Dead in Time

by Misshy

Short little one shot. Time line wise I wrote to be after Living Dead in Dallas but could be placed as late as just before Dead as a Doornail.

Time line wise I wrote to be after Living Dead in Dallas but could be placed as late as just before Dead as a Doornail. Characters are Charlaine Harris's and not mine they are used in the story as a tribute not as a profitable occurrence.

Now that hopefully everyone is happy on with the one shot!

I woke up slightly late but it was warm and sunny almost a little unseasonably so. I didn't work until late so I had plenty of time to get ready and run errands before my shift at Merlotte's. I decided instead of getting up right away to just sit in bed and listen to all the sounds of the city. It was much nosier here than at the old farm house. After a few minutes I got up to shower and brush my teeth. It was almost surreal how great everything just felt today. Even brushing my teeth felt exceptionally pleasant.

I decided to spend the afternoon at the library swapping out my books and looking for something new perhaps even something different for a change. The day just seemed to call for it. I had considered sunbathing but while the sun invited it the temperature was still not quite there. I decided on a couple romance books, a mystery, and for some reason book from the reference section caught my eye.

I went home to change into my uniform dropping the books on the couch on my way through. I would have to put them away properly later because I had spent way too much time in the library and was now running a little late. It was already dark as I pulled into the employee parking lot at Merlotte's.

Walking in I noticed Sam was missing. Terry was tending the bar and our temporary (vampire) cook Anthony Bolivar were both in tonight. I walked out to the front and saw to my astonishment that the bar was nearly empty. Normally we are slow on nights where events are going on but this was just unimaginably empty. Arlene walked up to me and indicated the new face alone at one of the booths on the edge of her section bordering mine. This new woman was very pale. Arlene had already decided that she was a vampire. "Sookie, I asked if she wanted anything and she just smiles and says she is waiting for someone. She's been here over an hour. I guess I don't mind she seems really pleasant just a bit off I guess."

I glanced over to the table and examined her as best I could in the dim light of the bar. She was very pale, calling her skin like ivory might not even compare. Her hair was long and had lazy waves. She had it half pulled up like she started to tame it into a ponytail then gave up. It was red but a strange shade. When she moved it almost looked like it was on fire. She was dressed in a short black jean skirt and blue short sleeved knit top. It was simple yet she made it look so stunning. I tried to focus in on her thoughts and found that same blank space I did when trying to read a vampire's mind. I decided that Arlene was probably right. I smiled to Arlene, "She doesn't seem like she's after trouble."

"Can you take her table?"

I caught a flash of Arlene's thoughts of how she didn't want to spoil her wonderful day dealing with another odd ball. I agreed to take the table for her.

The evening remained painfully slow. It was about 10 pm when I noticed Anthony kept watching the new vampire. I wished I could read vampire minds so badly to know what was so interesting about her. She never moved (that vampire standby thing?), never asked to be helped. When I went over and asked if she needed anything she smiled. Her teeth were amazingly white even in the dim light. "Thank you, but it would be rude to start anything before my guest."

I smiled back and decided to wait at the bar and watch for any of my other tables to need anything. The odd night continued and the other guests started to leave. None of our regular heavy drinkers came in tonight and it was now empty at 11 pm with just the red haired vampire left. I heard a slight rustle and Bill had entered and was now standing next to the booth across from the red-head. She stood to greet him. She just stood, she didn't do the little vampire head bow. Bill on the other hand did a full deep bow. She moved to sit back down motioning Bill to do the same. He gave another little nod. Anthony was now entirely focused on what was happening at that little table. I was now angry at Bill. I couldn't figure which angered me more, that he was here for her or because he made her wait so long for him. I trotted up and expertly placed a fake smile across my face trying to hide my anger at Bill. I figured it was important considering I'd never seen a vampire do a full bow. Maybe she was the Queen of Louisiana? If she was then Bill probably was in deep trouble for his tardiness. These thoughts swirled in my head and I stilled them as I reached the table. "Can I get you both a True Blood?"

The girl went green. She gently yet quickly pushed past me and was in the bathroom faster than I could fathom what was happening. Bill was no longer in his seat but was up and bowed facing the direction she went. I noticed Anthony was also in a bow towards the bathroom. When the door stopped swinging both straightened up. Anthony went back to work. Bill looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. He sat back down and placed a hand over his face. "She's going to be a minute."

"Who," I looked around and no one was close, "or what is she?"

"She's not a vampire."

"I figured she was the queen by how you both were acting." I motioned towards Anthony.

He laughed. "She's not the queen. She's… someone vampires still have to be careful of."

"Vampires fear something? Is she liked the vampire's vampire?"

He smiled and let out another little laugh, "With that reaction to blood?"

"So why do you fear her?"

"She's old, very old. However, her nature makes things we've forgotten still rather fresh. She's not active long then sleeps for a few centuries. Vampires did her a terrible injustice about two thousand years ago. In her measure of time that probably feels like last week. She's probably still a little displeased with us."

I wondered for a second how old was old to a vampire. A pang of realization came to me. The vampires did something to her and she still might be angry. The vampires did something to her and she did something to make them be afraid. "Is she dangerous?"

"Very, and not at all. Let her have her way and everything will be great."

A voice came from behind me. "I'm sure you've had a good day."

I turned around to be eye to eye with her she was standing on her toes to do this. Ice blue eyes like a winter sky looked at me without malice. Bill was back up and bowing as she moved past me back into the booth seat. It took me a second it find my words after what little Bill had told me. "Yes, it was a good day today."

I smiled. She smiled back (sparkle sparkle). Bill tried to motion me away and I took the hint. Bill was speaking very low and I noticed I didn't see her respond. After about thirty minutes she stood to leave. I noticed she was smiling towards me. Again Bill went through the bowing routine and stayed that way until she left into the night. He motioned for me to come back and ordered a True Blood.

I walked back to the refrigerator and felt slightly confused by Bill's new friend. She looked like a vampire, acted like a vampire, yet was defiantly not one. I also somehow felt at ease with her. She seemed very kind and obviously too good to be talking with Bill. I had yet to forgive him for what happened in Dallas.

I came back with his drink and sat across from him. "Start explaining."

"The simplest way to describe her would be to call her a phoenix but that wouldn't be exactly true either."

I sighed. He was dodging me. "What did the vampires do to her then that you still fear her?"

"She's interesting in that she generally bound by the rules of her form."

Again, he was dodging me. "What do you mean?"

"When she looks human she is pretty much human. She's a little faster and a little stronger but no match for a vampire. I don't think she is capable of being dead however, so that rule she breaks. If you come by the house I'll tell you more."

Bill pissed me off but I also could see why he wouldn't want to be spilling vampire secrets all over the bar. No one came in after Bill left and my wonderful day started to feel a little dismal when I looked at how much I earned in tips.

I slowly drove up Hummingbird Road to the Compton house not wanting to look at mine in the dark on the way past. Bill was waiting for me. I was still disappointed with my earnings and Bill when I walked up that I didn't even greet him. "What did the vampires do?"

"You seem to be coming down from her presence."

I looked at him confused at what he meant. "Your wonderful day seems to have worn off. You did say you had a good day."

I hated when he did things like this. Bill continued. "She has that effect. She's one of a kind."

I couldn't take it anymore. "She- does she have a name?"

He thought for a moment. "Last I heard she was going by Aurora. I don't think it is her real one."

"You talked with her almost an hour and you're not sure her name?"

He was going to dismiss me again I could see it. "Aurora's talents are not just in improving mood, although that makes a wonderful difference. Vampires think of her almost like concentrated life. Around her people are happy. They don't get sick. Plants grow quickly. The weather is always good."

"Why would vampires care about the daily life of people two thousand years ago?" I said it and the words felt wrong that something could be that old and remember that long ago.

"Aurora's," he paused, "talents were beneficial to vampires as well. Having a healthy group of people meant we had more food. It was also discovered by mistake at the time that she was directly beneficial to vampires. A vampire bit Aurora not realizing I guess that she was not one of the humans she was among. He didn't feed long the shock of blue blood and odd taste gave her enough chance to get free and vanish."

"That was enough to anger her?" I had to smile she escaped a hungry vampire. She was obviously not as helpless as Bill was making her sound at this point of the story.

