I shoved the stranger back into the room, eyes sparking. I felt my heart beating, my hands tingling. He was handsome, incredibly attractive, but so caught up in himself his chi was swirling with self love. He stumbled back into his house, surprised by my violence, and then he, too, seemed to ignite a spark within himself.

I charged into the house, kicking the door shut behind me, and grabbed onto his shoulder. "What's your name." he breathed, tugging on the hem of my shirt.

"Alice." I muttered, unbuttoning his. I could feel his muscles through his shirt, the tight, taught skin. His chi was heaving, pulsing into me. I moaned. It felt so good to feed again. I had been so hungry.

"You're so pretty." He mumbled. I rolled my eyes. His southern accent helped highlight his stupidity. I just wanted him to shut up. I wanted his body, his chi, not him or his voice or useless thoughts. I stepped back to pull my shirt off, leaving me in my bra. He ogled at my body. I pushed him backwards, down the hallway. He caught onto my idea, and kicked his bedroom door open. I was hit with the awful stench of man, and my nose wrinkled. But I'd been in enough situations like this. I could ignore it.

He pulled my bra off and devoured my breasts. I moaned. He was stupid, but talented. His tongue rolled across my nipple, his hands needing the soft flesh. I felt heat between my legs, a need growing in the pit of my stomach. I let a piece of his chi absorb into me. I shuddered form the sheer feel of it.

I pushed him backwards onto his unmade bed and systematically unbutton his pants, pulling his boxers off. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. I had forty minutes before I needed to get to work, my first day on the job, so I had no time to mess around. No foreplay, sadly. I shimmied out of my own pants and panties, leaving me completely naked.

He was adequately equipped in the man area, and I knew I had chosen right. Feeding always felt so good when I was being pleasured right. I grabbed onto his pulsing member and stroked it once, twice, and ran my fingers over the tip. His head rolled back and he groaned. "God, you know what you're doing." He groaned. I crawled onto the bed, letting go of him. I looked into his eyes, licking my lip. He watched me, almost in awe. This was when the men shut up, usually. When they watch me. I was animalistic with hunger and need and it captivated them. Me feeding off of them was just as pleasurable for me as it was for them.

I straddled his hips and ran my hand up his smooth chest. He shaved his chest? Jesus, these Southern men were so strange…

"I don't know what you're doing tomorrow," he breathed out, voice thick. "But there's this great restaurant over in Shreverport—"

I lowered myself onto him, letting him enter me inch by glorious inch until I covered him completely. I let out a small sigh. His chi shifted, breathed into me. I felt tingly. He shut up, thankfully, as I began to move, to turn my hips into him, let him fill me. I held onto his chest as I moved, let him in deeper. His hands reached up, brushed over my nipples. I gasped, moaned, fed.

His chi, a glorious aroma of light and tastes, pulsed from his body. I watched the light of it absorb into my body, watched it drawn to me. When I was around someone's chi, it was as if it no longer wanted to stay with its owner, like it waited so long just to belong to me.

And I let it. I let go of his chest, swiveling my hips, running my hands through my hair. His chi was fit, firm, not the best I'd ever tasted but there was something in there, something new, and it sparked a glorious flavor. There was a tightening in my body, I knew I was close. I glanced down at the guy, this complete stranger, saw him clenching his eyes closed. He held onto my hips, but did nothing to guide me. He was caught up in his pleasure.

I felt my orgasm hit hard, felt every barrier crumble loose in glorious trembles and his chi roared off of him, tumbled into my own body. I shuddered and couldn't breathe, it was so marvelous. I rolled off of him quickly, knowing I would kill him if I didn't break contact with him. I was still lost in the orgasm, the feel of the new chi circling inside of him. I could still taste his emotions, his past life, his family, his friends, his middle school crushes, his everything. While his chi blended with mine and every other I'd had, I knew him. He was no longer a stranger. He was a boy who'd lived here in Bon Temps his whole life. His parents were dead, and he had an unbearable urge to protect his sister. I saw her through his memories, saw her beauty. She looked like she absorbed the sunshine she tanned in. Maybe, when I was finished with him, I could give her a go…

Jason was groaning and breathing heavy. I glanced over at him when I could see again, past his own life, saw him shuddering from his orgasm. I sighed and wiped the sweat from my forehead. I pulled myself off of his bed, and pulled on my pants and bra. My shirt was in the living room. He was still regaining himself, I knew it was overwhelming sometimes to lose your life force. I'd never experienced it, but I figured it was something extraordinary. You grow up with your own life force every second of your life. You don't know it's there, you don't know it's yours, until someone, me, takes it from you, and it feels incredible.

I'm pulling the blouse back onto my body when Jason emerges, naked. I glance over my shoulder at him and roll my eyes. He's got that cocky look on his face most men get when I'm finished with them. It's like they think, they seem to know, that they're obviously the best I've ever had. They know that secretly all us women are never going to want another man after them.

