Allure

A/N Hello Fanfickers. I am new to this fan fiction stuff, so please be nice. Your reviews would be appreciated and criticism will only make the story better but no harsh bashing. There is a difference from being a critic and a prick. This story is starting around season one-ish. The only difference is that Eric already cut his hair and that I created a few characters of my own. Well . . . here goes! Enjoy :)

All Credit goes to Charlaine Harris and Allan Ball. I'm just taking them out to the park ;)

Chapter 1: Welcome to Bon Temps

Today was just not my day. I've been driving in this hot car, with no air conditioning (thank you Chevy) for fifteen hours straight with no sleep trying to get my hide to Bon Temps, Louisiana. I promised myself that I would never come back here, but lo behold! Allura Eleanor Gracie has stepped into the building. I blew out a puff of air in annoyance.

Bon Temps was my home as a little girl. I lived with both my mother and father and I had two older brothers, Erin and Chase but we call him Chevy. When I meant Chevy from before, I didn't mean the car. I meant my prick of a brother that told me how to NOT fix my air conditioner in my car. He has also got me coming down to this hell hole in the first place. My brother wasn't always a douche. Personally I blame it on my mother.

God knows I love her but that woman is crazier than a bat out of hell. It was her craziness that drove our father away. Yup, just up and left and bought two tickets to Vegas with our neighbor, Miss Buboeski (BUH-bow-ski) or what my brothers and I liked to call her Hoe-ski Buboeski.

But anyways, back to my mother. She always have been a frighten kitten. The smallest noise would make her scream and then there were times when she didn't say anything. I remember walking up to her while she was like that. Seeing her emotionless face freaked me out. The crazy thing was she never knew I was near her until I touched her. She use to complain about voices in her head and seeing people that never be there. I think that was the last straw that broke the camel's back from my dad.

Don't get me wrong, my father was a good man and a good husband. He tried to stick it out but he couldn't take it no more. He started going out at night then coming back in the early morning smelling like he bathed in whiskey. It was like that until Miss Hoe- I mean Buboeski came along. She was new to the neighborhood and wanted to be "friendly" (insert rolling eyes). Visits became secret long talks on phone. Long talks became spending the night. Spending the night became never coming home. I could tell he tried to stick it out for us but that little thread of determination withered away. I woke up one morning expecting to see my dad lying on couch like he usually do but he wasn't there . . . neither were his clothes.

Over the years my brothers and I got use to the screaming and crying from my mother but it still rattled me. My eldest brother Erin had a job soon as he turned sixteen to keep us from starving and freezing to death as my mother withered away in the corner losing her sanity. I knew my brother tried his best but it wasn't enough. Neighbors were complaining about my mother's screaming episodes. Once the police took a look at our living environment, my mother was signed, sealed and delivered to the asylum.

As for my brothers and I, we were split up. My brother Erin moved with my father in Las Vegas. My father wanted me to come too but I couldn't stomach being there with my father and his fiancé. Bah! Chevy stayed in Bon Temps with my grandfather Louie, my father's father. I didn't want to stay there either. Every time I went there it always smelled like mothballs and cats. As long as I visited there, I never had seen a cat in sight. As for me, I decided the smarter approach. Since I didn't want to live with my father and since Bon Temps only had to offer were a mothball and cat smelling house or an orphanage, I stayed with my mother's sister, Aunt Clara and three cousins Amber, Aaron (twins) and Taylor in Pittsburgh.

My Aunt Clara was the eldest out of three children. After her was Uncle Cal. Cal was just a nickname, I have no idea what his real name was. To be honest I didn't know anything about him. The family rarely talked about him and my mother said I only seen him once, but I didn't remember. Then there was the youngest, my mom.

Living with my Aunt Clara was the best. She had a huge house, big back yard, picket fence, even a dog. It felt like how a home should be. It took a while to get use to not waking up to screaming and banging in the middle of the night but I got use to the quiet and found out I actually liked it.

I had all my firsts in Pittsburgh. There was my first bike, first friend, first school dance, first kiss, first job, first boyfriend - you get the point. I could actually say I felt like a normal kid when I was younger and a normal teenager when I got older. Maybe it was because I was always with my cousins. The four of us were thick as thieves and it remained that way to this day. Though Amber and Aaron were my age, Taylor, the youngest, still melded with us. Where us three went, Taylor always followed.

