CHAPTER ONE: TURNING POINT
"Sookie, you have to understand... It's not a matter to be taken lightly. This town has feared exactly this since I came here... since you showed so much interest in me. It's hardly practical when you're trying to make new friends." Bill laughed, but Sookie looked at him with the most serious, determined look she'd given anyone.
"Why don't you want to do this Bill?! Please, I want to know! ...the truth."
"You doubt my reasons? Sookie, it's not that I wouldn't... wouldn't love to have you around, always. It's just that, I've already gotten a lot of hostility from these people."
"It's stopped! Or, at least lessened... C'mon Bill, it's none of their business anyways!"
"Sookie, it is plenty of their business. The fact that it's lessened is good, I agree, but I don't want it to escalate now! I told you before, Bon Temps is my home... I don't want to ruin that."
Sookie opened her mouth to argue, but just then Jessica walked in.
"Hey y'all. Watcha talkin about?" she asked. One look from Bill, and she quickly left again.
"That's another thing," he said, "I already have to deal with her! Please, can I at least learn to ... handle her, before we have this particular discussion?"
"Fine." said Sookie, walking off in the direction Jess had taken, arms crossed.
"Sook... Sookie." said Bill, watching her leave. "Dammit."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was dark. I should've gone home... Why did I stay out? This is so stupid! The streets were damp from the rain, and the air smelled dank. Mama's gonna kill me. Out past my curfew, just over some dumb fight. Allison could hear her heels clicking against the cold cement. Dammit, girl. Just got to get home... What was–?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
She smelled remarkable. Even through the musty air, her blood was warm smelling, and spicy. She would be easy to take, too. It's not like she was hard to follow, even a stupid human could do it! She is preoccupied... But she's also tall, and thin. Not built for a fight. And is that – yes, adrenalin. She's scared now. Maybe she finally realized there was someone else. Time to get her alone...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Don't look around. That's the worst thing to do. Just keep walking, look at your feet or something. She turned. It was dark. There were some street lights, but that's it. No, it's not just streetlights.... There's someone. Across the street? She focused her eyes. Yes, just there... Someone... Someone crossing! Right towards me! Got to... get away. She looked around, looking for escape. A street! I'll turn down there! She turned. But it was no street. It was an alley, closed in by two buildings... and blocked at the end.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was a simple matter to trap her... just cross the street. She walked right into the alley! Stupid human... He followed. She ran, but she quickly met the fence at the other end. He stood in the opening to the alley, looked at her, and let out a low growl. He walked. Quickly. For a vampire. She gasped, and collapsed, sobbing. I hate it when they do that! I'll have to Glamour her... He took her by the shoulders, and lifted her.
"Please, I just want to get home! It's past my curfew... Mama will be worried sick! Please..." she whimpered.
"Look at me. Look!" She did. "Good girl. Now, listen. I'm not going to hurt you... I'm here to take you home."
She stopped crying, and sniffed, wiping away a tear. "Really?"
"Yes." he smiled.
"...you know, my Mama and I... Well, we're kind of fightin, so I don't have to be home right away..."
"I don't know what you mean," he said.
"Well, Mister..." she waited for his name, but he didn't give it. "Uh, I mean. What do you think of mixed-couples?"
"Do you mean race? Or..."
"No, I mean..." she stepped closer, reached for his arm. "What do you think of human-vampire couples?"
As soon as her hand touched him, he grabbed her wrist and threw her against a wall.
"I think that both participants are fools. Clearly one is using the other for blood, and the one is using the other for ... well, our blood, but more for the effects."
He took a step closer. "The healing."
Another step. "The feelings."
Another step. "The lust."
And with that, he picked her up by the jacket, took her by the waist, and held her close.
"The only relationship a human and a vampire should share," he whispered in her ear, "is one of predator and prey. Sorry, my dear, but now I will use you for your blood. And that is all."
He took her chin, tilted it up, pecked her on the lips. Then he tilted it sideways to drink. She screamed.