He saunters over to me, the pads of his feet hitting the old wooden floors with soft thuds. His arms snake around my waste, his hands clasping on my stomach, as he kisses my neck in big wet spots. Ugh, gross. I surged out of his grip and finished pulling my shirt on. I shifted my hair, fixed everything that needed to be fixed, and turned to him. "I need to go to work." I said, smiling sweetly at him.

I ran my hands over his chest, his abs—damn they were so smooth—and gave him a sweet look. Honestly, though, I just wanted tiny little last tastes of him before I left. He was cocky, but he tasted so good. He thought he was so good in bed that he didn't need to try, which made him awful. I doubted my orgasm would have hit at all if his chi hadn't been so mind blowing. I wondered what made him different.

"When will I see you again?" he smiles down at me, trying to keep that tough guy look on. But he feels connected to me right now, he doesn't know why, doesn't know his life force is turning within my body, and he wants me to stay. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes again.

"You won't." I say sweetly, and kiss him on the tip of his nose. "Bye."

I turn to rush out the door. We took my car back here. I'd grown smart over the years. Before, when the man always drove me to their house, it'd been real awkward when I left them, and had to walk a few miles before finding some form of transportation. Sometimes the man found me, wandering the streets. He'd rushed to his car, driven around in a blind madness to find me again. Those ones always ended bad.

"Wait!" he said. He sounded desperate. From the taste of him, I knew he didn't do this. One night stands were his thing. I'd sort of hoped that would help with this moment, but it seemed to make no difference.

I turned back to him reluctantly, only because I was still trying to find my keys in my pocket. "I'm—my names Jason." He stuttered. "Jason Stackhouse."

Ah, so this was the part my eyes widened and I realized he was the guy in town everyone talked about, everyone wanted. And then I would rush to him and beg to stay so I could brag about him. I smiled at him tightly. "Good for you, Jason. Not many guys—or girls for that matter—remember their own names when I finish with them."

Ahah! I fished my keys out a bolt through the door. When I look back, he's standing in the doorway, cock hanging in the warm morning air, staring at me with a dazed look on his face.

Even as I drove away, I could see him watching me go.

…..

Merlotte's is a small little diner. It's run down and dirty, but it's warm. I'm only able to see and feed off of the energy of people, but I can still feel the atmosphere of the place, and I bask in the calming sense of Merlotte's. The other waitresses were already there. There was a woman with an awful red dye job sitting at the bar, talking to another woman with long black hair. I nodded to them. They smiled, but their chi was prickling, charging the air with their judgments of me.

A new pretty thing in the restaurant? What was going to happen to their tips?

I ignored them and walked down the hall. I had time to run home after Jason and tear on my uniform, brush my hair, and put some mascara on before running here. I was on time, thank god, and I was fed enough to be around so many people, so many life forces, for later today when my shift really started.

I knocked on Sam's door as he had instructed me to do when I came here tonight. "Come in." his gruff voice sounded.

I opened the door and peeked in. His office was just as I had remembered it from when he gave me my interview. He smiled when he saw me, and waved to a seat. "Good to see you." He said. "Sookie is going to be in soon, and she's going to show you the works of this place real quick before the lunch rush comes in. She's a real sweetheart, you can trust her."

I smiled, feeling his affection for her. I wondered if they were together, but by the way he called her sweetheart made it sound like he was a guy off in the shadows with a crush on the hot girl.

"You can keep all the tips tonight, and it shouldn't be too busy anyways. It's a Tuesday afternoon. Usually we only get the police department on their brakes, watch out for Andy though, he's a dick. Other than that, it should be easy. Lafayette is in the kitchen already, you can meet him if you want. Terry's the other cook, he isn't in today, but you work tomorrow, right?"

I nodded, keeping silent while he continued. "Good, you can meet him then. The other waitresses are in tomorrow, too. That's Holly and Arlene out there, by the way. I'd be careful what you say around Arlene, she's a high school girl when it comes to gossip. Actually that goes for the whole town. Don't be surprised when rumors start flying around about you for the first few weeks. We don't get a lot of new people in Bon Temps."

I nodded my head, still smiling. I liked his energy. I'd tasted his chi when I first met him, and recoiled in disgust. I'd tasted some awful life forces in my past, but his was—like poison. It hurt my muscles and chest, filled my body with an awful, awful ache. He wasn't human, but I didn't care. He was nice, and he seemed to be a good boss.

"Sorry I'm late!" a voice called from somewhere in the restaurant. "Jason showed up late for work and people were asking me where he was and then he just showed up out of nowhere. I think he might have done some crazy drugs or something, he was so out of it."

I looked at Sam, eyebrows raised. He smiled wider. "And that'd be Sookie."

