Disclaimer: Anything related to True Blood and/or the Sookie Stackhouse novels, such as characters, plots, and other references from the pre-existing media that you may recognize are owned by HBO, Alan Ball, and Charlaine Harris. Also, any other recognizable references, including but not limited to: pre-existing monuments, locations, people, works of media, and works of art (ie. music lyrics, photos, etc.) that you may recognize, all belong to their rightful owners. I am simply using them as a derivative work.

Copyright: I hereby claim the right to ownership of anything you do not recognize as pre-existing, including but not limited to: the character of Evangeline Shevlin and the general plot of this work. If you steal it, I'mma cut you. :)

Rating Warning: This story is rated "M" for a reason. It will contain explicit language, sexual scenarios, violence, and mental/emotional triggers, including but not limited to: forced sexual scenarios, drug and/or alcohol use, gore, mental illness. Some of the aforementioned situations may not get used at all, but it's best to list it now, so I have free reign to use it later. If I feel it is necessary, I will post a trigger warning at the beginning of the chapter that includes said trigger, and try to explain what it is without giving too much of the chapter plot away.

If you have actually taken the time to read all of this, thank you! Let's begin.

Chapter One: The Vampire and the Violinist

"Attention passengers. We are now arriving at Dallas Union Station. Please remain in your seat until the train comes to a complete stop. Remember to collect all of your personal belongings, and if you have any luggage, please wait outside of your train car for unloading. Thank you for riding Amtrak. Enjoy the rest of your day."

The intercom silenced as the train began to slow down, pulling into the station. Evangeline folded the corner of the page in the book she was reading and packed it away into her satchel. When the train stopped, she stood and threw her bag over her shoulder, then moved towards the door. As she stepped onto the outdoor platform her breath hitched and her skin immediately began to tingle. The air was so humid!

Within seconds, her long, layered, purple hair began to stick to her skin, so she pulled it up into a messy bun as she waited for her luggage. Thankfully, Evangeline didn't have to wait long for her two bags and instrument case, and once they were in her possession she headed towards the street, not even bothering to go inside the large station building.

Once inside the heart of the city, Evangeline dropped her bags behind some bushes that surrounded a building. People gave her weird or rude looks as they passed by, but Evangeline was used to the glances and not-so-subtle stares.

"Some people just can't seem to appreciate individuality nowadays," she sourly thought. Two women in sharp, clean pantsuits walked by, and one of them loudly spoke to the other about the "huge, disgusting holes in her ears," making sure Evangeline had heard it. She had, as it was hard not to, and she scoffed at them. "And some people couldn't be kind to others if their lives depended on it."

Looking around, Evee took note of the people who filled the streets for the evening rush hour. Some of them wore expensive-looking clothing, and a few got into even more expensive-looking cars. She decided that this would be a good place to set up, so Evangeline delicately sat her hard, black instrument case on the ground in front of her, released the metal clasps, and lifted the lid.

Inside the case lay her most valuable possession: a violin made of cherry wood. The body, sleek and smooth, was only slightly scuffed, but it was nothing a little elbow grease couldn't fix. The instrument was handed down to her from her great-grandmother. Evangeline received it when she was ten, and because she admired the older woman and loved her so deeply, she cherished the gift. The violin was so old, but it was still in beautiful shape. She smiled softly as she ran her fingers down the neck, thinking fondly of her great-grandmother, who had passed away a few years ago. Without that violin, Evee wouldn't have been able to survive.

Sinking her fingers into the soft pillowed fabric, Evangeline gently lifted the instrument out of the case, along with one of two bows. She tightened the bow and tuned the violin by ear, then brought it to her chin. The metal bangles on her left wrist softly clanked together when she brought her arm up, so Evangeline maneuvered them off without putting the instrument down. After dropping the bracelets into the pocket of her flowy brown cargo skirt, she prepared herself once more. She brought the bow to the strings and began to play an upbeat melody.

The music flowed beautifully, filling the air around her. She had played violin since she was four, and it showed. Her case sat open on the ground in front of her, and every once in a while, someone would drop a dollar or some change into it. Evee smiled and lightly bowed in response, silently thanking them for their donation.