After graduating High School, I went straight to college. My aunt was all about working hard and getting your education and what not, so I went. I am a Studio Arts major as well a Dance minor and I'm proud to say I finished two full years. I would be on my third if it wasn't this predicament I was in now.

On my way to register for fall semester for my starting third year, I get a call from an unknown number. Now usually I don't answer unknown calls, but I had a gut feeling I had to. . . and I wanted to show off with my new phone. No sooner I pushed the green answer button, I was ambushed with an earful of stupidity. I immediately knew it was from my brother Chevy. How did he get my new number? I have no clue. I didn't even have the strength to ask my cousins or Aunt Clara did they give my number out. I just went home, packed my clothes and set out to the swamps of Bon Temps.

It seems that my dear brother has gotten himself caught up with some vampires. Of all the dumb things he could do, of course it involves the most dangerous species out there. After all the hullabaloo on T.V. welcomeing party to the vampires came out, I didn't believe it at first. I thought it was a joke until Amber and me seen trucks unload True Blood boxes into Wal-Mart.

As long as I lived in Pittsburgh, I never seen a Vampire before and I'm not planning on seeing one. I like my blood in my veins thank you! But I knew when my brother told me some big shot vampire was asking for a debt to be paid I was sure I was going to see one. I'm twenty years old; soon to be twenty-one in a few weeks, I shouldn't have embedded worry lines on my face already.

I seen the sign 'Welcome to Bon Temps' up ahead. Humph! That's the biggest lie if I ever seen one. There was nothing welcoming about this place. My brother Chevy gave me directions to some diner called Merlotte's Bar and Grill and told me to meet him there. He was working for some road crew and it was right down the way, or so he tells me. Yippee. When I seen the big Merlotte's sign I parked out front. "Welcome home Allura." I shook my head. I looked around my surroundings and all I saw was dirt and trees. "Yeah, this is welcoming." I sighed.

I made my way into the bar and was attacked by the smell of beer, grease, and sweat. How lovely. A woman with bad dyed red hair came to me with a bright smile. Why the heck was she so happy?

"Welcome to Merlotte's. I am Arlene and I'll be your waitress today. Why don't you follow me to your seat sweetie." She said kindly.

Before I could answer her, a huge arm wrapped around my shoulder. Just when I was about to tell the sucker off my voice got caught in my throat. "That's okay Arlene, this little gal with me." Chevy winked at the waitress.

My brother has grown . . . A LOT. I mean granted it have been fifteen years since I last seen him, but good gravy Marie my brother was a looker. His chiseled chin and dimpled cheeks with those dark brown eyes just looked richer than when he was a kid. And that beautiful brown skin just like daddy's was like a neon sign that says "Come Touch Me". He grew some serious muscle over the years. Automatically I felt sorry for those poor unfortunate souls my brother have strung along in his bed. Those women didn't have a chance.

I seen Chevy wink at Arlene and watched her blush something awful. "Chase Gracie, don't tell me you found yourself a girlfriend?" Arlene asks smiling. "Are you cheating on me?"

I raised my eyebrow. Was she serious?! What the heck was going on here? Not only was she nosy but she was seriously making me all kinds of uncomfortable. Just what have my brother been up to?

"Naw Arlene. This here is my sister, Allura." I waved and smiled at her awkwardly to my brother's might be girlfriend for a day or his next victim.

"Oh my goodness you're Allura? It's so nice to finally meet you." She grabs me into a tight hug totally throwing me off guard.

My body stiffens immediately not knowing what to do. I looked over to my brother silently telling him to help me. The traitor just stood there and snickered. Prick. Finally the weird lady lets me go (thank goodness) and smiles brightly at me.

"I heard so much about you. Chase has been bragging about how his little sister graduated high school, and his little sister in college, and all this and that. It feels like I know you already." she gushed out without taking a breath.

I gave a weak smile. "Oh well I wish I would of known more about my brother's . . . girlfriend?"

Arlene blushed and laughed loudly. "Oh Sweetie I'm not his girlfriend, it was a joke. I'm already taken. I'm sure you'll see my husband Rene with your brother one of these days. They both work on the road crew together."