When she walked in, I instantly recognized her, even though I had never met her before. I swore under my breathe. She was Jason's sister, the beautiful girl I had seen from Jason's chi. She paused when she saw me, and plastered a smile onto her face. "Well hey there!" she said, rushing over to me, hand outstretched. I stood, and shook it awkwardly. "I'm Sookie. You're Alice, right?"

"That'd be me." I said, smiling.

She gave me another smile before turning to Sam and giving him a more pleading smile. "I'm real sorry, Sam." She pleaded. "I didn't mean to be late I—"

"It's fine, Sook." Sam said. "You can make it up by showing Alice around, okay?"

She let out a breath. "Thanks, Sam."

She grabbed onto my hand, surprising me. Her chi tasted like Jason's, but more pronounced. I wondered if the two of them were completely human. How many weirdoes were in this town? Actually, I shouldn't be speaking.

She pulled me to the break room, where she dropped her bag and pulled her blonde hair up into a tight pony tail. "So it's really easy around here. You just got to have a lot of energy."

"I've got plenty, don't worry." I assured her. Mostly from your brother, though.

She looked up at me sharply, eyes wide. "What'd you say?" she whispered tightly.

"I- I said I have plenty of energy." I took a step back. She was staring at me intently, like I had said something wrong, like I had offended her. She searched me for a little while before sighing.

"Sorry." She muttered. "It's been a long day."

"Don't worry about it." I said cautiously."

After that, things are smooth. She shows me my section, how the tables are run, how to treat a customer. I assure her I know how to be a waitress, but she takes it upon herself anyways to show me everything, and introduce me to everyone.

It took only a little while before the lunch rush slowly eased itself into the restaurant. Sam had been right, and it was slow. I met the entire police department, and they were all so nice. They left shitty tips though. I soon learned that everyone in this shit heap of a town did.

By the time my break came, an hour or two after sundown, I'd made barely any money from tips, and I was exhausted. Sookie was rushing around and I watched her hustle about, her energy endless. I wondered what it'd be like to feed from her. But I knew she's never have sex with a woman, she was too traditional. I could seduce her, manipulate her chi, but that was still new to me. I'd only discovered I could do it while crushing on this hot guy at my last job. I wanted to get in his pants so bad that I'd actually manipulate his chi into thinking he wanted me, too. I accidentally drained him while we were having sex. While the cops investigated his murder, I fled town.

"How do you do it?" I asked Sookie, rubbing my temples. The dinner rush was maddening. This was a much more popular place than I thought it would be. That could be because it was basically the only eating establishment in the entire town.

"Do what?" she asks, while she has two seconds to herself and is waiting by the window for her order to come up.

"Keep up with it all and not just punch someone right in the face?"

She laughs, and it's a sweet laugh. "I'm just used to it."

"I thought my old job was tough." I sighed.

She tilted her head to the side, her eyes searching me in that odd way again. "You were a 911 operator?" she asked, impressed.

I looked at her, startled. "How'd you know that?"

She looks at me, surprised by herself, then gives me a tight smile. "You mentioned it earlier." She lies. Her chi is heavy with the weight of it.

I shake my head. "No, I didn't."

She nods her head. "Yes, you did. How else would I know that?"

Her chi snaps into focus more then, as her heartbeat raises and she glances away.

I take a step back, shocked. "Holy shit!" I shriek. I feel the members in the diner hush down a bit. I can't see them from the break room, but they obviously hear me. I lower my voice. "I've never met a telepath before." I breathed. Maybe that's why her chi tasted so sweet. "I've met psychics and some telekinetic chicks before, but not a telepath."

Her eyes looked around, she bit her lip. "No one's ever said it right to me before." She says softly.

"Says what?" I asked.

"Tells me what I am, straight to my face." She elaborated. She still wouldn't look at me. "They all know, or some know but deny it to themselves, but they never say it."

"Why?" I say, laughing, bemused. "It's what you are. Just go right out there and say it."

"Well then what are you?" she snaps back at me. I feel taken aback by the sudden change. I think I offended her. She reminded me of when I was younger, when I refused to think of my abilities as a part of me, but rather an annoying extension of who I was. She was in her twenties and still believed the same thing. It was kind of—stupid. And annoying. Was she trying to purposely make her life miserable?

"I'm something different." I said with a sly smile.

Her eyes searched me. Knowing what she was, what she could do, I first noticed the slight pressure in my temples, the little fingers weeding through my mind. "Stop that!" I hissed at her. It felt so excruciatingly violating for her to nose around my head. Her eyes widened, and know she took a step back. She blushed a deep red, ashamed of being caught. "You have no right going into my head like that."

"I'm—I'm sorry." She says quietly. "I just—"

I tie my apron back on then, not listening anymore. I don't care, all I know is that I need a better guard up now. I'm surrounded by freaks, just like me. My boss is inhuman someway, my coworker is a telepath, next thing I know a freaking vampire is going to walk through the door.