Eventually, the sun fell behind the horizon, turning the September sky into a palette of brilliant oranges, blues, and purples. Party-goers, couples on dates, and general night owls switched places with the working men and women. The tips flowed more generously as Evangeline continued to play song after song. Some people even stopped to watch, while others asked her questions when she finished a piece. Overall, she was enjoying her first night in Dallas. She also noted to herself that she liked the night life more than she liked the working class; these people were kinder and more generous.

While she played Camille Saint Saëns' "Danse Macabre," a surprisingly large crowd formed around her. Evangeline couldn't help but express her pleasure, as the song was one of her favorites. Whenever she played it, she got lost in the music and moved along with it, sometimes aggressively, sometimes softly, depending on what part of the movement she was at. She lifted her eyes, smiling, to glance at the people around her. One face caught her attention.

A boy stood alone at the edge of the crowd, watching her intensely. Evee couldn't place a finger on his age, but she knew he was young; probably no older than sixteen or seventeen. His brown hair was cut short, but not too short, and his piercing eyes watched her every move. He was built, Evee noticed, and, for a teenager, he had strong features. She could also see a hint of tattoos peeking out from under the light, cream-colored, short-sleeved shirt he wore; one on his chest and another on his left bicep. Evangeline nearly missed a few notes when a wave of familiarity suddenly washed over her. This was her first time in Dallas, though, and she knew she would have remembered a cute face like his, had she met him before.

When their eyes met, a small smile played on the boy's lips, and she returned it as she played the last notes of the song. People from the crowd clapped, including him, and Evangeline took a small bow. She placed her violin down against the case and squatted down to take a sip of water from the bottle she purchased earlier. As she put the bottle down, Evee felt a presence behind her.

"That was beautiful. Thank you."

Looking up and over her shoulder, Evangeline saw the boy standing in front of her case. She straightened up, smiling at him. He was taller than her by six or so inches, and Evee had to crane her neck slightly to look at him. She wasn't surprised, though; standing at a whopping height of five feet, two inches, just about everyone was taller than her.

"I'm glad you liked it," she replied, her smile turning sheepish. Evee couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen him before, but she couldn't, for the life of her, remember when or where. "Thank you for watching."

The boy nodded, glancing downwards, then reached into his pocket and dropped a folded bill into her violin case.

"Enjoy your night."

He left before Evangeline could say thank you, blending in with the mass of people on the street. She bent down to collect the money from it, and on top of the dollar bills and coins sat a one hundred-dollar bill, folded twice in half. Her eyes became as wide as saucers and she quickly looked up, searching the crowd for him. Evee haphazardly stuffed the money into her pocket and packed her violin as quickly but carefully as she could. Throwing one of the back straps over her shoulder and leaving her bags behind to grab later, she took off into the crowd to search for him.

Two blocks down, Evee spotted the back of his head. He looked down as he walked, and if she hadn't have been paying attention to the shirt he wore, Evee never would've been able to pick him out among the throng. He was only maybe twenty yards ahead, and Evangeline debated calling out to him, but she realized then that she didn't know his name. She squeezed between people, some giving her dirty looks, but she didn't care. She just had to thank that man, boy, whatever, for the biggest tip she'd ever gotten.

He rounded a corner, and when Evee hit a gap in the mass of bodies, she broke into a run. She stumbled over her own sandal-clad feet and nearly lost her violin in the process, but she managed to catch it, and continued running.

"Hey!" She shouted at him, her chest heaving from being out of breath. "Sir! Wait!" Other men turned around, thinking she was addressing them, but Evangeline paid them no mind. The man she was calling to turned down an alley and she hurried in after him, thinking she had him.

When she turned in, however, she skidded to a stop. Panting and sweaty, Evangeline stood there, baffled.

He was gone.