Well that was a close one. For a second I thought my brother had a sugar mama. Gross. "Oh! I'm sorry Arlene." She was still smiling like a loon with her beet red cheeks. In my mind I knew she wanted my brother but I digress.

Arlene waved me off. "Oh don't be silly honey. No need to apologize. But let me quit my yapping and bring you guys over to your seats."

Arlene led the way with my brother and me in tow. She showed us to our table and gave us our menus. I ordered a Lafayette burger with a batch of fries and a cherry coke. Chevy order the same but with a beer. Yuck! When Arlene left to place our orders, Chevy and I were finally alone.

"So . . ." I said first.

"So . . ." he says.

I rolled my eyes and lightly punched his arm. "You jerk! How are you?"

Chevy sits backs in his chair with a big smile. "Can't complain little sis. Working on the road crew, making money, every girl in Bon Temps wants me."

I rolled my eyes. "Cool it Romeo. Have you talked to Erin lately?" I bit my lip hopefully. I haven't been in touch with him for eight years. It was like he vanished out of thin air.

Chevy shook his head to my question. "I haven't spoken to him in . . . hell in eight or nine years. But . . ."

I lift my eyebrow. "But what?" My brother made a face that told me I wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

"I've been seeing mom lately." My hands fell to my lap. "I started visiting her a few months back and she looks good Lurie. I mean really good. Her face isn't sunken, she's finally eating, her scars are barely recognizable."

I winced thinking about my mother's scars on her arms and face. Seeing her with all those marks use to give me nightmares when I was little. When I felt the churn in my stomach I shook the image out my head. "Chevy I don't want to talk about this."

"Come on Lurie, she's our mother." He looked around the bar then leaned over to me. "She's not like how she was before. She's-"

"I said I DON'T want to talk about it Chase. Drop it." I had enough of this talk. This visit was not starting off as a good start. I raked my fingers through my hair and clutched it. I could feel my memories trying to surface but I stubbornly pushed it down.

The silence between us lingered for only a moment before Chevy starts talking again. "I wish I could talk to Erin. It would have been good to talk to him." Chevy says changing the subject and with pleasure, I gladly let him.

I nodded in agreement. "It would have." After my little sad party was over for my eldest brother I got back to the matter at hand. "So tell me about this vampire business." I asked. The million watt smile wiped off my brothers face with the quickness. Humph . . . I'm going to store that for later. Next time when he gets on my nerves with his annoying grin; I know to use the V card on him.

Arlene brought us our drinks and quickly left.

"I owe this vamper some money."he says shaky.

"Okay I know that part. Why do you owe this vampire money?" I asked while taking a sip of my beverage. Mmm frosty.

"I needed money." He shrugs like it was a stupid question. Did I mention he was a prick?

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. "What I mean is why did you need money when you have a job already?"

Chevy leaned closer to me and spoke in a hush tone. "I've been gambling with the boys up Hotshot. I lost all my money Lurie. So I thought I could get it back if I put the deed to the house up."

I lift my hand up to stop him. "What house?"

He shrugs lamely. "When Granddaddy Louie died he gave me the deed to the house."

I looked at him in complete astonishment. "You sold granddaddy's house?!"

"Will you lower your voice. Jesus Lurie are you trying to let the whole dang town know about it?" He whispered hotly.

I didn't care if I was loud. Everyone should know of this boy's stupidity so it won't rub off on them. "Are you crazy? What were you thinking Chase."

"I know. I know Lurie. I messed up okay. That why I needed the extra money to get granddaddy's house and my money back." I looked at him waiting.

"Well . . ."

He took a sip of his beer. "Well what?"

I just stared at him. I could literally see the brain cells disappearing from his head. "What happened next you dope!"

"Oh right." Chevy laughs bashfully. I balled my fist tightly. I never wanted to smack someone so hard in my life. "I got the deed and my money back." He smiled proudly.

"But now you owe some creep with fangs money." The smile vanishes from his face.

"Yeah well . . . I was hoping if you could lend me the money." he says looking hopeful.

I knew it. I didn't know why I expected anything different. Over the years even though we didn't see each other, he always asked me for money for some reason. Who else was he going to ask? Erin has fell off the face of the earth. Dad sure as hell wouldn't give him any money. My father wouldn't trust my brother with his last dying breath. And as for the money Granddaddy left Chevy in his will? He spent it all, of course. He spent it on beer, pizza and strippers in that place up Monroe. So of course who's left but me? Fabulous. "How much are we talking?"