And speak of the fucking devil.

The chime on top of the door twinkled as he entered. I'd been around vamps before, knew what their chi felt like. It was very odd, very comforting. It was like I was in a hot sun, and someone was washing me down with a cold cloth. It felt nice. How ironic, that vamps were such ruthless, bloodthirsty creatures and they calmed me more than any human could.

I glanced at him as I walked to my section. He was tall, very much so, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was fuck-me-all-night-long-for-the-rest-of-my-life hot. Sookie rushed past me to him as I walked away. I could feel her chi bristling, and I smiled. Sookie, the telepath, was about to get in a fight with a vampire.

I think I liked this job, no matter how many surprises there was.

I had a new customer, a fat old lady who couldn't decide what she wanted. I'd convince her on a burger, then she'd decide on a steak, then she'd want a salad.

When I finally got her order, all she wanted was a black coffee.

I was walking away, shoving my note pad back into the apron. "Fucking kidding me." I mumbled. "You should be going on a diet and a nice long run lady, not coming in here."

And then I felt it.

I felt it and it was so sharp in a change it almost hurt.

I'd been walking back to the bar where the coffee maker was, to pour her a cup. It was normal. I could just make out Sookie's heated words towards the vampire, but the rest of the diner blocked out anything I could make out to be English. I was so full from Jason's chi that I barely fed besides a few licks here and there off of the more decent folks. Sometimes I couldn't help it.

The room was filled and intertwining with life forces. It was like walking into a party, all the voices shouting over one another. You can't make anything out.

Until I felt one chi shift. It's emotions remained the same. Its "voice", or its attitude, remained the same. But the chi itself seemed to mold into a new shape. I couldn't explain it, I'd never felt anything like it before. I hit me in the gut and I stop instantly, looking around for the source. It was warming, the chi was. I felt it above all others. My body yearned for the new warmth of the chi, wanted to feed. It was as if I hadn't just fed, like I was so hungry now, starving. I wanted the chi. I wanted all of it, didn't even care if I killed someone.

I found the vampire, standing by the door with Sookie. She was going off on him in her cute little kitten way. But he wasn't looking at her anymore.

He was looking at me.

His fangs were out, his eyes on me, black, almost completely. His chi had changed. I knew it was him instantly, just by looking at the light around him, the glow of his life force. It was shifting and moving and changing as I looked right at it. It was in turmoil, fighting itself. It looked painful, and I wondered if it was just a vampire thing.

I knew I smelled different to them, and near death experience a few years back told me that. I could see hunger in his eyes. I wondered if this change in chi was him having a sudden hunger. Was he going to attack me, right in the restaurant?

Was he that stupid?

I looked away from him quickly and scurried to the coffee. I'd get the fat lady her coffee, and then wait to see if I was going to die.

*************E**************

Eric sat at his desk, drumming his fingers on his desk. He was thinking about that human, Sookie, how sickly sweet she was. She was beautiful, a telepath, and definitely fairy. She was interesting. Annoying, but interesting.

And no thanks to that nuisance Bill Compton, he'd never be able to taste the girl. Bill and his fucking Southern gentlemen ways had stolen her from him. All Eric wanted was a little taste of her, maybe a nice fuck or two. Was that so bad?

Yet Bill hadn't claimed her yet. She was still a virgin. He hadn't even bitten her. He'd come to Eric a few weeks ago, saying he was going to lay claim to a human. When Eric went to check her out from afar, she stuck out as inhuman. Bill was a fucking idiot. He should have waited to ask permission for the claim of the woman after he actually claimed her. There wasn't anything wrong with that, only that he'd have a few slaps to the wrist. But like he had said, Bill was a southern gentlemen.

And now Eric was going to have her first.

He pulled his jacket off of the back of his chair and left his office. The atmosphere of the club shifted as the fangbanger's saw him. Their eyes sought out his, begging for him, his cock, his bite in their necks, his pleasure. He passed by them all to Pam, who stood by the door in her skin tight leather dress. She smiled at him.

"Where are you off to with that look in your eyes, Mr. Northman?" she drawled.

"I was thinking I'd fuck a fairy." He responded.

Pam smiled, bared her fangs, and let him pass. "Good luck." She said quietly after him, but he heard, and chuckled.

He took his car, knowing it impressed most women. Not Sookie, he guessed, but it didn't hurt to show off a little wealth now and then. He drove to Bon Temps, thinking of every way he'd take Sookie.

First he'd have to charm her. He'd make her feel beautiful. He'd make her feel wanted. Then he'd take her back to her house. She'd invite him in because she trusted him. Eric like that, and smiled at the thought. Sookie was too innocent for her own good.

He'd follow her into her old home, and as she threw her keys onto the table by the door, he'd walk up close behind her, and breathe lightly on the back of her neck. She'd shiver; goose bumps would rise up her arms.