Every night for the following week, Evangeline played in the same spot, hoping that the boy would come back; and every night, she left feeling disappointed. He had given her enough money to pay for a motel room for two nights and still have some leftover. That, paired with the other tips she had gotten, left her with some cash to play with. Evangeline had put some of it aside to save for later, and the rest was spent on food, new toiletries, and a cute head wrap she had found while walking through WalMart. That tip had put her ahead, and it became easy for Evangeline to survive her first week in Dallas.

She desperately wished, though, that she could find that boy and thank him for being so generous. She hated when people thought she was ungrateful.

Evee sighed as she looked at her own reflection in the motel room mirror. While she was disappointed about not having seen the boy in a week, she was also excited. It was a Friday night, and she had decided that afternoon that she would go out for a few drinks and listen to someone else play some music for once. Evangeline pulled on a pair of black ankle boots, then stood straight and looked in the mirror for any needed changes to her attire.

Loose, flowy green pants made her stubby legs look a little longer, and a black three-quarter sleeved blouse accentuated her curves quite nicely. Various bangles and rings adorned her wrists and hands, three-quarter inch oak wood plugs were in her stretched ears, and gold hoops stuck out of each of her nostrils. Her hair was down and in what Evee liked to call an "organized mess," with the wide head wrap she bought the other night loosely containing the top. Throwing her brown leather satchel over her shoulder, she checked her light makeup one last time before leaving the motel for the club she saw a few days ago.

Two hours later, Evangeline was already bored. With no one to talk to or dance with, she couldn't really enjoy the club. She finished off her rum and Coke, her signature drink, then sat the glass back onto the bar. The music was too loud and it was way too hot inside, so Evangeline stood from the stool and threw some bills next to the glass. Her limbs felt loose from the liquor, but she was far from drunk.

Cutting through the mass of sweaty, drunk, aroused bodies on the dance floor proved to be a frustrating task. People were glued to one another, in more than one area, as if the other person was their life source. Evangeline literally had to shove a man out of the way because he was so focused on sucking some girl's face off that he completely ignored her shouts of "Excuse me." Finally breaking through the sloppy mess, she made it to the doors.

The night air was humid, but it felt good on Evee's skin, regardless. She stepped off to the side, away from the entrance lines, and leaned against the wall. She rested her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying both the breeze and relative silence.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doin' out here all by your lonesome?"

Moment of peace destroyed, Evangeline opened her eyes and lifted her head. Standing in front of her, lit cigarette between two fingers, was a man who looked to be a few years older than her. His Texas twang was thick; no doubt enhanced by the alcohol Evee could smell practically seeping from his pores. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing at his appearance; his blue Polo shirt, darkwash jeans, and spiked, frosted hair reminded her of a 90's boy band. Needless to say, he wasn't her type. At all.

"I'm new here," she replied curtly. "And I prefer to be alone."

"You're new?" His eyes lit up and Evangeline wondered if she had made a mistake by telling him that. "Well, welcome to Texas! I'm born and raised right here in Dallas."

"Is that so?" Her tone was dry; Evee was very uninterested and just wanted to be left alone.

"You bet! Say, why don't you let me take you out? Show you around town..." Evangeline bristled and tensed as he leaned his left arm against the wall above her head. He was way too close for comfort. "And maybe when we're done..." He lifted his right hand and grasped her chin. Evangeline could smell the alcohol and cigarettes in full force as he exhaled a hot breath of air into her face.

"Thank you for the offer," she said, discreetly glancing over to the line of people waiting to get into the club. Or, more specifically, the mountain of a bouncer letting them in. "But no." She attempted to pull her chin from his grasp and duck under his arm, but before Evangeline could get away, he grabbed her wrist.

"C'mon, sugar," he drawled, briefly releasing her wrist to flick his cigarette into the street behind him. Evangeline had no time to run, though, as his hand was back around her forearm not even a second later. "Lemme show you a good time. It's true when they say everything is bigger in Texas."

"I said no!" The volume of her voice grew. "Let me go!"

Evee tried to pull away from him but he was far too big for her, his grip on her arm too tight. She knew that spot would be bruised tomorrow. True fear began to settle into Evangeline's mind as she thought of what else might be bruised the next day, and she wondered why no one had come to help her. Maybe they couldn't hear her, or they looked more like a fighting couple, but still. Evangeline was in distress and no one even looked in her direction.