"No. What angered her was that this vampire who got a lucky bite in realized that he wasn't hungry. His need for blood was completely quenched for nearly a week. During that time he was also stronger. Aurora in the pocket of any vampire would make them stronger than they could have dreamed at the time. It was decided that they were going to catch her. They drew her out away from the tiny village and went to grab her."

Bill looked up at me to see how I was taking the story. So far in terms of what vampires can do it seemed tame. "Sookie, did you notice her birthmark?"

I thought back trying to picture her again in my mind. On her forehead there was a darker spot but in the dim light of the bar it wasn't very noticeable. "Something like a burst on her forehead? Why?"

"No vampire knows her true form but I have my suspicions as do many others but that night when they went to grab her one placed their hand across that mark and came back burned as if it was silver. She was whipped around and attempted was made to glamour her but failed. I'll spare you the details but her treatment after this point is always described very violently probably because she had hurt one of their own. The coven was full of activity over their successful hunt. Aurora did not take this treatment well. She was hurt to the point recovery would have been very long in a modern hospital. The injuries she had at the time with treatment would have been fatal. We've learned since that this was not the first time her other nature showed and maybe in this case it old showed because she was so broken."

"Her other nature?" I could only repeat what Bill said not quite yet understanding how a tiny woman who might be slightly stronger or faster than a normal human would be scary to a vampire when angry.

"She shifted right there in the middle of the coven. Vampires don't do well with fire. Satisfied with the damage she had done she flew away. She was gone the coven in shambles and in the following years the one prospering village completely died out."

"So she's be missing for two thousand years and you decide tonight to sit with her and have a chat at Merlotte's where she might snap into anger and burn the place down around her?"

"She apparently didn't go dormant after the vampire capture incident. She was spotted a couple years later and on a different continent. This time she was not as kind. She was immediately defensive and ready to move on. At this point we had learned that she was directly related to the prosperity the area inherited. When I mentioned before about concentrated life, that probably is a bit false. She is life. By her whim plants grown and life prospers. What we've learned through talks with her since the… occurrence is that she doesn't eat. She's somewhat like a parasite and lives because others live."

"Does that mean being surrounded by vampires she would be starving?"

Bill looked thoughtful. "I think she just doesn't get any benefit from our company."

"Wait, if she feeds off life why would she influence people to have the bar be empty?"

Bill sighed. "Why ask a vampire out so late? She's not a creature of the night and I could tell she had been there a while. She's defiantly a daylight creature."

I heard a light sound like a small wind chime and standing behind me was Aurora. "Have you shared yet?"

Bill was again bowing to her. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "You vampires and your pride," she walked past me smelling like wildflowers on a spring day. Bill looked very uneasy. This small, frail, smiling, grim reaper didn't seem evil but after hearing what she did maybe she was. "You've bowed to me quite enough times for someone who has done nothing to need my forgiveness. The first time was… interesting to see but it is getting annoying. If I was really all that angry with vampires as a whole I would have been a little creative long ago."

She smiled when she said this and I realized that she was projecting the idea of making everything have a characteristic of garlic. I also noticed that she had a thin silver chain around her neck and I wondered if that was for lessons learned the hard way. She sat down next to me. I felt like many times like these were the adults talking and I needed to be a good child and just listen. "Alright Bill, I've decided on something that would make us all nice and even. I'm not a pet to be kept like your predecessors discovered. What I want is simple just to be left alone and allow me to go back to my simple ways. All this watching my back and keeping my temporary home secret it such a pain when all I want to do is encourage the continuation of my own little projects. I never wanted it to come up and bite me on the neck, literally."

Bill sat back down looking like he wasn't sure how much to trust Aurora or how much space she needed. The temptation of the promise her blood held must have been immense. Yet I sensed an edge to Aurora like she spoke with hidden meanings just like the vampires. "How do you expect me to do this? Call every vampire in the world and say you're somehow off limits?"

She moved quickly and was now nose to nose with Bill her hands on the back of the chair supporting her. Her voice came out cool and slightly dangerous. "You know that isn't what I'm talking about. I would have liked to have talked with Eric but his situation felt prone to have, familiar undesired, results."

Bill's lip lifted in a snarl. He didn't like her close and I can't say I was happy about it either. "Then why didn't you call him instead of putting a note on my door?"

She stood up rocking back looking a bit confused. "My voice would never carry to Shreveport!"

"Call him on the phone."

"The phone? What is that?" I realized looking at her now in confusion that she really was from a different time.

Bill sighed. He didn't seem up to dealing with her outdated knowledge of the world. I decided it might be safe for me to ask a question. "Aurora, when did you last wake up?"

She smiled. "Finally back into an area I know something of. I last woke in 1613 and decided to go dormant 1845."

Bill scoffed, "So why are we so lucky to be blessed with your early waking?"

She shot him a look. "Perhaps if you could keep your wars countable they would not wake me. So, this phone what is it and how does it work?"

She looked at Bill expectantly. I decided that Aurora and Bill left to their own was just going to cause another, falling out. I called Fangtasia and Pam picked up. "Pam, is Eric there? It's Sookie."

"I'll take the phone to him."

The sounds of the bar could be heard through the phone. I glanced back at Bill and Aurora to make sure both were still there. Bill looked about ready to snap but was still calmly answering all of Aurora's questions. "Sookie!"

"Eric, I'm calling because Bill has a guest."

"Sookie, Bill is going to have them from time to time unless that means you want me to come over because you're lonely?" There was an unmistakable hint of cheer to his voice.

"Bill's guest isn't really his guest. She really wanted to talk to you. Her name is Aurora."

Eric was quiet for a second trying to place the name. He must have settled on an answer, "She's not mine Bill can nibble on her if he wants."

"Eric!" I hissed at the phone. "She's not a fangbanger. Bill told me she was something like a phoenix. Negotiations are starting to wear thin with Bill."

"Can you put her on the phone?"

I guided Aurora away from Bill and to the phone. She looked at it. "What's that? It looks dead but I don't sense that it ever lived."

"This is a phone I'll teach you more about it in a bit but for now talk into it and you'll hear Eric."

She picked up the phone rather clumsily and managed to put it up to her ear correctly. She was still keeping a very light hold of the phone. I could hear Eric from the other end. "Aurora you need to talk, with words, it doesn't work the way you prefer to talk."

She let out a little gasp and looked around as if she thought the voice was from right over her shoulder. "I don't like this it is cold."

"Many things are now. I wasn't expecting to hear from you for at least another 300 years. Trouble sleeping?"

Her eyes went wide for a moment and she pushed the phone at me. "No! Not this way. I don't like it."

"Eric, it's me again."

"I heard her. Seems the phone was a bit much too soon. Can you keep an eye on her until I can come by tomorrow?"

"Eric! I don't run a hotel."

"You could leave her with Bill."

I glanced over at Bill his expression was cold and he defiantly was not going to humor Aurora much longer even if it did mean the damnation of his kind. "I don't think that wise."

Eric laughed. "Bill not tolerating her well I take it? She'll behave just fine if you fine her someplace quiet with a plant or something else living."

"Alright," I said as he hung up. I was roped into taking care of another supernatural being. I grabbed Aurora by the arm yanking her away from what mental battle she was obviously having with Bill. I could tell she didn't like the car either she glanced about and fidgeted.

There was nothing eventful on the trip to my duplex. I showed her in and she looked around tentatively. I thought about being told she has two natures but she seemed to run the gambit. One minute she was open another shy. She could be loud or quiet and she seems to have no rhyme or reason to what changed her from one to the other. She entered and gravitated to one of my get better soon houseplants from when I was shot. A shiver went through me as I wondered what danger having her would really bring me.

I went to bed slightly worried for my houseplant. I mean she fed off of life but brought prosperity. Either the plant would be dead or doing fine I figured as I drifted off that if that was all this was going to cost me then I'd be fine with that.

I work up and I thought she had left at first. Aurora was not there. The plant was now three times the size it was last night and freshly watered. I went to sit on the couch and was glad I looked down. There snuggled against one of the throw pillows was a small red squirrel. It had a clear patch on its forehead. "Aurora?"

The little squirrel stirred and looked up at me. "Yes?" This wasn't said but was as if it was placed in my head.

"Can you please change back?"

She nodded and then the air around her distorted like when I'd seen Sam shift. I turned my gaze to give her time to retrieve her clothing because shifters always returned without their clothes. Again in my head, "I'm not trying to be scary."

I turned back and she was in the same outfit she had last night. "How do you still have your clothes?"

