"Can I just have a beer?" I closed the menu in finality, after deciding against having a late dinner. My waitress nodded kindly and stared, prompting me to be more specific. "A Corona would be great, thanks Sookie," she nodded her head slightly, with a small smile showing a slight gap in her teeth. She turned quickly causing her blonde ponytail to whip behind her.
Sookie went and requested my drink from the pepper haired owner, Sam who was wiping down the bar. My mind wandered as I watched the patrons of the establishment. Merlotte's Bar & Grill has been my go to place since moving to Bon Temps, Louisiana a few weeks ago.
This small town was a chance choice made by a lonely woman who didn't know where to go after her mother died. I felt isolated from the world even though I lived in the lively city of New York. So one day, I grabbed a map, and shot my finger down. I decided to sell my mother's apartment, and all of the furniture. My mother was a wealthy woman, and my only family, so I had no problems finding a small house to settle into in this close knit southern town. Without the success of finding a job or friends, the only thing I got comfort in was dinner at Merlotte's every night. So why change a new tradition?
The bottle ended up in front of me, causing a small smile to grow on my lips as I met Sookie's stare. She was sweet, and kind with innocent eyes. I couldn't understand all of the terrible talk I had been hearing about her from the other customers. They were wrong, Sookie was not crazy, simply friendly. Her gaze seemed to snap out of whatever small trance she was in, and a grin spread across her tanned cheeks. "Brooke, you're a sweetie. We should get to know each other." Her sweet southern bell tone almost distracted me by how strangely connected her comment was to my thoughts.
I nodded slightly with a nervous smile, and pushed the lime stuck in the neck of the bottle into my drink. Sookie took this break of eye contact as a sign to leave, and headed towards the bar where the red headed waitress, Arlene, was showing off her new engagement ring. My booth was located right by the door, so I had a clear view of the seating area of the restaurant. Friends and families laughed together, and enjoyed their meals. A handful of men littered the bar to my right, and behind me a few young college-aged kids could be heard playing pool behind me, on the other side of the door. The night was warm, and the bar was loud.
Until they walked in.
No one could see them move with their inhuman swiftness. Bill Compton, Sookie's boyfriend rushed towards her in the middle of the room, whispering in hushed tones. I had seen Bill around the bar a few times, and he seemed normal enough. But the two others he came in with grabbed everyone's attention. Ignoring the couple in the middle of the room, most of the patrons had their attention grabbed by two individuals closer to the door.
The woman was tall and elegant, and her face seemed disgusted by everyone and everything around her. I stared quietly, most patrons gossiping to their friends, but I just took another strong pull of my beer. I looked away once I felt a stare on my face. It was hot and bothersome. Because it was him. The man next to the light haired feminine vampire. Out of the corner of my eye, I could still see his intimidating stature and glossy blonde hair that grazed his shoulders. Letting out a small sigh, I turned my head slightly to meet his eyes. They were blue, like they held the reflection of the ocean. Although stoic and strong, his face had a haunted look behind it. His broad chest rose and fell, as if he was taking in the scent of something. His pale skin, as vampires are, caused his bright eyes to be the focus of anyone who looked at him.
That's when I felt it, an attempt at his influence. But I knew it would fail him. He whispered to his companion, and she started to go around the bar passing out leaflets. Instead of following her footsteps, he kept his look focused on my face, and started forward in my direction. I wriggled under his scrutiny. Letting go of his eyes, I turned my attention to the paper surrounding my bottle, and started to nervously scratch it off.
A large hand landed on the neck of the bottle in my grasp. Compared to my small tan ones, his fingers seemed to stretch forever. Another sigh escaped my mouth. "Am I that boring to you?" I shut my eyes for a brief second, cursing my luck under my breath, and turned towards the sound of the voice. Above me, leaning onto the table was the blonde male vampire. Up close his hair looked softer, and his eyes more lethal.
"Boring me? No." I dropped the bottle from my fingers as his form slipped into the other side of the booth. "You are however, interrupting my 'me time'."
A small smirk erupted on his red lips. His large arms planted on the wooden table, and leaned closer towards me. I felt my dark features squeeze into a confused expression. "You should tell me your name," again his eyes held the implication of his glamour. What an asshat.
But I went with it anyway.
"Brooke Cotter" As much as I didn't want this intimidating vampire to know my name, I figured it would be easier on me if I made him less suspicious. A smile graced his lips. It was small and tender. Almost human like. He broke eye contact.
He leaned a little farther, bringing his large hands together on top of the table close to my warming drink. I do not want warm beer. So instead of listening to the vampire's next question, I started taking another long sip of my drink. Ignoring the feeling of his stare, I peered around the room trying to find Sookie or Bill, but none were seen. "Aren't you going to ask my name?" I felt myself smirk from behind the lip of the bottle.
Slowly putting it down I leaned my chin casually on my right fist. "I'm sure if I find out I'll never be able to get rid of you." His blue eyes widened in both surprise and a laughter.
"Well, in that case, I am Eric Northman, and you are clearly out of place." His name sounded exactly as he looked. Hearty and coy. And I knew I would see him again.
I put my hand down and leaned back against the dark plastic seat of the booth, ignoring his last comment. "Well Mr. Northman, I'm sure I will be seeing you soon." Dismissing him, I looked up towards the elegant woman who stood next to our table with her arms crossed. She did not seem amused, or pleased at the fact that she was still in a human bar.
"Eric, we have to go." He nodded in her direction, and left a lingering stare in my direction. As he got up he leaned his torso over the table, allowing his face to drop near mine.