He'd touch her bare arm lightly, run his cold fingers up across her skin, to her collarbone. He'd brush up her neck, up the side of her face, through her hair. She'd be trembling beneath his touch. He'd turn her around, take her face in his hands and capture her in a kiss. She'd be blown away. She'd feel passion for the first time and it'd exhilarate her. She'd take from that kiss that Eric cared for her, although she'd find out after he didn't.

She'd lead him to her room, not knowing they could do it anywhere, it was more exciting, more adventurous. All she'd know is that it usually happened in the bed. Eric would strip her down carefully, tenderly. She'd be scared off easily, he'd know this, and he'd be gentle. She'd be naked, and scared. She'd blush, try to cover herself, but he wouldn't let her. She'd be thin and beautiful, and he'd capture her breast within his mouth, tease her nipples, and make her gasp and shiver beneath his touch. He'd push her back onto the bed. It'd scare her, knock the breathe out, but then excite her. She'd want him. He'd be able to smell it in the air.

He'll fall atop her, kiss her lips. They'd taste like strawberries, he mused. He'd kiss down her chest, across her breast. Her heart would be hammering as he kissed her inner thigh, ran his hands along her skin. He'd look up, see her hooded virgin eyes look down at her as he dipped his tongue across her core, making her gasp. She'd taste splendid, he'd know this. He could smell her sometimes, when she didn't know it. He knew she'd taste even better than she smelled.

She's be screaming for him with pleasure, twisting and turning. He'd fit a finger inside her, curl it across her sweat spot. She'd beg for him. She'd be wet and panting. He'd strip himself down fast, before she could even blink. She'd see his aching manhood, and be scared. He was big, and she was a virgin. She knew it'd hurt. He'd caress her, ease her pains into pleasure, and then he'd enter her. She'd cringe at the pain at first, maybe cry. Then it'd pass as he moved inside her. He'd pound into her, his cock twitching and make her scream. Maybe Bill would hear her, hear her scream his name as she climaxed, hear Eric grunt as he unloaded inside her.

Eric smiled as he drove to Merlotte's, knowing she was working tonight. He was hard beneath his pants, just thinking about it. He shifted his position, and sped up faster. Merlotte's was packed, which always surprised him. It had awful food and service. No one should want to stay there. He pulled into a dark corner of the lot.

He could smell Sookie in the lot, even though he assumed she had been here for a long time, hadn't been in the parking lot for a long time. She was so extremely potent.

And then there was another scent, also. He was passing a car when it hit him. He stopped, paused, and looked around. There was no one out here, and it was a stale scent. He glanced down at the small car. He cringed. The thing shouldn't even be running it was so old and dirty and rusted. He glanced in the windows, and found nothing unusual. But still, the scent wasn't human, but it wasn't anything he'd ever smelt before. Maybe Sookie had relatives besides Jason she had failed ot mention.

He entered the small establishment, and sound Sookie instantly. She seemed startled, maybe a bit hurt. He wondered what had happened, but frankly he dind;t care at all. He saw her, and all he could do was picture her beneath him, screaming his name. He smiled. He caught site of a brunette moving away from her, figured the two waitresses had gotten into some sort of fight. He dind;t pay her any attneiton, although he could smell that scent more, knew whoever it was was in here, and had been for a while.

Sookie saw him instantly, and he was amused by the sparek of anger in her eyes. She stormed over to him. He wondered if she could be that energetic during sex. He hoped so. "Eric Northman." She hissed, coming to a sotp in front of him. She was just a tiny human. She had no idea he could kill her now, kill everyone in this room, and would not feel a thing. She thought she was powerful with her "talent", but thaqt didn't make her immortal. On the contrary, it made her a target to kill. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see where you worked." He said, sniffing the air and looking around. That scent was bugging him. He wanted to see who it was. He saw that other waitress, the one Sookie had been arguing with earlier. He could only see her side. She was taking an order form a fat ld lady,a nd he smiled, seeing her annoyance from the woman's indecision. "Who's the new girl?"

"The new girl?" she looked around, and spotted the waitress. Eric sighed. She was dim witted sometimes, and that only annoyed him. "Oh, that's Alice. Tongihts her fis=rst night. Look, Eric, you can't just show up here. I'm seeing Bill now, I don't think he'd like it if—"

He tuned Sookie out, not caring about what she said. He found th waitress curious. There was something different about her. He wondered, faintly, if that scent was hers. Hoped it was. She seemed to have a different spirit than most humans. He was msiling when the fat woman ordered a coffee. Thew waitress—Alice—paused wuth the pen in her hand, obviously angry.

"Fine." He heard her say through clenched teeth. He snatched her menu form her, and turned around.

And then he felt it.

He was overcome with a sense of possession unlike anything he's felt before. Mine. He wanted to growl to the room. She's mine.