Arlene brought our burgers and fries. "Ya'll have a good meal tonight." She says sweetly but mostly to my brother.

"Thank sugar." Chevy winks at her. I swear I heard her swoon.

After she left I smacked his arm."Stop flirting with that woman."

"Ouch Lurie! What you do that for? There's nothing wrong with a little flirting." he whined. What a baby.

"You mean beside her being married with someone you work with? Well firstly, it's creeping me out. Secondly, you're going to get that innocent woman killed because of your stupidity."

"Am not." He actually tried to look offended. I would have believed it if his mouth wasn't so chocked full of cow.

"You are too. You don't need to be flirting or smooching or whatever you do while fixing up trouble with vampires. Now how much do you owe?" I was starting to lose my patience. I already didn't want to be here and now I'm dealing with another episode of "Let's see what Chevy Got into Now" guest starring the killer scary vampire.

Chevy begins to scratch his neck. Oh no . . . it's worse than I thought. He always did the scratch behind neck thing when he didn't really want to tell anyone something because it was just that bad. Last time he did that, he had to admit he set Miss Arnoldo's cat, Mr. Whiskers, tail on fire all because he wanted to play jungle book in his underwear. Guess who played Sher Khan the tiger?

I rubbed the tiredness off my face. I felt the worry lines deepening. Good grief. "Just tell me Chevy."

He takes a deep breath before speaking. "Iowehimfiftygrand." He said it so quickly that I almost didn't catch it.

I felt my heart drop to my stomach. Every form of words I known throughout my twenty years have left me.

"Lurie say something."

Nope. I'm fine not saying anything. If I do, I was afraid I wouldl spazz out in front this whole establishment without any shame. I could save the vamp the trouble and just off him myself. I could see the headlines now, 'Sister Kills Idiot Brother in Bar'.

"I know, I know I'm a screw up."

You think?

"And I know I always ask you for money,"

Tons.

"But I swear this is the last time I ever ask you for anything." Was he serious?

A harsh laugh broke from my lips. "That's the biggest lie next to the sign that says 'Welcome to Bon Temps'. Chevy I don't have fifty thousand dollars. I don't even know what it feels like to hold fifty thousand dollars. I'm not rich. I'm just a college student for goodness sake." Chevy bent his head down in shame. "Jesus Chevy! How do you get yourself in these types of situations?"

"I don't know Lurie. I just have been screwed up since mom got put in the loony bin." Hearing him talk about mom made my anger drain away. He was scared, I get that. He almost looked like when he was a little boy looking at our mother trying to scratch her face off in the bathroom. The echos of her voice made a appearance in my head but quickly went away.

I reached my hand over to him and he gladly took it. "Look Chevy . . . I don't have that kind of money." Chevy face sunk. Oh fudge! What was I about to get myself into? "How about I talk to him?"

Chevy cock his eyebrow at me. "You want to talk to Eric Northman, the vampire sheriff?" He asked still not convinced

"If that's the vampire you owe money to, then yes." I nodded.

Then next thing he did shocked the mess out of me. He burst into laughter. I mean not like a ha ha ha, a gut wrenching laugh. Everyone in the bar turned to look at our table. I started to feel uncomfortable. "Chevy will you stop being a lunatic!" I hissed at him.

"I'm sorry Lurie. I just can't see a little dwarf like you standing up to the Eric Northman." He wipes a tear from his eye and took another bite of his burger.

"First off you jerk, I'm not a dwarf. I'm 5'5 and a half." He snorted at the half part. I pinched his arm earning a yelp. Well good! Serves the dunce right for picking on short people. "5'5 is a NORMAL height for NORMAL people. It's not my fault everyone around me is so overwhelmingly tall." I pouted. "And who is this Eric Northman?"

Chevy starts leaning over the table like he about to drop the mother lode on me so I leaned in too. "Eric Northman is the Vampire Sheriff of Area five."

"He's a sheriff? I'm guessing you're not talking about cowboy hats and chaps kind of sheriff." I gulped.

He shook his head. "A Vampire Sheriff works for the Queen of Louisiana."

"There's a queen?" Chevy nodded his head with gusto. "Are there queens in all states?"