She smiled. Speaking this time, "You could project if you like I prefer that, more honest. I'm not a shifter. This form is an illusion."

"Is the phoenix Bill told me about just illusion?"

"No, that's… some part of me I'm not proud of."

She was back to how she looked last night yet in the daylight she looked smaller. I was trying to figure how she could make sense and then it occurred to me that Bill probably had not told me everything about her, sparing me some details that might actually be important. A thin smile crossed her lips. "Sorry to be so erratic I'm actually still very tired. Eric was right I did wake up early."

"What was wrong on the phone?"

"I didn't want to touch it anymore. It didn't feel right."

I thought a second taking for granted that I used a phone everyday. She smiled though. "It was good to hear Eric."

I looked at her. Was Eric everyone's playboy? I blushed and really I had no right I've been down that road before. I couldn't help but know. I was curious about this very curious girl. "You and Eric…?"

She looked puzzled for a moment then it seemed to sink in what I was inferring. "Oh! No! No, no. Hearing Eric was nice because it was Eric. Not Eric's too many to count's grandson that through luck and genetics sounded just like him. Eric is over 1100 years old." I nodded in agreement that sounded right. "This will be the second time seeing him on waking. My, relationship with the vampires was still not very good the time before."

"When was the last time you were awake, I mean before the 1600s?"

"It was 956 to 1188." She looked thoughtful. "I might have met him then too towards then end but he was not one of the ones I was directly having talks with. He would have been a young vampire then."

She looked around and smiled again. It was warm and reassuring. "My children have it so easy. It always looks so alien every time I wake up."

"The vampires are your children?"

She laughed and not her normal warm laugh but one that sounded like the question was verging of stupidly obvious. She walked outside and motioned around. "They all are my children."

I wanted to ask her more but she vanished. The rest of my day was a blur but life seemed back to normal. I had an early shift today and tried my best to keep myself busy and pass the time. Aurora's little disappearing act annoyed me. Vampires at least fade into the darkness, she was just gone like the air swallowed her up.

My shift ended and I hurried home in the early darkness. I thought this first in passing but then realized that it did get dark really early tonight. I pulled into the drive and saw my lights were on. I walked in to see Eric was already at my house and Aurora was having a silent conversation with him. Part of me was a bit disappointed wanting to see the great sheriff of area 5 bow to her but then he might not have since she mentioned meeting Eric before. Aurora shot up and looked very displeased. Just as quickly Eric had grabbed her and had her pulled right up to his chest and I could tell he was squeezing. Eric eyed me that I could only take for me to keep quiet. In my own house! Well Sam's house. He quietly spoke by her ear. All I could tell was it wasn't in English. It must have done the trick because all the fight left Aurora and she sank now only supported by the tight grip Eric had on her. She looked like she fainted. "What happened?"

I was more than slightly concerned that this house would be the scene of a barbecue. Eric smiled. "Sookie, would you humor her as not being a morning person?"

"What's going on?"

"She's having trouble right now. I think she's confused. Normally she adjusts much faster but since she fell dormant humanity has done a lot of changes. All these synthetic surroundings disorientate her. Might be easier to understand if you think all life, or once alive is physically connected by something we can't sense but she does. So now she doesn't see like she once did."

"What was she angry with you about?"

"It was just a little tantrum." He smiled mischievously. "You have to catch them early." Okay, something is up and Eric is covering.

"Bill was bowing and attempting to force co-operation the whole time. Are you scared of her?"

Eric lowered Aurora to the couch. He brushed away a wisp of her fiery hair from her face. "Perhaps because I have known her as long as I have I understand her a bit better. Sookie, you are looking at an eternal being, an elemental. I'm not sure if she's the only one or a creation of god or what and she doesn't know either. She only knows that she doesn't sense any more of her kind. She is an alpha and omega she knows that much. She creates life and with that pesky little phoenix she changes to she does a really good job taking it away." He smiled remembering something. "She is such a silly creature denying her other half to the point of finding it sickening. I'm not sure how long she lives but when I think about it in terms of how she lives she might really only be still a child."

"What did you tell her to knock her out?"

"Just some magic words."

I was shocked. "You glamoured her?"

"I did no such thing. I can't do anything like that to her. I'm also not in a position that I can really help her with what she really wants. I agree entering a vampire nest would be a bad idea. We are greedy and with what everyone knows she is it would not be good. She got frustrated then said she sided with me and I should just bite her and get it over with."

"So what did you do to her?"

"Perhaps it is something like a short circuit? I just overloaded her. She's connected to everyone at all times and I think that is the reason she sleeps for about 500 years at a time. This time though she woke up early. I'm finding that troubling."

"So are you two friends?"

He thought on it a moment. "I've thought on that before. Perhaps vampires were created for that reason so she wouldn't be so lonely. She is very quick to forgive after all."

I smiled thinking to myself how quickly she did change. "She's like a squirrel." I commented thinking about her shape shift.

Eric looked from Aurora to me. "Squirrel? What made you think that?"

"When she was sleeping she was in the form of a squirrel."

Eric smiled an odd little smile. "I need to go. She'll probably sleep until tomorrow. When she wakes up she'll probably be more herself than shape influenced."

"Eric you're not going to leave me with her. She's dangerous!"

Eric was already leaving. "Just keep her out of big cities and you should be fine."

The door swung shut and Eric was gone. I leaned against the door looking at what was probably the latest in reasons for me to get beat up or shot over. She looked like a child when she slept. Innocent and peaceful but then I thought of her dual nature the killing, burning, and destroying part of her. A surge of panic rose in my throat. I called Bill.

Bill saw my guest and hissed. "Sookie, you're probably safer with her than anything else out there." He glanced back at Aurora. "She's very tempting in that state so I shouldn't be here."

"Bill, are you saying you would bite her without her permission?"

"You're asking me to be good in front of the greatest 'forbidden fruit' of the vampire world."

"What am I supposed to do with her?"

"Hope she likes you? Aurora is as old as time she'll be fine it left on her own. I'm sure she'll adapt quickly."

"Bill please, just stay I'd feel safer having someone else here. What if she goes berserk?"

"If she really gives in to her dark nature then I don't think there will be enough of us left to care."

Bill waited until I was asleep before he snuck out. I woke up and Aurora was gone. Do I panic? Should I search for her? She was a lost child and at the same time well over old enough to take care of herself. It was daylight so the vampire threat wouldn't be there. I committed myself to look for her. Not because I wanted to please Eric but because I feared what she really might be capable of. I got dressed and stepped outside into the warm sunny day. I wondered if this was Aurora's doing or just another nice day like every nice day before I knew about Aurora. I was clicking the dead bolt into place when I heard a voice happy and chirping like a bird. "Good morning Sookie. You seem to like your sleep."

Aurora was in the front yard looking around at everything around her. She was sitting in the grass wearing what looked like a light green cotton sun dress. It wasn't mine and she kept no baggage so I had to assume that she could look as she willed. She was yet again another person. Her expression was warm and caring yet she conveyed a peaceful calm. Was this what glamouring was like? Her smile was infectious and I wanted to sit next to her and share everything about me. Her expression still warm but her smile faded a bit. "Sookie? I worried you. I'm sorry. You were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you with how late you were up."

I almost asked but then I remembered being told how completely connected she was. "Can you read minds too?"

"You want me to say no. You want to think the vampire mind is closed to everyone. Even this grass I'm sitting on while it doesn't have thoughts, at least nothing like how people view them, it does have a will to live. It wonders as I sit on it if the sun will ever return, will it die?"

"How do you control it? How do you keep it all sorted?"

"I guess for me that is my air or my food. I wouldn't survive turning it off." She looked inquisitively at me. "So, may I join you today or shall I head off on my own?"

Did she pick up that today was my shopping day? I didn't want to believe that she was somehow a brainwave super computer. A robin lighted on her hand and she cooed and petted him as someone would a pet parakeet. It occurred to me that Mother Nature was sitting in my front yard. "Can you handle a trip to Wal-Mart?"

"I would like that. I think I might see more… changes that way."

I grabbed my keys and opened the door to the car for her. She examined the car. I almost spoke but decided that she was probably reading my thoughts for her answers anyways. She touched the vinyl on the seat with distaste and finally decided to sit. Aurora looked entirely uncomfortable in the car. She almost looked a little on the panicked side by the time we reached our destination. I've never seen someone exit a car as fast as she did. I felt a little embarrassed to be around her acting in that manner and she seemed to focus in on that. The entire shopping trip she stayed close to me. Silent as a mouse to everyone else but aflutter of questions beamed into my thoughts. She was a transmitter by choice and a painfully very clear one. Her questions would put right through whatever thought I was trying to form. My thoughts were now forming in this pattern, "For dinner tonight Sookie what is that over there."