She was beautiful, with long brown hair, wide brown eyes, a slender body and lgowing skin. She looked like other woman, other humans, but here was an energy about her ha made her stand out.

Eric watched her swear and mumble thing as she wlaked away, bristling with anger. He wanted her. He wanted to race across the room and take her right there. He wanted to bit einto her neck, take her blood, and claim her. He wanted her, and he wanted her to want him, and only him. She was his. No one elses. His.

And then Alice stopped in the middle of the restauraunt, muscles tightening. Eric watched her. He dind;t feel his fangs slide out, didn't realize Sookie was gasping, watching him in horror. Didn't care. SAlice was looking around, confused and then she found him. You're mine. He tried telling her. You're mine, and I'm going to take you.

She looked away quickly. Things quieted around him, even Sookie's rebutes to his fangs coming out, and could only hear her heart beat, picking up. He knew she was scared. He dind;t care. He only wanted her, to be insdie her, to have her against a wall, wet and crying for him. He wanted her over the counter, her taut ass in his face. He wanted to taste her blood, wanted it flowing through him. He wanted her to cum on him, to see her face as pleasure coursed through her.

She scurried away to behind the bar.

Eric took a step towards her. He was fully prepared to take her, carry her in his arms before hse knew what was happening and fly her away somewhere secluded. She'd want him, he'd make sure of that. But he'd have her. He needed to have her.

"Eric!" Sookie's shrill voice cut into him like a knife. He flinched, and looked down at her. Someone of the patrons in the establishment where whispereing and looking at him. He looked around th bar. His fangs slid back into place, and he felt a ball of anger curl his stomach. The4se stupid humans were stnaidn in hsiw ay of that woman. Her back was to him. He wanted her. He ached for her.

He trned around and lfew fomr the restaurant so fast he almost tookt he doors off of their hinges. He ran to his car and into the seat, but he dind;t drive away, didn't eben start the car. He watched the restaurant, waiting for her to get off.

His phone rang in his pocket and he roared in frustration. He answered it. "What."

"Eric?" it was Pam. "Are you alright I felt your emotions, they were crazy—"

"Not now, Pam." He said, his voice tight.

"Eric—"

"Not now!" he roared.

"Damn it Eric calmt he fuck down!" Pam hissed. He paused, surprised by her statement.

"Check yourseld, Pam." Eric warned.

"I am. But you're out of control, I can feel it. I don't know what's happening. I;ve never felt you like this before. Somethings happened, and id on;t need to know what, but you need ot calm down before you do something stupid."

Eric seethed over the phone, holding it to his ear but not saying anything. He knew Pam was right. If he tookt he girl now, in the middle fot he shift, he;d raise a bunch fo shit he dind;t need to deal with right now.

And again, he paused. Why, firstly, was hje even feeling this way? He mused that it must be the girls scent. He had never smelt anything like ti before. It was intoxicating, wonderful. He invisioned it now, the taste of her blood, and that almost drove him mad with hunger. But she was also just another girl. Sookie's blod smelled wonderful, it's why he wanted to take her so much. But this girl… hm.

"There." Pam sighed. "You're calming down. But honestly, Eric, what the fuck!" he could feel she was pissed, and he msiled. She was good at getting him out fo moods. "You scared me hlf to death. I'm here fucking some fangabnger and I nearly kill her from the shock of it. Are you—are you alright?"

She cautious, almost scared. "I'm fine, Pam. Get back to you… activities. I'll be fine."

He hears her sigh. "Alright."

She hangs up quickly, trusting him and not pushingthe subject which he appreaciates. Eric leans back in his sea,t throwing the phone onto thew passenger seat. He lets out along, unnatural breathe, and styares at the restaurant. He can fel his member straining against his pants,a nd rubs it to relieve some of the stress.

He wanted that girl. He wanted to fuck her and drink her blood. But inside there was a nasty turmoil he couldn't unravel. It was painful. Parts of him were waking up, and he tried to push them back, command them to fall dormant again.

No, he wouldn't take the girl tongith. He'd take her, but not tonight. He needed to figure this out, whatever it was, before he did something he regretted. So he sat in the dark cvorner of the parking lot, and he waited for her to come out.

************A************

The shift dwindled down to a lcose slowly. Sookie had an awful couple in her section. Their Chi tasted awful. Whenever I pssed them it made me cringe. It was infected, diseased, and dirty.

I'd forgiven Sookie literally within six seconds of the mini fight. I never held a grudge. Not because I couldn't because believe me I could, but because ei thougth she was ggenuinly nice,a nd imagined she'd never practiced controlling her "disability" as she told me she viewed it.

There wwere maybe thirty mintues left before close, and that rat trap couple was still there, heads closed, whispering. Sookie was standing at the bar, chewing on her lip. She looked concerned. "Hey Sookie." Is aid, comignt o her side. My section was empty, an diw as just finishing cleaning the tables. "They giving you trouble, you want me tokick their asses?"