The man aggressively yanked her back and grabbed her other wrist. He shook her, then pulled her close, her arms trapped between his chest and her neck, forcing her to look at his face.

"Now listen here, bitch-"

"The lady said no."

Both of their heads snapped to the side and Evangeline nearly broke down into tears of joy when she saw the boy from last week standing about ten feet away. The pig holding her, who she silently named Boy Band, gave him a once-over and scoffed.

"Who the fuck are you?" He clearly saw no threat in the younger-looking male. "Get the hell outta here, kid."

"I am far from being a child," he replied, his eyes never leaving Evangeline's captor. "I will not leave until you let her go."

The brute suddenly laughed as if he had heard a hilarious joke. Evangeline recoiled, his foul breath nearly making her gag. She looked between the two men, unsure of what was going to happen. The boy was much smaller than Boy Band, in both height and build. Evee wondered if he would be able to take Boy Band in a fight.

"And what are you gonna do if I don't?" He was still chuckling, his hands gripping her forearms tighter. Evangeline fought back a cry of pain.

Faster than her eyes could register, the boy was at her captor's side, his hand wrapped around his throat. Evangeline was, more or less, stunned at first, but that shock quickly turned to fear once she caught a glimpse of long, sharp fangs.

"He's a vampire!" Her inner voice screamed.

"You don't want to know," her vampire savior threatened. His voice was so low that it brought goosebumps to Evee's arms. The vampire's hand was so tight around the man's throat that Evangeline thought she could see his face turning blue. Without a doubt, she changed her mind about who would win in a fight. "Release her. Now."

Boy Band immediately relinquished his grip, not needing to be told again. Evangeline stumbled back and almost fell into the wall. She quickly slid a few feet away, not wanting to be too close, should something violent happen. The vampire moved so he was standing directly in front of Boy Band, his death grip never faltering.

"You will not come near this young woman again," he said, narrowing his eyes. "If you do, I fear for your safety. Am I clear?"

Sputtering and drooling, Evangeline's attacker-turned-victim tried his best to nod, but the most he could do was make a movement that looked similar to a seizure. The vampire practically threw him to the ground, and he fell from his fear and drunken stupor.

"Leave."

Nothing more needed to be said. With damaged pride, Boy Band scrambled to his feet.

"Fuck you, fanger!" His eyes were practically bulging out of his head as he shouted as loud as he could. His loudest wasn't very intimidating, though, as it came out broken and raspy from both the vice grip the vampire had on his throat and the lack of oxygen. "I'll remember you! Both of you!"

Evee's savior growled - literally growled - and Boy Band took off.

Once he was out of sight, Evangeline put her weight into the wall and dropped her head, releasing a shaky breath. She ran both of her hands through her hair, stressed out beyond belief. When she heard a soft click she froze, suddenly remembering she wasn't alone.

"Are you alright?" The vampire's fangs were retracted and, instead of anger, concern was written on his features.

Evangeline looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes, standing as still as stone against the wall, hoping she could sink into it and disappear. Even though she wasn't prejudiced against vampires and she was thankful that the one standing before her had saved her, Evangeline still didn't know him; nor what he would do to her now that they were alone. Besides, after everything that had just occurred, who could blame her for being on edge?

"Your heart is racing," he observed, taking a cautious step towards her. She responded by taking one away from him. "Be calm, little one. I will not harm you."

"How can I believe you?" As soon as the words left her lips, Evangeline realized that she may have just made a grave mistake. Color drained from her face and her eyes widened.

"Great," she thought. "Now he's gonna kill me."

Luckily, the vampire, who was inching closer to her, only chuckled.

"Truthfully, you can't," he said. "But I did just save you from what could have been a very dangerous situation. And if I wanted to harm you, I would have already done so."