It was a bit maddening but at the same time anything I thought back seemed enough explanation and but the end of the shopping trip I was sure I had missed something but I knew I had enough for now. I went back to the car with her. Aurora looked at the car as if she was sizing it up for a fight. She smiled at me beaming. Her perfect white teeth (do all supernaturals have perfect teeth?) shimmering, I knew she was up to something. "I'll see you at home."

With that she was gone like she dissolved into the air itself. The drive home was uneventful and I pulled into the driveway dusk starting to settle. I got out of the car and was grabbed from behind. My attacker was strong and from the red glow of their mind I knew it was a shifter of some sort. I struggled a little then felt the prick of a knife held to my side. It was right where I was staked before and it was still tender. Aurora stepped out from around the house. She was very deliberate in her motions and she was holding her arm. Her eyes were no longer that winter ice blue but slowly changing to a deep green. "You will not hurt her."

I wanted to struggle. Aurora's appearance had stressed him more and the presence of the knife was now a definite. If I started bleeding then what? Would Aurora go green and run? If she did I'd be all alone. They ignored Aurora perhaps thinking her not a threat. "What are you keeping for the vampires?"

"You can NOT hurt her."

The shifter tossed me to the ground and went at Aurora. I saw then that the knife no longer had a blade metal had changed to liquid and was dripping from the now vacant hilt. She stepped aside and the ground itself seemed to grab the attacker. Aurora was smiling like a child again. I was struggling to catch my breath when I heard Eric behind me. "Both of you have a natural talent for trouble."

As Eric spoke Aurora darted up and hugged him placing a light kiss on his cheek. It was still hard to see someone that had no respect for Eric's position or the inherent danger of him being a vampire. Or was that her custom? I remembered seeing movies placed in days of old with a similar greeting. It was hard to gauge if Eric liked her attention. He looked down at her. "Aurora, public displays of affection are no longer proper."

She released him and stepped back. I let myself think she was like a scolded puppy. I noticed her eyes were back to that ice blue. Eric also stiffened his posture when she jumped back. Aurora's arm was bleeding and while she seemed to have forgotten about it this did not get past Eric. "He's looking for me but he didn't know it was me he was after. He thought I was a vampire." She laughed. "Perhaps in an off way he's right."

"Why is a shifter after you?"

Aurora walked up and sat next to the man still pinned under the earth. I was anxious that she was so close to danger. She seemed to be bleeding pretty badly but she didn't seem notice yet as blue blood wept from it. The darkness made it look more normal, darker, like I could almost brush it away as thick dark red blood. "Why are you looking for me? The mortal world has no need to know of me. I exist as I always have."

The shifter struggled under the grasp on the ground. I could see now roots tangling around him tightening the grasp of him. "The Fellowship wants all your kind to greet the sun. What is important to the vampires needs to be destroyed."

"Eric, cutie, please find someplace light tight in a hurry if you would." Aurora's expression had changed. Every nerve told me to back up. I looked for Eric and he was gone. Aurora seemed to feel it was safe to proceed. "I don't think that necessary at all. You see the sun and I are rather close." Danger seemed to roll from her in waves. Those waves were replaced with fire. It rolled from her bright and hot yet nothing around her burned. The grip on him released and the shifter ran. Aurora returned to normal and Eric returned.

"What's this cutie stuff?"

"Would you prefer them to know your standing? I assume you've been promoted since last time I was wandering." She staggered trying to keep standing. She was now looking at her shredded arm. "Oh. Shit." She looked up at Eric and weakly smiled. "I think I might have overdone it a bit too soon."

Something was wrong beyond what I could reason. Last time I had seen her Aurora was energetic, light, and graceful. In the course of 30 minutes she was now sluggish, weak, and bleeding. Her wound from what I could see didn't look like it called for that much blood loss. I tried to account for what all had just happened. She was injured, angry, hunted. Then things started happening for her. If she could change the blade why did she get stabbed? If the earth moved to her aide why did it not block the attacker or thrown off his footing? She reached for me with her good arm as she started to crumple like she was made of cloth. Where were Eric's manners? He could have caught her kept her from falling to the ground in a heap. I took her hand. "Sookie, you are very sweet and don't let anyone change that. But, what you need to understand is that I don't matter."

Her eyes were drifting closed and her breathing was pained and irregular. "How can you say that you don't matter? You just might have saved my life!"

I squeezed her hand and it felt like she bones shattered at my grip. Her hand lost its strength. "Sookie, I don't matter. I could never wish harm on the living to protect myself. All I did was urge for your safety from what would listen around us." She laughed and it sounded forced. "Eric, if you ever wanted that taste now would be the time. This form is exhausted and I won't be able to keep it much longer."

Eric seemed to unfreeze with Aurora's words. He collected her off the ground. She winced in pain. Eric seemed to take a second to compose himself and enjoy this once in a lifetime treat. Fairy blood was the ultimate treat to a vampire. Aurora's blood sounded like the ultimate feast. She hissed a little when her bad arm was moved. Eric kissed her neck first as if marking his spot. I saw his fangs slip out just as Aurora dissolved.

It reminded me of how Claudine had described fairy dust but it was more like watching a shower of sparks dropping off a sparkler only so many more of them than I would have thought possible. There was no pile of it on the ground she just dissolved completely away. With as childish as she seemed around Eric I could almost guess there was a "just kidding" projected at the last minute. It wasn't my business and Eric looked a little down. I decided the entire scene was way too quiet and it was almost shocking to see Eric this way. He looked down at me now. He had calmed himself from seeking blood and looked almost human. A spark of delight crossed his face when he saw a trace of blood on his hand. "I figured she wasn't going to let me bite her."

I was shocked. Aurora had just died in his arms. She at least meant something to vampires and here Eric was smile across his face making light of it. My face was conveying my emotions well. "She's not dead if that's what you're thinking. Remember, she's a phoenix. I wouldn't be surprised if she pulled herself back together by the end of the week."

Eric was right, of course. My farm house was cleared for occupancy so I moved back home. I was just about to figure my life would be returning to normal. Well, as normal as like gets for a telepathic barmaid that associates with the undead, weres, and shifters. There was a knock at my door and with that Aurora was back in my life. I opened the door forgetting the peep hole to see her standing there as if nothing had happened. She was wearing a pink sundress and no shoes yet her feet looked as clean as if she just hoped out of the shower. Her hair was free today and in the light breeze it looked like it was burning (perhaps the scorched sun set sky helped?). The gentle waves of reds and orange cascaded down to a dangerous length. Did she every sit on her hair? The only jewelry she wore was a small pendant on a long silver chain. My mind flashed back to when she "died" earlier in the week. Did she have her chain on then and Eric ignored it or did it fall under that illusion? I realized just looking at her the more I tried to figure her out the more she was a contradiction. She died but could never die. Her form was an illusion but at the same time she was bound by it. She was dangerous yet the safest person to be around, as long as I had her attention. Vampires feared her yet she's like a child around Eric and defiantly did not get along well with Bill. I then thought of the argument she had with Eric that he shut her down after. My thoughts were swirling and becoming a blur. "Sookie?"

I snapped back to reality. Aurora's face was just inches from mine. Her icy blue eyes concerned. I instinctively backed up. "I was surprised that you look the same."

She smiled and did a little twirl. Her pink dress frilled out around her I thought somewhat like a carnation. "All new materials, so to speak. It helps that there is so much magic around here. Actually, I'm still surprised I didn't just go dormant again. I am very sleepy still."

She stretched and I smiled thinking how tiny she still was. She'd be pushing it if she was five feet tall. I invited her in and she twirled around and inspected my new home. It wasn't the way a vampire would. A vampire enters a house they are always analyzing where are the exits and every detail of the house so never to be trapped. This was much softer and kinder the house seemed was and inviting suddenly. "Sookie I love your house! So much better than the other place this one has essence."

I sat on my couch and waited for her to settle. Like fall leaves in the wind she came to settle on the floor. She was cross legged and her sun dress seemed to know just how to fluff out around her to keep her modest. "I've been meaning to ask this, is your sleep schedule that regulated?"

