I realize I don't even know what time it is and there's no clock in the room, a thin banded watch I had been wearing on my left wrist broken by the werewolf.

"Nearly an hour, the bar usually starts closing down anyway so in the minds of the humans we simply closed early. In reality, I removed the werewolf from you as soon as you appeared and I assessed the situation, then I brought you to be secured in my office as the vampires of my area were being riled by the smell of your blood."

"Yeah, I was pretty sure you were at least five or six hundred, so I knew you'd be able to handle it." He smirks earnestly, and I blink as I realize I might have been wrong. "Am I guessing too high of an age?"

"Oh no, just much too low." I blanche as he says it, wondering just how deep I've gotten myself.