He breathed in deep, with his eyes closed. I swallowed uncomfortably. "Well Brooke. You smell delicious. But I am busy. I will be seeing you." And before I could blink, he and the blonde woman next to me were gone.
I have never been able to be glamoured. It's not at the fault of vampires, it is simply a part of me. After they decided to come out in the open, when going out to bars and clubs in New York, it was very common to see individuals under the control of the undead. Drunk girls leaving with pale men and women, their pupils the size of quarters.
Growing up in New York City, although being raised by a mother with an apartment on the Upper East Side, had allowed me to come in contact with a plethora of shifty characters. After the Great Revelation, these shifty characters seemed less strange and more dangerous. These newly uncovered vampires, who I had previously just understood as my friends, loved to show off their outted powers, and wanted to show their true nature to anyone who cared, and to loads of those who didn't. I soon found out that it didn't work on me. As hard as the vampires tried, I could see their antics from a mile away, and it did not phase me in the slightest. After seeing it happen to everyone around me, I learned the tricks of the trade to be believable and non-suspicious.
Waking up a few days later was mundane and normal. With a long night's sleep, waking up at noon, I decided to take in the rest of the day. With all of my mother's money I didn't not have the immediate need for a job and thusly, I spent my days lazying around and taking the occasional run, enjoying the time given to me. Indulging in the nice weather I laced up my old running shoes, and made my way out of the house. The birds sang quietly among the trees, and short rustlings could be heard in the bushes around my secluded home and onto the empty sided street where I lived.
Although he was asleep while the sun was up, a certain vampire was running around my mind. His long blonde hair, his black leather jacket, his mesmerizing blue eyes swarmed my conscious as I tried to concentrate simply on my breathing. But there was another still on my mind. Dark hair in the darkness, always in the back of my thoughts. His long cold hands reached out towards the light where Eric stood. The black eyed man came closer to the forefront, whispering threats under his breath. How could he be in my mind still?
Realizing that I was out of breath, and clearly nowhere close to freeing my mind of my troubled thoughts, I allowed my sore legs to make my way home. Taking note of the quickly falling sun, it is clear that my run must have lasted much longer than I thought. Upon reaching my property, I wheezed my way into my old brown house.
It was plain. A lot of white walls and empty shelves. No important memories to behold, or pictures to admire. The only frame in the house sat on a coffee table next to the loveseat in my living room, a photo of my mother and me from my childhood taken by a professional. I indolently threw the glass in the sink on my way to my bedroom. Although it too was white walled and plain. I just did not see the rush in decorating.
Hair stood up on my arms as I finished changing into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt upon getting out of the shower. Rubbing my arms slightly, I wasn't too caught off guard when a knock came to my door. Shoving a hand through my dark wavy hair and hoping for the best, I made my way through the hallway and towards the front door. A strange feeling came over me. As if my body was trying to warn me away from my visitor. Instead of listening, I swallowed my nerves and opened the wooden door.
Through the screen stood a perky little Sookie.
"Brooke!" She smiled instantly, throwing a quick wave my way with her petite fingers. I let her in without a second thought, eager to hear why she was giving me such an impromptu visit.
Guiding her towards my living room, I sat down in an arm chair across from my bright floral couch. "Sookie, please sit," Giving an indication where I thought her situated best, "how did you know where I live?" My question came without hesitation, but hopefully came off as kind as I could make it. Though I was starting to get lonely in this small town, I had not gone out of my way to try to make friends per say. This act of not branching out included not letting anyone know my address.
She wasn't thrown off guard by my abrasiveness and answered, "I'd heard around town that the old Widdon house had been moved into, and you're the only new face around town. So I just put two and two together, and tried my luck."
"Well, can I get you something to drink?" I might as well play hostess now that the role has been thrust upon me, right?
She nodded with a small frown on her face, "No thanks, I didn't mean to barge in. I just…" Her voice trailed off as she looked down at her lap and let out an exasperated huff, "Bill has been missing, Sam has been all sorts of worried about me, my best friend has turned into the town drunk, and my brother is a suspect in a murder!" Her words were fast and heated, and almost had me bamboozled.
Letting out a whistle, I nodded my head
"So… you're sure you don't want a drink?"
Sookie let out a small chuckle, slowly looking down towards her lap. "I'm just so worried about everyone that I don't even know who to turn to anymore." Reaching out towards her, I placed a hand awkwardly on her shoulder. Trying hard to rub soothing circles into her skin while still wondering how I was the best thought fit for this situation.
I swallowed deeply before nodding, "So your brother is a suspect for murder?" Smooth Brooke. Remind her of how stressful her life is. Wincing at my lack of tact, I noticed that Sookie just nodded at my question stiffly. "And you haven't seen Bill in a few days? Does he do that often, like is it a vampire thing for him?" Fuck. Still lacking the tact I hoped for.
"He went to a vampire thing. He hasn't been home since. And all day I've been clue hunting with Sam Merlotte. He's actually waiting for me at my house."
My eyebrow rose slightly, but I successfully kept my confusion to myself. "Are you going to join him there? Or just leave him in your house?" What the hell is going on with this girl?
At this time Sookie looks up at me sharply.
"What the hell is going on, is that I thought I could turn to someone for a short talking to without being judged. I'll be on my way now."
Sookie's blonde ponytail bobbed heavily as she shot up from my couch and bee-lined for the front door.
"Also, I saw the way that Eric Northman flocked to you like a honey bee to the biggest flower in the garden Brooke. I would watch your back if I were you." She spoke with a tinge of spite and a heap of foreboding.
And with that the night ended, but the beginning of a strange week just began.
A/N- I do not own anything except Brooke.
Hope ya'll enjoyed.