"Oh, you mean when I turn off and let the world be the world?" I nodded and she thought a moment about it. "It does vary. I mean not a lot when you consider how long time spans. Generally though I'm awake about two centuries and then sleep the following five. So, being awake now after only about one hundred fifty is like waking up and hour after you've gone to bed. I guess it is just like you. The following day is really rough and you feel groggy and out of it. It is hard to focus and be yourself."

"Why did you wake up?"

"I think this time I shall sleep in a sequoia. People seem to respect them. I was sleeping my dreamless peaceful sleep and then it was like not being able to breathe. The soil around me screamed out tainted with some toxin I've never seen before. I had to move." She looked down at her hands in her lap. "Being connected as I am I might be a little selfish." She was trying to find words. Once in a while when she spoke I had the silly idea that she doesn't know a word herself. Her accent changed around people as did her word choices. "I was, am, weak so I wanted to find something familiar."

Her voice cracked and her eyes danced with life. "Sookie, I wasn't asleep that long and so much changed. People have always mistreated each other and there has been injustice and groupings and… but now it seems like people have forgotten about life. So, in all the noise and all the clutter I tried to find Eric. It took a while to find him with so much competition for my attention. I almost feared the worst. I found him but where he lives is not a place I can go. So I came close and followed the threads until they fanned out to a single vampire in a low population area."

"So you were at Merlotte's to talk to Bill in order to talk to Eric?"

"Was that a bad logic?"

She probably hit the nail on the head for how she wanted to get to Eric. "No, it worked. Why did you wait for Bill so long if you invited him?"

She played with her hands in her lap. After a second she folded them firmly and looked up. "I had to set the stage. If I went it right before meeting with Bill the bar would have been full. What if Bill acted like those vamps so long ago? I would feel really bad taking the whole town with me. Not that I meant that hurting a few would be perfectly alright just…"

"Your presence kept everyone out of the bar?"

"And those that came in were hurried along. I can read minds remember. A general tone to the environment works wonders but those little voices that tell you that you are needed elsewhere seal the deal. Anyways, Bill did show on time and you know a bit of the story from this point."

She smiled at me, a strange knowing smile. "Spill it."

"You can't read vamp minds can you?" She paused for me to react and solemnly knowing her answer she continued. "He's wronged you and he's hurting from that looking for an answer that I really doubt he'll find. Every bit of him though believes he's in love with you. I think that was my trigger to start pulling from that darkness under the surface for my dealings with Bill. He doesn't know if I'm scary as his history tells him but he knows I am who I say I am."

"What did you and Eric argue about?"

"It was about…," she looked at my eyes intense searching, "its not there."

"What's not there?"

"I can't find the right words."

Eric you evil vampire you spoke to her in that other language on purpose so I couldn't pry. She smiled again. "Eric knows I'm an open book."

I sighed. She held the knowledge of the universe in her yet had no way to communicate it beyond the people she was around (I guess planting her in front of the television would grant her little). Being around someone as old as Eric or even Godric would have been bliss for her (he was flawed but she wasn't to his taste so to say), other than the threat of being a meal ticket. I would imagine living so long they knew so many words and expression she would have an open pallet to choose from as she desired. For now she was stuck with me. "Sookie, I think betrayal might be a close word but it isn't the right one. Bill betrayed you?" She said that as if trying out the thought to see if it felt right. "I read something like that off Bill and I wanted to talk with Eric about it because… because I tend to want to make everyone happy at least as long as I can. I think it upset Eric though."

I ruffled her hair. "Bill did betray me and right now we're in a rough patch. I don't think that is really much of Eric's business."

He hair was even strange but not in a bad way. It felt like I was tossing about thin threads of silk lighter and softer than imaginable. It stayed fluffed up and Aurora made no motion to fix it. "Sookie? Can you make that thing work again," she pointed to my phone, "and get Eric to come?"

I was starting to think something mean but she fished it out and pulled it out before it completely formed. Was this how I came across to others? "I'm glad Bill could learn computers but as far as I'm concerned holding that thing is the vampire equivalent to holding a brick of silver." It was kind of disorientating.

I punched in the numbers and asked for Eric. As the phone was moved about the bar I wanted to know for sure. "Why do you hate plastic so much? I know it's not alive but neither is metal and you seem fine with that."

The phone came back to life. "Sookie, this is a pleasure call I hope?"

"No, my house guest is back and she wants to talk with you."

He groaned. "I can come later tonight. Can you handle her for a while or send her to Bill?"

I got defensive hearing Bill's name. "I have to leave for work in a few minutes and she seems to have a thing against him."

"Is she in "dark" mode?"

I glanced at her. "Dark as a sunny day in Arizona. I think I know why she hates phones so much."

"What new mystery have you solved in that little puzzle box?"

"I don't think she has a language. I think she has to pick the words out of your head in order to understand them."

"Pretty good Sookie. As for leaving her I'm sure she can manage, she always has. She'll probably be quieter that way."

He hung up. Aurora was looking up at me expectantly from the floor. Ok, I just have to be gentle but firm. She's like a puppy. A five foot tall puppy that at any time could have a change of heart and go on a killing spree, but still a puppy. "I'm not that flippant you know. I can entertain myself." A puppy that reads my every thought.

My shift was the late one tonight and it went by so slowly. I was probably just anxious to get home and see if it was still there of a cinder in Aurora's wake. I was glad to see it. I was not sure if I was going to stay happy. Aurora was in the gravel drive under the security lights fighting with my vampire next door. At least it looked like a fight. Aurora looked very passionate in how she moved but that could also have been amplified by the lack of response from the undead. I parked and went to see what it was this time. I think those two were just made to not get along. Bill took a step towards me and in a flash Aurora was between us. There was danger in her voice now. Something inside me told me this was still the "light" persona just a very pissed off version of it. "You have no right."

He pushed her away. Another reminder of how immortal as Aurora was she was not a vampire. She went sliding across the gravel. "Bill! That was uncalled for. Go home."

I moved to check on Aurora but she was already getting attention from Eric. Pam was also with him tonight. I noticed she looked slightly disapproving of Aurora who had curled to try to avoid as much damage from the push as possible. I don't think I'll ever understand Eric's true thoughts but his demeanor when in Aurora's company was more like a big brother than anything else. "What do you mean you want to go to New Orleans? Are you trying to repeat history?"

"No, I want to talk to Sophie. Besides, Sookie has a three day weekend starting now."

She defiantly one upped me on the telepathy. "Is that true Sook?"

"No, I'm not going to give up my weekend."

We left from Fangtasa a few hours later. Eric had done that little shut down trick to her again and they were both tucked into his coffin. I swore up and down to him that if he was unbecoming to her in there I'd steak him. The sun was rising and I was following the courier truck that was transporting them to New Orleans. Eric had booked the hotel in a hurry but everything seemed to fall into place except they only had one room. I was worried that four bodies in one room would feel tight but the room was actually very large. Fitting Eric would book the vampire penthouse suite. I hadn't finished surveying the room when I heard noise from Eric's coffin. Aurora was waking up. She woke fast and she started trying to thrash about in that tiny space. I can't imagine she had room to breathe let alone move with how big Eric was. "Aurora, calm down. You're ok." I really had no idea. Eric might have taken a little nip before he died for the day. "We shouldn't let you out right now. It is still daylight and Eric is in there with you."

She stopped moving. I felt relieved that Eric's plan had not backfired, yet. I had to admire how strong she could be when she needed to be. She had shifted the coffin almost a foot with her little panic. I tried to figure how much weight she had just bucked in that limited space with no footing. I roughly guessed that box and contents would be about 500 pounds. I'm not sure how well she heard me through the box. "The sun will be down in about an hour."

"Sookie?" He voice was small and very muffled. "I'm alright I can manage."

"Can I go out and get some food or do you want me to stay?"

"Go eat. Eric's protecting me." Even muffled and small as it was her voice chimed with happiness like her big brother was going to beat up all the bullies. Bigger yes, older no. There was a restaurant at the end of the block and I ordered something off the value menu and figured I'd regret it later. I was in New Orleans and eating fast food what was wrong with me? The sun was gone by the time I reached the room. Pam was up and about and was in my old seat eyes on the coffin. "Shall we wake them?"

"Wouldn't that be rude?"