Thinking his words over, Evangeline decided that he was right. On one hand, he could have easily ignored her struggle and let her get raped or die; just like everyone else had. On the other hand, he could have saved her then turned on her himself. Instead, he did neither. He made sure she was okay and made small talk with her. Evee snuck a glance up at him, but she was caught, as he was already looking at her. She quickly lowered her gaze back to the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

"What is your name?"

"Evangeline," she softly replied. "If I had any friends, they'd call me Evee. What's your name?"

"Godric. It's a pleasure to meet you, Evangeline," he replied. The corners of his mouth turned to a frown. "Why don't you have any friends?"

"I travel a lot." She shrugged, gazing down the busy street.

Godric silently watched the girl. Her face was flushed from the adrenaline pumping through her. He could still hear her heart working at a quick pace, though her chest was rising and falling more steadily in an effort to calm her body. Because of her fear and adrenaline, the smell of her blood permeated his nostrils, and Godric had to control the beast that was beginning to stir inside of him. Her scent was intoxicating.

When she spoke of having no friends, sadness shone in her stormy eyes, and Godric felt a familiarity wash over him. He wasn't sure when, but Godric got the sense that he had met this girl before; and not just once, but multiple times. In all of his two thousand years, he was sure he had never seen her face before, and yet, he couldn't shake that feeling. It was perplexing.

"Are you afraid of me?" Godric suddenly asked.

Turning her attention back to him, Evangeline nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw that he was right next to her. However, she realized that it wasn't because she was afraid of him; it was just because he was so close when she hadn't expected him to be. Evangeline was actually unafraid of the vampire. While she had been terrified of him when she discovered what he was, Evee felt oddly safe now. Maybe it was that "I've seen you before" feeling, or maybe it was the fact that he had tipped her one hundred dollars last week then saved her life tonight. Whatever it was, she felt that she could trust him.

"Not really," she answered after a moment, glancing at him. "Should I be?"

"If you're like that human I saved you from, then yes." Godric said. "But if not, then no harm will come to you by my hand."

"I'm not like that pig." Evangeline retorted defensively. Godric smirked, and amusement sparkled in his gray eyes.

"Then you have nothing to fear," he stated. "Let me walk you home."

Evangeline took a moment to consider his offer. Godric seemed sincere, but she knew she shouldn't trust a vampire she just met. Although, if what had just happened was any indication, she couldn't trust humans she had just met, either. When she weighed her options, Evee determined that Godric seemed like her safest bet.

"Okay," she said to the vampire. "It's quite a few blocks away, though. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," he replied, smiling kindly at her. He then held his arm out, and Evee wearily looked down at it for a moment before gingerly wrapping her own arm through. She suppressed a shudder when her bare forearm touched his ice-cold skin. It did feel nice in the muggy heat, though, and it felt even better on her freshly formed bruises.

"So," he began as they walked. "What brings you to Dallas?"

"Nothing, really." Evangeline mused. She noticed that Godric had a trace of an accent when he spoke, but she couldn't figure out where it was from. Then she added, "I've just never been here, so I thought I'd check it out."

"You don't have a job?"

"You saw me doing my job last week," she replied. Evangeline stopped walking then, which caused Godric to stop as well, and he looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Thank you, by the way," she said, bringing her gaze up to his. "For giving me such a generous tip. You really didn't have to do that."

A smile broke onto Godric's lips and the feeling of familiarity returned. Evangeline was tempted to lean up and press her lips against his.

"Don't do that, you idiot!" She mentally slapped herself, fighting to keep a blush away at the thought of their lips locking together. "I just met him! Why do I feel like I wanna kiss him already?!"

Godric's voice shook her from her thoughts. If he had noticed her blush, he didn't say anything about it.

"I know I didn't," he said. "But you play beautifully. And it's very rare to see someone as young as you play something like 'Danse Macabre.'"

Feeling the blush become brighter, Evee turned her face away. She wondered how much experience Godric had with women; he was certainly a charmer!

"Well, thank you," she humbly said.

"You're quite welcome, Evangeline," he replied, gently tugging her arm to continue their walk. He thought about the blush on her high cheekbones, and the only word that could come to Godric's mind was 'adorable.'