"Some are queens and some are kings. But anyway, he works for the queen and watches over the vampires in his area." he says with a cocky smile.

I shook my head to clear it."How do you know all this?"

"Some fangbanger named Dawn told me after I screwed her."

"Jesus Chase, have you no shame?" He shrugs and takes a bite of his burger. "What's a fangbanger?"

Chevy takes a gulp of his beer before telling me. "A fangbanger is a man or woman that has sex with vampires. They use them for sex and blood. It's like a high for human when they get bitten, well at least that's what Dawn told me. Sis you should see them. They worship the ground vampires walk on. Pure nonsense."

"Nonsense is not the word. More like threatening life insanity. Do they every think about if they take too much? Or worse drain them dry?" I took a bite of my burger, doing a little happy dance on the inside because it wasn't cold.

He almost spit out his beer from another gut busting laugh. "Pfft, heck no! They live for that shit."

"Chase! Watch your mouth!" I hate cursing and anybody who curse. It sounds so . . . dirty.

"Sorry about that sis." Well at least he had the decency to look ashamed. "But you get my drift."

Yeah I get it alright. I get I need to get the flip out of here. I took a bite of my fry when I heard someone calling my brother's name, loudly I might add.

"Chase we were looking all over for ya! Catfish said you went off running." A blond headed man came up to Chevy and smacked him on the back. My, my, my isn't he a cutie. And those brown eyes are not so bad either.

Chevy smiled brightly at the handsome stranger. "Yeah sorry about leaving you guys but my sister came to town."

The man turned to me and had on a goofy smile. "This is Allura?" he asked to my brother. I hate when people talk about me like I'm not in the room.

"Yes I am. Allura Gracie here in the flesh." I said while waving my hands. "And you are?"

"Oh I'm sorry. I'm Jason Stackhouse." He lifts his hand to me with a goofy smile plastered on his face.

I find myself smiling right back as I took his hand in mine. "It's nice to meet you Jason. "

"Jesus Chase, you didn't tell me your sister was a looker." I could feel the blush surfacing to my cheeks.

"Hey," Chevy punched Jason's arm. "She's off limits."

"I know I'm just saying sheesh. No need to be violent." Jason says while rubbing his sore arm. "Hey, have you seen my sister around here?"

"Naw Jase, I didn't even notice."

While both men were looking for Jason's sister, I started pondering what I was going to do about this vampire mess my brother was in. Lord knows if he handles it himself he be either dead or left in a ditch somewhere. I definitely needed to see about this Northman character. Maybe I could reason with him. My thoughts got interrupted by someone tapping my shoulder.

The tapper had been my brother."Allura this here is Jason's younger sister, Sookie. Sookie, this is my little sis Lurie."

When I looked up I seen a head of blond hair just like Jason's maybe lighter. Same brown eyes but more mature I think. If I didn't know better I would have thought she was the eldest. She was very pretty but there was something more about her that was not right or normal. I just couldn't put my finger on it. I noticed that she was looking at me strangely. What the fudge was her problem?

Chevy nudge my arm with his elbow. "Huh?" I looked down to see Sookie's hand out. "Oh I'm sorry. It's nice to meet you Sookie." Way to go on first impressions Lurie. I could cry out in pitiful tears with my uncoordinated weirdness.

Sookie smiles brightly at me just like her brother did moments ago. "The pleasure is all mines. We heard so much about you. Chase is really proud of you." Her southern twang was thick like her brothers. I guess it adds to her southern belle charms.

"I wish I could say the same." I smiled. "But it's nice to me meet you anyway. I hope to get to know the both of you during my stay here."

Sookie nodded making a her ponytail bounce side to side. "Same here."

"Sookie," A scruffy looking fellow called over from the bar. Yeesh, heard of a comb and shaving cream? The bear motioned her to come over.

"Be right over Sam." Sam? I was thinking Jerry or Tommy, but I guess Sam works too. "My night shift is about to start." Did I hear her say night shift? I looked out the window and sure enough the sun was setting. "It was nice meeting you Allura. I hope to see you soon." Before I could say good bye, she left with haste.

When she left I turned to look for my brother. I sighed with deep annoyance when I saw him with Jason standing by the pool table with some girls. I rolled my eyes. "I got the check Chase. No Allura you let me pay for it. After all I'm the one that got you down here in the first place to witness a vampire killing me and possibly kill you too. Paying for your food is the least I could do." Bah!