She dind;t even give me a fake smile, as I elanred she wsa good at doing. "Sook?" I said, concerned. "Hey, what';s wrong?"

"You know that vampire that was in here earlier?" I frowned, shivering. Yeah, ir emebered him. I remembered that look in his eyes, like he was going to kill me, drain me, leave me on the side of the road for some poor soul to find. But then I remembered his chi, and how—exquisite it tasted. I could still feel it, the memory of it, turning inside of me. Is ighed. I could only image feeding off of him, what it'd fele like. Would ie ven begin to take it or would I just pass out formt hat pleasure?

"Ye,a I remember him." I said, keeping my face strght. 'What about him?"

"Those couple over there are the Ragrays, they deal V. They think he;s still in the pakring lot, just sitting n his car. Their going to drain him." Her voice had lowered to a whisper, and she looked up at me, eyes scared and desperate.

I was shocked. I looked at her. "Jesus." I breathed. "We have to—we've got to call the cops."

Sookie shook her head. Her blonde ponytail waved. "It'll be too late, their going to go out there any minute. We've got to stop them."

"We?" she was looking at me with wide eyes. "Oh, no, no no no, id on;t get involved with vampires."

"Even if it involves saving one?" she asked, exasperated. I could tell she was nervous, scared. "Alice, we've got to do something they are going to kill him!"

IU glanced around to see if anyone had heard her, and froze. "Oh. Oh no, Sookie."

She turned around, followed my line of vision, and saw the empty table the ratrays had occupied. "Shit!" she cried.

Without another thought she rushed out of the place. "Sookie!" I calle,d but she blew past my voice and out the door. "Fuck!"

Sam came running out, eharing the raised voices. He looked frazzled. " What? What's happening?"

H eloked around. He probably thought there were some disruptive customers. "Sookie is about to do some stupid shit." I growled. I suffered internally form my own turmoil and then let out a frustrated sigh. "Stay ehre, Sam." I said. I gave him a long, hard look.

I follweod Sookie quickly, jogging outside. It was wamr out. Quiet. I stopped running. It was quiet. I listned carefully, but I couldn't ehar a damn thing. There was chi out here, though. That I could feel.

I slowly walked, trying to follow the energy. It was hard htough, I'd never been good at tracking down chi specifically, only because I never had to. I pretty much followed a blind triail, trying to walk quietly, but my shoes against the gravel seemed deafening.

Finally I heard something. There was a soft noise somewhere in the light. And then I ehard Sookie. She was starteds to scream, but ti was cut off. I heard a groan.

I ran forward them, sprinted, searching the night. I found her under a dim light, flickering, going out for a few seoncds then coming on to light the horrific scene in fornt of me.

The white trash couple had Sookie on the ground. She clutched her stomach. Her face was bleeding. The kicked her in the back. She tried to scream but gurled, coughed out blookd. "Please." She begged. She coughe,d couldn't breathe.

"Fuck." I breathed, so startled I ahd actually sotpped. "What the fuck are you doing Alice!" I ran forward. "Hey!"

The couple looked upa t me with their whitetrash eyes, their skinny limbs, so caked out on drugs. "This aint got nothing to do with you." Th man said. He had someteeth missing. "Run along now, before you get yourself in sometrouble."

"Maybe trouble is what I'm looking for." I snapped. I Kept coming at them. Sookie was choking on the ground, and that made me angry. So angry. They were going to kill her. She had come out here to save a god damn vampire and now she was bout to die for it. If I hadn't come out here—I could just imagine someone walking down here, and seeing a pretty blonde, dead and beaten no the gravel.

"Kill her!" the woman screamed. She had a scratchy, awful voice. Ic ringed at the sound of it. The man pulled out a gun. It was silver, heavy in his hand. It glittered in the moonlight. I think I heard a car door slam behind me. I dind;t care. I ws being consumed by my anger, something I'd worked my whole life on. It was so dangerous ot mwe. So incredaubly dangerous.

He shot me.

The sound was a roar in the night air and I saw the aprk fomr the barrel of the gun. The bullet his me in the shoulder. I hissed in pain, gritting my teeth, but kept going. It hurt a lot. It had torn through the muscle and bone and out the other side.

"The fun?" he said, surprised by my lack of pause. He shot again. It hit my side. Is tumbled ont hat one, feeling my liver splinter. I felt the organ begin to shut down.

But it didn't matter, I was in front fo him now.

I touched his cheek with the palm of my hand, and let the walls come down. His chi poured into me. It felt awful. My bones cried fomr the aful mutilated taste of it. Life force had to go througha lot to get to this point. It had tp be beaten, ahd to be kike dinthe ass endlessly to be bruised so horribly.

