Dead To All Of Merlotts

Chapter One: Murder In The Bar

It was a quiet night in the bar, I'd taken over for Sookie Stackhouse who was on holiday with her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton. Once I'd cleared my tables and gotten behind the counter I sighed.

My boss Sam stared. "You alright?" he asked, concern flooding his voice.

"I might be new Sam, but I'm absolutely fine." I assured him.

I saw him relax so I looked to the door of the bar Merlotts, when a vampire walked in that I knew. Eric.

He walked right up to one of my tables. I quickly grabbed my pad and pen and my tray and walked quickly up to him.

"How may I help you?" I asked grinning, it had been a good eight years since I'd last seen him and I was extremely happy to see him.

He seemed happy to see me to. He grinned right back. "Well for starters, I'd like some A positive blood, your type I presume?" I made note of that smiling and sat down across from him, aware that my boss was watching me.

"What else?" I asked.

"Janice Marto was killed, same deal as Clarian."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded sadly. "Positive."

I sighed. "This has to stop. Now. And I rose to go and get Eric's blood.

As I went out back to get the A positive, Sam followed, curious.

"Why were you talking to him?" he asked, trying to control his voice.

"It's personal." My voice was steady and I was proud of that.

"If it's under the roof of my bar and it involves one of my newly hired staff it is my business."

"If it matters to you so much go and ask him yourself. And if it helps you anymore, I'm not interested in Eric." I saw him redden and knew I'd corned him.

"Why should I ask him?" he said suddenly.

"Because. I don't answer to people who think they own my business Sam." I said harshly and grabbed the blood and turned around when I saw Eric standing by the door. "If it's any interest to you. We were discussing the killings of the people which included Janice and Clarian." His voice was hard.

Sam looked startled but remained were he stood. "Right well, err. I don't want that talk in my bar please."

"Sam, we have a right to tal-"

"Sam!" yelled Sookie Stackhouse.

She walked in grinning until she saw Eric. "Hey there little one, I was just visting an old friend." He said grinning and looked at me just as Bill Compton walked in.

"Ah, Eric. What are you doing here?" Bill asked, looking at me.

While the four of them talked to each other I was the only one that heard a scream and glass cracking, so I walked passed them all and they didn't realise. When I got to the front of the bar Maria Jones was on the ground, her head bleeding and I could hear her praying aloud as a vampire with white/blond hair kicked her in the stomach. He was going to hurt her until she was killed and so I distracted him.

"Hey, blond ass. Over here." I said walking around the counter and stopped several feet away from Maria.

His cold black eyes looked up and into my eyes. Maria got up and ran, he stayed staring at me. He sniffed the air. "Hmmm. A positive, how delightful." He chucked a piece of wood at my head and I collapsed onto the floor, my head bleeding a little. I was slightly aware of Eric grabbing the man by his throat while Bill staked him and Sam helped them. Sookie dropped down near me hushing me saying it would be okay and that was the last thing I remembered for a while, I drifted off into a slumber and for me it was the best sleep I'd had in years.

Several hours later I was aware of someone stroking my cheek with a cold flannel, and then wiping my forehead. I opened my eyes and saw Sam in the weak moonlight coming through my bedroom open window.

"Hey." I croaked.

He smiled shyly, and looked toward the door just as Bill walked in with Sookie and Eric. "Hi ya sweetie." Eric said smiling.

"You feeling better Thalia?" Sookie asked moving past Eric to sit near Sam.

And Bill didn't like that much. "I'm fine but your boyfriends not." I said smiling.

Bill looked at me. I felt strong blood flow through my veins. "Did I lose a lot of blood?" I asked quickly.

"No we were there so you didn't, why?" asked Sam.

"No reason."

Some how the blond/white haired vampire had gotten blood into me, and I felt really different. Like I'd had a strong drug injected into me and although it didn't make me high it made me feel strong and powerful then what I was before. Bill didn't stop staring at Sookie the entire time I was thinking –which wasn't a long time at all- so I sighed and looked at Sookie as she read my mind.

Your boyfriend is jealous I think……… You might need to go home and spoil him?

She laughed loudly and Bill, Sam and Eric all jumped. I joined in laughing silently. "Go on." I said and she jumped off the bed and grabbed Bill's arm and whispered in his ear and Bill said goodnight to me and then they left.

"Well that's not suspicious or anything." Eric laughed and kissed my forehead. "Get some rest Hun, goodnight." And he left leaving me and Sam alone in my room.

"What were you thinking to Sookie?" Sam asked curious.

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"She needed to treat him." I left him hanging on that and he smiled after a few seconds shaking his head. "Took you long enough." I said.

"You have a gross mind Thalia." He said but grinned.

"I know you get used to it."

He looked at me suddenly. "I will." He said and leaned over to my forehead and kissed it hovering there, he then kissed my lips softly and then he moved over to lay next to me, I rested my head on his chest and he moved his arms around me when I sighed.

I fell asleep in his arms and didn't wake up till noon the next day.