"Oh, please, call me Evee," the girl said. "I don't like Evangeline."

"Why not?" Godric asked.

"It's too long to say, and... I don't know. I just don't like it."

The laugh that Godric gave in response made Evee jump slightly. She just wasn't expecting him to find her answer funny. Nor was she expecting her stomach to flip the way it did.

"What?" Evangeline asked, ignoring her abdominal somersault. She raised an eyebrow at the vampire next to her.

"I like your name." Godric finally said, a smile still tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's elegant. Evangeline is an old Greek name."

"How old are you?" Evangeline asked him, thinking back to what he had said to Boy Band.

"Very old." Godric simply replied.

"How old is 'very old'?"

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-three. You didn't answer my question."

"I am old enough to tell you that, compared to me, you are a mere child." Godric said, and Evangeline made a face at him.

Maybe it was his calm demeanor, or maybe she had some sort of "knight in shining armor" complex, but Evangeline found herself feeling comfortable with Godric. She still generally felt shy, but she also found it easy to talk to him. Normally, Evee would be quite reserved around people she barely knew, even coming off as odd or rude sometimes, but with Godric, she just felt generally relaxed. It was like an eerie sense of calm enveloped her. That could either be a good thing or a bad thing.

Eventually, the pair made it back to the motel. When they came to a stop in front of her door, Godric looked down at Evee, obviously confused.

"Well, here we are," she confirmed. He looked at the door, then the building in its entirety, before his gaze finally landed on Evangeline, turning to face her.

"This is where you're living?" Godric asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Why?" Evangeline responded, confusion now sweeping across her features. Godric frowned, looking around again.

"These arrangements are sub-par," he said. Evee raised an eyebrow at him. "The smell of urine is almost overwhelming. And your neighbor is using drugs with a prostitute as we speak."

Evangeline looked over Godric's shoulder at the room next door to hers. The curtains were closed and it was quiet. It didn't even look like anyone was occupying that room.

"How do you know that?" Evee asked, bringing her attention back to him.

"I can hear them." Godric said dryly.

"Oh," she responded, vaguely wondering just how good a vampire's hearing was. "Well they're not bothering me," she continued. "I didn't even know I had a neighbor. And the urine smell isn't that bad."

"You don't have enough money to go somewhere else?"

"Why is this such a big deal to him?" Evangeline thought, shocked by Godric's words.

"Not really," she voiced. For some reason, Evee felt really embarrassed. Godric wasn't condescending or anything like that, but Evangeline suddenly felt self-conscious. She never really stopped to think about how much money she made, only focusing on the fact that she was happy doing what she did, and realizing that she made very little was kind of disheartening. "Look," she added. "I'm fine here. Don't worry about me, okay? I've been in motels far more disgusting than this. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Godric asked, his eyebrows furrowing together in concern. "Perhaps I could make a phone call-"

"Oh, no, no!" Evangeline frantically cut him off. "You don't have to do that! I'll be okay. Seriously." The last thing she wanted was the guy thinking she was a charity case.

Godric seemed to be in thought for a few moments. Evangeline hoped he was just coming to terms with the fact that she didn't want his help. Looking between her and the door, he eventually sighed.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you, Evee." She smiled at his use of the nickname. He still seemed uneasy about the whole situation, but Evangeline was grateful for everything he had done already and didn't want him to go out of his way any more than he already had for her.

"It was nice to meet you, too," she replied. "Thank you for all of your help. I really appreciate it." The corners of his lips turned up into a small smile as he nodded. Before she unlocked her door, Evangeline looked over her shoulder at the vampire. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I'm sure you will," he replied. "I live in Dallas, as well." There was a gleam in his eyes, as if he was thinking of something funny. Evangeline shrugged it off, though, almost afraid to ask what he was thinking about.

"Well, goodnight, Godric." Evee said with a small smile. "Thank you again."

"You're welcome, again." Godric smirked. "Goodnight, Evangeline."

She unlocked her door with the old chrome key and stepped inside. Just before Evangeline closed it, she turned and found that Godric was already gone. With a chuckle, she shook her head and closed the door.