He raised his eyebrows, feeling it. He dropped the gun. Iw as taking so much at such an exaggerate rate that he was falling itno shock. He was being stripped of his life like someone pulling a bandaide off quckly. It was painful, but soon he'd feel nothing.

He felt the tail end of his life enter through my finger tips and sucked in a tough breathe. The last bullet he shot at me had ravaged me liver. I felt my body shutting down. My vision was going black. The woman was screaming. She was running away, into the woods. She'd started running even before her husband was dead. Cheep bitch didn't even stick aournd ot save him.

I let her go, and instead fell to my knees. I felt someone watching me, tasted someones chi, but pain hit my body, startled me.

I cried out as spasm rocked my body. I tasted the new chi circling around my body, and let it become me. Usually the chi stays not as a part of me, but an attachment. It was stuck to me. It wasn't my actual finger, but a ring I wore on my finger.

Now I let the chi become a part of me. It was excruciating. I wanted to scream but I choked on it and fell to my back. I arched up to the sky, tembling. I felt my liver stitch itself back together. My shoulder healed itself. It used so much chi. I felt tired and drained. My wound was only half healed when ic ollaspsed. I couldn't do it anymore.

Sookie was breathing awful. It was a wheeze, quiet and strained. I stood on shaking legs. My own wounds would heal ont her own. Iwasn;t going to die, I'd just have to feed again later. I dropped my Sookies side and lifted her so her back rested against my knee. "Sook?" I whispered. Her yes were swollen shut.

She tried to mumble something, but I coudln;t make it out. I wondered if she was even conscious, even aware she was dying. I hoped not. I hoped she had fallen unconscious long ago, and dind;t have to feel the pain.

I felt myself, internally, felt th chi I had left. I could still feel some of Jasons int here. But there wasn't much. I could feel my hunger growing now, felt it's painful grip on me. I let out a sigh, looked at Sookie's broken form, and swore. "Fucking damn it." I mumbled. "I've been here two days and I'm pretty much throwing in the towel on the secrecy thing, huh?"

And I let the wall down. I've done it more times tongith then I have in the past five eyars. I never let the walls down. When I et the walls down, someone dies.

Her brothers life force flowed into her. I watched it leave my finger tips. It was absorbed into her body. It felt like I was losing a child, it hurt so bad to watch the chi leave. I started to cry. It was not natural for the hci to leave my body, and thus it hurt. It dind;t sitng anywhere specifically. But it hurt somewhere deep down inside of me. It hurt awfully. I cried for the loss of it.

My eyes started to blacken out. I could see Sookie, see her eyes flutter open as the swelling went down in her face. She stared up at me, eyes wide. They rolled back in her head as the chi entered her. I knew how she felt. She was feeling hwat I felt whenever I fed. It had to be wonderful. I ached to feed. I felt my hunger growing as I gave away the last bits of myself to Sookie, to heal her.

"Alice?" I looked up, th nergy flow remaining. I saw Eric, standin above us. He looked down, watched Sookie heal ,looked to me, eyes wide. "What in gods name are you?"

I smiled. I swayed. I felt to my side and the connection broke between Sookie and i. I felt tiny minicscule flayed strips of chi left inside of me. They cried. I cried. I held onto my stomach, my chest my legs. I hurt everywhere. It was not natural. This felt wrong, so wrong, like I adhn; fed in weeks. I burned.

Eric rushed to my side. His body scanned my own, seeing where I was hurt. He lifted my hsirt, saw the half healed bullet wound, saw the fainst csar of the other on my shouder. "I'm going tohelp you." He was saying, but his voice was faint and I couldn't understand.

I nodded. When in doubt, agree. I smiled. Mom told me that one. "Eric, what's happening?"

"Sookie?" I said, swiveling my eyes around. Her face was still swollen and cut and bruise,d but I knew her lungs were healed, her ribs mended. Her femur was mostly healed, I had felt it mend itself together before I fell to my side. "I'm glad you're okay you crazy bitch."

She looked at me. "I need to take her." Eric said.

"Are we goin on a trip?" I tried to joke, but my eyes closed. I think I was dying. Was this what it felt like to die? Was this what those popele if ed from felt like before I drained them of their chi, of their very souls?

"Shiouldn;t we take her to the hospital?"

Their voices were soft, faint. I was sailing away fromt hem, and it felt nice. I wasn;t as hungry or pained the further I sailed away.

"I don't think docors can heal this."

"Oh, but you can?"

"Don't argue with me now, Sookie."

"Dona;t yell at her." I mumbled. Iw nated to oen my eye,s look at Eric. I felt their chi. I wanted to feed. I couldn't though. I cried, felt satly tears sting my eyes. I'd just saved Sookie. Was I about to just drian her right away afterwards?

"Alice?" that was Eric. I think. I don't remember his voice ever sounding that soft before. "Alice, I'm going to get you help. Stay with me though. Stay with me—"

I fell away, collapsing into the blackness that had been trying to claim me.