Pam didn't reply. She acted. I almost wanted to turn away not trusting Eric to be a gentleman given the chance. Eric was plastered against the side of the coffin lying on his side giving Aurora as much space as possible. Aurora was facing him sleeping again with her face pressed to his chest (she looked so small against him). Eric was slowly moving his hand from her shoulder blades to her lower back combing through her hair. He was quietly talking or singing in one of his many dead languages. She had been crying. Pam reached in and swept the tear away and placed the finger in her mouth. Eric slid out of his coffin without disturbing her. "I've been thinking of how to get her in. I think she could pass as a vampire as long as no one asked her too many questions. She knows too much to be a young vampire but she's too weak to be an old one is the main problem."

"She has a heartbeat too."

"She might be able to pass with it as it is. Her body is still trying to be dormant. I was counting it. She's down to about a beat every 2 minutes."

"She looks like one of you to me. I actually mistook her for one of great importance before when Bill was doing the bowing dance to her. Is it the same in vampire eyes?"

"Her dark persona defiantly could pass. I'm not sure if she can get the characteristics right."

"You mean the fangs?"

"Something like that. If I had to guess, I'd say that changing into a vampire for her would make about as much sense to her being as changing into a dead tree."

"Won't someone notice her accent changes depending on who she's glancing off of?"

"I think the bigger issue would be if she read off of someone something that didn't agree with the history we give her. I think she knows the risks though. Time is wasting I think we should wake her soon."

I looked down at Eric's coffin. I couldn't shake how much she did look dead right now. Her breathing was slowed as well and she looked at peace. She was pale as a hungry vampire. I touched her shoulder and her skin also had that smooth coldness to it. She slowly woke and looked groggy. I smiled thinking for a moment of the other shifters in my life. When they fell asleep they returned to their original form and never did they have clothing. Aurora was still in her pink ruffled sundress. I wondered if she would be embarrassed by waking stark naked but I don't think it would have fazed her. The realization that she wasn't human to begin with took its hold and I wondered what her true form really was. "Sookie? It's so dark you should go back to bed."

She flopped over onto her stomach completely unaffected by the fact she was in a coffin. Eric was grinning. He knew something. "This is going to be the real problem. In darkness Aurora seems almost like she's running on batteries and she didn't charge today."

Aurora rolled back over lazily and quickly pulled out of her sleep. I helped her up and she brushed her dress as if sweeping away wrinkles. Eric was looking serious now. "Aurora." His voice was commanding and she snapped her attention to him. Again I could only think protecting big brother and adoring little sister. Her icy eyes sparkled in the low light. "Can you change your form from human to vampire?"

Her expression was blank as if she was searching inside herself for some locked room. "Yes, but no. I have take on the traits," she placed a finger to one of her perfectly white perfectly human looking canine teeth, "but I'll be as much a vampire as I am human now."

I couldn't help feeling like whatever this plan was it was a sinking ship. Eric looked to me. "You should dress up for this."

I headed to the small bathroom to start getting ready. I kept the door open when I finished showering curious how a phoenix took a role. I could just make out her voice. The conversation any other time would have been strange or at least improbable. I peeked out and Aurora was standing in front of Pam and was watching examining her fangs. She kept apologizing for her unfamiliarity of what made a vampire. Pam let out a little hiss. Aurora must have done something not vampire friendly. "I'm sorry Pam. Vampires were a gift. I've never been one to take apart a gift before."

Gift? I decided that Aurora might be confused in her terms again. I popped out ready to go. My hair was swept up and pinned close. I was wearing a dark blue dress suit and matching heels. Aurora looked the same but something new was there under the surface and I could feel it moving and I realized that I was actually a little afraid of her now. Her expression was very cool and her eyes no longer sparkled with life but they were still amazing. The sparkle was replaced with a deepness, an intensity. She was still smiling but no longer the goofy smile but a calm simple one. Her hair was swept to cover her forehead and had been gathered on the left side in a braid accented bunch. I realized it was to cover her birthmark. She was now dressed very nicely. Her dress was mostly black and knee length. She was wearing a pair of black tall strappy heels that would have killed me trying them on let alone trying to move in them. The lower part of the dress was slit all the way up to the waist exposing that the dress was actually layered and the bottom layer was a deep red that matched her lipstick. The top half of the dress was fashioned similar to a corset. The deep red laced up the back of the dress. I would have expected the laces to end in a bow from her style only a little bit ago but they were twisted together and wrapped once around her waist. The material of the laces looked soft and fragile and hid the line between the top and bottom of the dress perfectly. The remainder of the lace hung down to her side and attached to the end was a red orb a little over an inch in diameter. Eric was behind me. "She mimicked Pam. We figured Pam's demeanor was a good vampire imprint."

"Doesn't that mean her personality as a human is a copy of someone else?"

Aurora walked up to me now nearly my height due to the break neck heels. Her movements had the same silent stealth of a vampire. "I'm always at the core the same."

She still smelled like wildflowers and even though her voice was now cool and smooth with little emotion I felt warmness from it. Pam scoffed, "Watch our Eric, another vampire is after dear little Sookie." Aurora smiled still that supper white perfect smile only now perfect little fangs slid into place.

Eric chided her. "Aurora, keep calm and focused. Your heart starts fluttering around like a butterfly they are going to know you're not a vampire."

She jumped at the scolding then did the little vampire head bow thing and returned to Pam's side. When she jumped I learned that her little decoration had a bell in it but it didn't sound like any bell I had heard before.

We were ready to go and we left Blood in the Quarter with only about and hour of night wasted. Aurora looked around to make sure only our little group was around. "Eric agreed if the show required it I'd bite you. Don't worry, I'll put on a good show."

"They'll know it isn't real."

She smiled and her fangs showed a little. "You don't trust my illusions yet?"

I suddenly wanted to be home and was realizing how dangerous and stupid this venture really was. The security in the palace was top notch as one would expect. We walked in with no problems and no one stopped our new vampire. The nearest thing was Eric getting stopped and asked about his newest member of the family. Apparently we were playing Eric as a vampire Dad. Pam was being a good sport about all of this. Eric must have played the power of his position because it seemed like we were expected. We sat in a lobby like room waiting to be seen. When our party was asked about the human in our company Eric would just make some comment about how Aurora was still a new vampire and it was good to have someone there in an emergency. Sitting next to Aurora was almost intoxicating. I loved that flower smell and I wondered if my attraction was somehow related to her being more vampire now. I thought she was doing that vampire down time thing but I realized that she was far from dormant. She was watching and tracking everyone. "Behind," she said low enough I almost missed it. A vampire named Andre a few seconds later appeared behind us announcing that Sophie-Ann was ready to see us.

We entered what seemed like an oversized office. Andre stood behind a desk and was watching up like bugs in a jar. I didn't like him. He smiled and I wasn't about to trust it. "Eric where did you discover such a curious girl? I'm a bit jealous I didn't get the chance to turn her first."

Apparently talked about others that are still in the room is a vampire tradition. They went on with vampire pleasantries and I could tell it was all a thin veil. I heard Aurora in my head telling me Andre was getting tired and about to snap to the chase. I was drowning in obscured politics when Aurora poked into my head again. He knows Eric is not my maker this might go bad. Sophie-Ann couldn't find me in the registry.

Did you tell Eric?

Yes, and Pam.

What do we do now?

Pray. Pray she gives me the chance to blow us all out of here nice and safe.

I could feel Aurora leave me to my own thoughts. I smiled in my own mind. A true immortal, the alpha and omega she had been called by Eric was telling me to pray. I'd have to remember that at church next Sunday, if I had a next Sunday.

"Cut to the chase Eric. Either you've been entirely irresponsible in registering this girl or there is another story."

I could tell from a flash across Eric's face Aurora just gave him a mental smack down as she stood up and did the head bow again. Aurora had all her pleasantries down as she spoke to Andre. I wondered if she was also using her talent on Andre and bending him to listening. Andre motioned for Aurora to follow him and they went into a back area of the office. Andre waited at the door as Aurora passed him in the doorway eyeing him with caution. She was leaving us with Andre. There was one last broadcast for our group's mind before the door shut, "This may go black."

Eric moved to be closer to me in case of the worst. I noticed though that Aurora was still broadcasting and we all heard the conversation. Aurora was again a pleasant and passive underling vampire. Holding to the chance that maybe the veil would hold long enough for Aurora to gain what she was after. Sophie-Ann cut right to the chase. "Who was your maker and what is Eric up to?"