As I was digging for my wallet I see two guys staring at me like I was crazy. "Good to see I have some characteristics of mom." I slammed the twenty dollar bill on the table to leave but not without taking another sip of my cherry coke. I stood from my chair and marched over to my so called brother. I yanked him by his ear with great satisfaction he yelped in pain. "I'm sorry Jason. My brother can't play guess my disease today. He has other problems to deal with, but don't let me stop you from playing. It was nice to meet you, have fun."

I pulled my brother out the door still having a hold of his ear."Jeez Lurie what's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? Well I don't know, how about I'm in a place I don't want to be with my indebt brother that owes some sheriff vampire fifty thousand dollars, which I don't have. Gosh could that be my problem?" My tank is on E right now. It goes any lower it be at FU, FED UP.

"Man I'm sorry sis. I guess I'm trying to block it out."

"Well stop it! You're in deep water Chase. It's time be serious for once." Unbelievable!

Chevy bent his head in shame. His black soft curls starts blowing in the wind. I always have been jealous of his hair. I let out a deep sigh. "Hey," he looks up at me with the most heart breaking face that could make a grown man cry. I punched his arm playfully then wrapped my arms around his waist. Hesitantly he hugs me back. "We'll get through this Chase. I promise." The tension in his arms finally relaxed.

We stood in each others arms for a few minutes before I broke away. "Are you ready to go bro?" The million watt smile returned on his face. Though my brother was a prick and quite stupid with his not so smart decisions sometimes he makes, he was still my brother and I'd do anything for him. So having that smile on his face made me feel confident about facing the big bad vampire.

"Yeah I'm ready. My pickup is right by that mustang. Where's your car?"

"The mustang is my car Chevy." Chevy jaw dropped. I couldn't help but laugh at his face.

"That's yours?" I smiled proudly at my baby. "That's She-Devil?"

I nodded. "Isn't she beautiful?"

I couldn't help but feel pride in my 1966 Mustang Convertible (in midnight blue thank you very much). Though the She-Devil has its moments, I still love her and would never trade her for anything. I put my sweat and tears working for enough money to buy her.

When we were kids my brothers and I dreamed of having our very own classic car. I guess that part comes from our father. He owned a black Pontiac GTO. Anyone could find him working on his or someone else car. The excitement on his face was priceless. He enjoyed pulling them apart and fixing them again. My father had a knack for fine car, I guess it rubbed off on us. I wanted a mustang, Chevy wanted a 1975 Chevrolet Corvette, and Erin wanted a GTO like dads. Thinking about Erin made my heart sink again. Where was he?

"Hey sis can I ride her?" That snapped me out of my daze.

"Fuzz no! This is my baby. You have seriously lost you ever loving mind. Can you ride it?" I mocked. I looked around myself when I noticed something. "Chevy, do you have my bag?"

"No." Chevy says but still touching his crummy paws on She-Devil.

"Shoot I left it in the bar. I'll be right back. And don't do anything to my car!" I warned him.

He looked up at me with a twisted face. "Like what?"

"I don't know. You know how you are. You probably hump it once I leave." I snorted.

My brother was cursing me with profanities that I would not repeat as I enter the bar again. I felt my heart ease when I saw my bag next the chair I sat in. I walked up to it and snatched off the floor. I turn to leave but stopped when I seen a figure blocking the door. My heart stopped and my throat swelled. My mouth went completely dry. This was the first time I've seen a vampire. I noticed the noise around me were no more. Everyone was looking at what I was looking at. It was a freaking vampire . . . in a bar . . . in the swamps. Was this the vampire Chevy owes money to? Just when I fetl a scream welling in my throat Sookie beats me to it but it wasn't in sheer horror.

"Bill you're here!" she says in excitement.

Bill? What kind of crappy name is Bill for a Vampire?

So how was it? Did you like it? Did you hate it? I want to know. If you guys have a feel for it I'll give you Chapter 2 by sometime this week. Oh by the way, the only reason why Allura call Chase Chevy is because he reminds her of the actor Chevy Chase. Not trying to steal anything, don't worry. Well . . . don't just stand there looking at the screen. Review people! :)