Aurora snorted. Apparently all pleasantries and passive natures were a thing of the last. She was defiantly pulling from her darker self. "Eric is here by my wish. Should I sense any retaliation on him for this you can prepare for the worst. As for my maker, I'm independent."

There was a pause Sophie-Ann was not used to being talked to in this manner let alone by a nameless just born punk of a vampire. "You think you can threaten me? Do you really think a newborn vampire can come in here and tell me ehat I can or can not do?"

There was something like a static. I think Aurora lifted her hair from her face. "I think I have that right."

The feeling of the room changed. Aurora was letting us know everything in her way. "Perhaps this meeting has been proceeding in the wrong direction." Anger to caution would be how I'd gauge it.

"Perhaps we could give another go at this?" Aurora's voice was like the purr of a dangerous cat.

"Why has a wraith of the old world decided to be at my door step?"

Aurora laughed and it was not the light chiming laugh I had enjoyed in my living room. This was cold and dark. I was starting to feel like I was drowning in the toxic nature of her new demeanor. "That's the flaw Meffy put in vampires. Although perhaps it is just you only ever seem to see my dark side the familiar side. That being said it isn't what I'm here. I'm here because …" Static and lots of it. Aurora was not going to let us in on her affairs. I wondered if I could trust her being in one of her moods. I was also slightly glad I was cut off. It was a little break from the thickness she poured over my mind. I noticed Andre was at the door to the inner office but dared not open it. This was probably good for us but bad for Aurora. The static cleared and Aurora was talking or still talking, "I don't think I'm asking much for what you stand to gain."

"No, I can uphold my end within reason."

I looked at Pam and Eric. Pam was calm as ever but Eric was looking livid. I suspected he got the whole conversation where I got the edited for mortal ears version. Aurora was talking again, "Then it is agreed, my token request for a vial of life. I will warn you, the consequences for breaking my trust will make that bright night of so long ago seem like a candle's heat, night into day, end of the world, all that kind of stuff if you get my drift. Breaking a few of Meffy's toys after how many of mine he stole would not hurt my feelings much."

Who was this "Meffy"? I could tell by the inflections of her voice that was obviously a pet name but it sounds like they also wronged her in the past. Sophie-Ann cracked open the door and motioned for Eric and Andre to enter. I could now hear Eric in my head. "Are you sure you want to be partial in this?"

Aurora's voice as still steel but somehow what she projected now was that warmth again. "One vial and it all gets a little better. One vial that once used is gone and will only last a short time. I think so."

I heard the bell. She had kept is utterly silent all night but now it was clearly ringing. There was a click and it stopped. "Eric, would you do the honors?"

The bell dropped, I could hear its heavy ring as gravity pulled it to the end of the cord. "Try to relax Aurora I know this is going to hurt."

"Eric first, hate to get turned to a cinder if I !" My mind was full of noise and red. Whatever was going on in there it was traumatic enough to disrupt Aurora. It felt like an eternity for Eric and Aurora to leave the office. We were leaving Aurora's face said that much and she grabbed my arm never slowing. We were being followed as we left the great building but that all changed in a heartbeat. There was a loud cracking sound and I turned back to see a sink hole was swallowing the east corner of the house. I didn't think New Orleans was prone to them.

We were safely back at the hotel. Things didn't seem to go quite as bad on Aurora's adventures as they did on purely vampire ones. I might have been jumping the gun on that. Aurora looked me in the eyes, "Do you want to know about Meffy or would you rather stay in the dark?"

Praying I would never become a vampire myself, this would be the only time I would see Aurora. Knowing how often she made appearances I should count myself lucky or very unlucky. "Yes I do."

She smiled, "It is a long story for another night in a familiar place".

With only that she closed all discussion on it curled up on one of the beds falling into her version of a deathlike sleep almost instantly. I noticed there was a small wound by her neck that looked like it was cauterized. "Eric what did you do to her in there?"

"She gave a little of her life then she closed the wound."

He said it so matter of fact and I sensed after such a stressful night I probably shouldn't ask too many questions. Especially questions I probably didn't want answers to.

We traveled with the couriers in the morning and by nightfall we were back at my family farm house. I knew Eric and Pam would be by later. Aurora passed out on the couch almost as soon as I invited her in. This must be her slowing down.

Eric and Pam arrived in record time. I wondered if Aurora was going to wake up for this or not. He knelt on the floor with his face dangerously close to Aurora's. I wondered a second what he was up to. To my surprise he brushed a stray hair from her face then placed a very gentle kiss on her birthmark. I wanted to scold Eric when I saw his fangs were out over that little kiss but I was also happy he was fine after Bill's story of what happened to the last vampire that was touching that strange mark. Aurora's eyes peeled open like Eric had bit her. He smiled about as innocent of a smile as he could muster with his fangs still hanging out. She was funny to watch just because I had no idea what she would do next. She reached her hand up to Eric's cheek. Her eyes were soft and warm as she did this. It wouldn't have been my first choice since her wrist was now in easy biting range. She then ran a finger across towards his mouth. Lightly her finger was resting on a fang now. "Away." It was almost shocking in that Eric did as she requested and without any other reaction. Aurora sat up and she looked like she was getting ready for story time.

Pam joined Eric and sat close interested in more of Aurora's story. Apparently she was still mysterious to the vampires. I would have figured in the many years "big brother" Eric knew little Aurora she would have said something of her origins. Her open book mentality was obviously only reserved for the information dealing with the here and now. "There was once more of my… kind. While the so called supernatural creatures of this world were not of my of my making they have a warm familiarity. We were somewhat like the werewolves. Some of us had great talents while others could only grasp at a power when the conditions were perfect. Even in a time when we were so numerous I was still the odd ball. I was the gifted child and the prodigy. I was a master at calling upon all of the elements where normally to be considered a master at just one would have been a type of greatness. My mastery of fire though was what really scared them. To my kind fire was a frightful thing indeed. It was very fatal and not something we generally recovered from."

The thought of her people being made of cotton balls danced through my head. I wondered if Aurora had somewhat influenced that. Eric took advantage of her pause. "They were afraid of you."

Aurora placed her hand in front of her palm up and perfectly level. A small flame was dancing across it. She closed her hand and it extinguished. "They had good reason to fear. Sorry to be general Sookie but, they were just like humans. Like I said each elemental normally had one greatness but the cost of that was a vulnerability to another. Fire was the trump all card. I didn't have this cripple in my abilities."

I knew she didn't mean anything against me by it her expression pained as the words passed her lips. "There was one other talent I had and that was my gift of life. I could create it while the others were limited to just being able to nurture it. For that I should have been back in the good graces of the fold. It was not to be. Meffy was the only one who spoke to me, the only one who seemed to show any concern. For a time I thought he might have bonded with me."

I thought it odd she didn't talk or love but of a bond. Her kind was not a bunch of romantics it seemed. "What happened?"

Aurora's expression was hard to read. She was remembering a time so long ago. "This was all at what we refer to as the beginning of time. It is called that because none of us remember a time before that. It was like we popped out of the earth like daises and knew everything we needed to know about each other. Well, we thought we did apparently things happened before this. We were powerful and generally happy so there was no reason to put much thought into what was outside of our influence."

I wondered how she could have faith in a greater power when she herself was like a god. "Time passed and new things became part of this blank world. Animals, plants, and one day a creature that had enough intelligence to be fearful of us appeared in the blank world. We decided that we would not be a part of their society. They didn't trust us and we had no gifts that could assure they were safe to handle. Then they found fire and any idea of friendship was over. Fire though had no fear from me and I would sneak in and out learning what I could. I could be gone years and none of my kind would have noticed, by now we were already very old. Meffy noticed. He was also different. We were all pale as death but Meffy was dark as night. His eyes were the most stunning shade of amber and they seemed to glow. He also was secretive. He played off his talent as something insignificant and never would tell anyone what he was gifted with."

"I knew what it was when one day I was particularly down. Something had gone wrong in a village we were influencing and the whole thing was whipped out by a flood when I was away. I was so saddened by this because I knew everyone there and had for a large section of human years. He commented on how my toys were broken and how he'd fix them for me. I didn't know what he meant by that until I went back to the village after seeing activity that night. They were not people anymore at least not how I knew people. They were hungry for something they didn't understand. I kept my distance because I was scared of them now. Perhaps it was because they were no longer alive yet moving about like they were, a mockery of my gift and a pale refection of their original form."

Pam laughed. "Least we now know what you really think of us."

"Give me time Pam first impressions and all. Meffy was so proud of his creations and didn't understand why I was unhappy. In his mind I had my friends back but only now they were better than ever and could live forever like we did. His gift to me did not take long for others to discover. Trouble was brewing and I was going to be the one to pay. I was the one gifted with life and no one knew what Meffy did. It was assumed that I somehow messed up or made mockery of what was provided to us."

Aurora was looking a little panicked. I already knew something bad was going to happen in her story because I already knew somehow her kind went from many to just her. "I'm going to have to go a little light on the details. Meffy defended me would be an understatement. Meffy went into a violent rage and killed everyone in sight would be more the case. In his rage soaking with the blood of our brethren he was crazed to the point of not knowing friend from foe. I was the next one for the chopping block. Meffy was death and he had fallen to his power. I was not about to die even if I somehow felt responsible. I killed Meffy or at least that is what I thought I was doing. Meffy was never one of us he was a part of me. He didn't die, I just became complete. I did not react well and his violent rage was still a fever in me. That day the world burned. I became the phoenix for the first time and I don't think I've burned as brightly as it since. Not everything died but it defiantly left an impression on the world. Humanity had to restart almost from scratch and amazingly some of Meffy's "toys" survived. At this point my relation to them changed. Meffy made them to keep me happy and I was now as much Meffy as myself. I found I could be myself around them because they identified me as an off limits food source and I didn't have to hide. I didn't have to mind how long I lingered because time didn't matter to them either. The world was starting to turn on its own and I had been awake so long it was then time to rest my first long sleep."

"Blood of the creator then?"

Aurora looked puzzled at Pam's half question. Eric seemed also in on it. "Aurora I think your blood is so powerful to us because in a sense you are the original vampire."

"But I don't like blood!"

"No, you take your nips a little more discreetly and from everything around you. Blood is what carries life right?"

I felt a bit out of the conversation however at the same time I felt is was watered down for me and maybe for Aurora as well. Eric got up and mock stretched. "Sookie, you need your rest. Aurora, light is coming soon so we do need to go."

"Wait." Aurora's voice squeaked. She sounded desperate like letting Eric walk out would be the last time she'd see her beloved brother (child? great to the nth grand child?). Eric paused and Aurora was to him with vampire-like speed. She ripped the silver chain from her neck and to my shock handed it to Eric. He didn't hesitate to take anything silver from her. She looked around him to me reading my panic. "Platinum."

"What's this for?"

Eric wasn't exactly the jewelry wearing type. I almost giggled thinking of Eric wearing the long necklace with a blue and white orb on the chain. It was a very pretty little bobble and almost seemed to cast its own light. "I…"

She looked one push from crying. She took a deep breath and sighed a little letting it out. I thought she was looking more human by the minute. "I'm tipping the scales. I've been trying to do it this whole time."

"Tipping them from what?"

"Just think of that as vampire life insurance."

Aurora snapped up and kissed him. Honest to god not a family affectionate kiss but a real one. She vanished as her lips were still on Eric's and Eric still had a very surprised expression. He glanced down at the little sphere and found a latch. The two halves opened and I could see they were sealed. Beyond the seal the entire orb was filled with a blue thick liquid. Eric looked shocked now. "This is easily ten times the blood she allowed Sophie-Ann to have."

"What's wrong Eric?"

Eric looked at me his eyes uncharacteristically kind. "She's not made to bleed. You sensed her pain at the Queen's home and that was for a tiny little vial and was done with assistance to get it over with quicker."

Pam looked concerned now. "Trouble is coming and she thinks you won't make it through."

Eric waved as they walked out. "I guess I'll have to been more observant."

My house was now empty. No vampires. No harbingers of the apocalypse. Just me. Aurora did make a few more appearances. I saw her the next afternoon briefly but she was getting really quick to distraction and looked really tired. She told me she'd be back tomorrow.

Tomorrow came and went. Almost a week passed before she came to see me. She hugged me and apologized that this would be her last visit. That waking up was getting too difficult. She wouldn't tell me where she was going to sleep this time only that she hoped she picked well.

She was all smiles and while her cheer refreshed me her appearance contradicted it completely. She looked like a person who had not slept properly in weeks. "Oh, I'm alright Sookie." Shit she read me. "I like being around others and I treasure that but it really is a time I should be resting."

She came in and I noticed the air outside was getting very chill, strange for a summer day in Louisiana. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

I was surprised when she did want something. In the month I've known her never did anything pass her lips. "Could I get a glass of warm water?"

"Do you want anything in it? How about a lemon?" I wasn't quiet able to accept she'd want water and warm for that matter.

"Just plain would be wonderful." Her voice carried from the living room. If I hadn't just seen her I'd never have known the state she appeared in.

I came from the kitchen with water for her warmed an in a coffee mug. I brushed her hand as I passed it off and almost dropped the cup. She was like ice. It wasn't the comfortable cool like a vampire's skin this was defiantly near freezing. My thoughts were confirmed when the mug streamed up with condensation at her touch. I heard it creak in protest. I noticed now her hair was not the flame shades. It was still spectacular and obviously not something natural but now it looked much darker like the low glowing embers of a fire about to extinguish. Her skin looked thin and almost like a pearl. Eric popped into my head I wondered if he would be able to help her or would know what was happening. "Aurora, could you stay for a little while?"

She looked up from her cup. "Yes, I could stay for a little bit." Her smile was a little weak but still warm and friendly.

I made my way to the kitchen and called for Eric. I was calling him a lot lately and I wasn't sure I really liked doing that but since he was the only one with a history with Aurora and had presumably be there when she last wound down he might know what to do. I wondered if I was betraying Aurora. She didn't visit Eric she visited me. Would she want me to be calling him? She didn't stop me and she had to be aware of what I was up to. I called him.

He was at my door alone soon after sunset. He was also not very polished tonight. "Where is she? Is she alright?"

I was surprised again looking out past him. Not because he flew. He's done that before. The ground as covered with a thin layer of snow. I went back in and refreshed her mug. She was on her seventh glass of warm water and she had been in the habit of requesting it hotter each time.

Eric was sitting next to her and had pulled her right up next to him. I handed the near boiling cup to her and this time the mug would not accept the temperature change. It shattered. Hot water covered her lap but she didn't seem to notice. It wasn't even steaming anymore. My hand was now screaming in agony. Aurora stood, a bit wobbly. Eric corrected her totter and immediately had his hands off her. Odd, Eric normally would not have been so quick to assume she was steady. There was a shattering sound as she grasped my burnt hand. I expected cold. I expected pain. She delivered neither to me. Her face looked panicked like permanent harm was done to me. Considering my adventures with vampires a hot water burn was much milder. I guess I didn't get out of her wake unharmed.

She slid her hands back to her side and looked towards Eric. My hand was perfectly fine now. I noticed the floor was covered with chunks of ice. Her whole body shook for a moment like the cold got to her. Eric answered for her, "A heart beat against frozen flesh."

"Sookie be well. It is taking way too much energy to keep going at this point."

She hugged me. She was cold but somehow there was a warmth to it. She still smelled of wildflowers. Eric was still sitting, maybe for her benefit. I couldn't imagine her being able to get close to him standing for how short she was. She leaned in and circled her arms behind his neck. Her face was to his ear and she whispered to him, "I'd be sad if you broke your promise."

At her touch this time Eric flinched but returned her hug and lightly patted the back of her head. Big bad Eric the Viking vampire in pain over a tiny little immortal's touch? She waved then bolted out the door. "What changed?"

He looked back to me from the door still hanging open. "I don't know what you mean."

"You flinched."

"She healed you. She was still a bit… radiant. Her touch stings to put it mildly when she's like that."

I went to close the door. There was still snow but the wind had picked up. The breeze was hot like it should be on a summer night. The snow was quickly melting and the chill to the air was gone. There were tracks though. They looked like small deer tracks but they were rounder. They also didn't sink far into the snow. They left the front porch then stopped a few feet out. "What is she Eric?"

"An innocent and loving heart is what she is. You've been given a great gift by her and you'll probably never know the fullness of it."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll never be cast into the darkness. Any peril you face there will always be an out, her influence will arrange this. You might get hurt but she'll keep you from the worst of it."

"I'll remember that the next time I'm almost killed. What was your promise?"

Eric grinned a toothy fanged vampire grin. "I'd be there to tell her about the last three hundred years she was sleeping."