The warm sun was beating through my windshield forcing me to squint through my thick black Ray Ban sunglasses. I was on the 49 heading to a small town in the heart of Louisiana where my brother was living. I haven't seen him in years and was getting led footed, in a rush to get there. Driving three days straight, with a few hours of sleep here and there between rest stops had left me hurting. I cant complain tho, the scenery here is beautiful and so different then cold New York. Trading snow piles for swamps. I was glad to be done with Aaron, my high school sweetheart who is now marrying my ex best friend. The thought makes me eyeball twitch. The dark corner of my mind wishes I could of reaped some kind of revenge on them but that would justt make me petty. I'm not a petty person I remind myself and try and find something on the radio while driving. I'm not very good at multi tasking like that but manage to a good song.
Almost there I remind myself. I pull a Newport out of my pack and light up. A deep drag or too and I come across sign on the side of the road. Big green letters welcoming me to my brothers town of Bon Temps. Yes! I'm here, whatever this little town is. It is about three o'clock and my brother is about to be done with work. I pull over and look for the directions to Merlottes Bar & Grill that I had stuffed into the glove department. Two lefts and a right. Before I pull off I see a few people. A young man working on the road. A orange vest over a nicely toned and tanned body. Mmmmm, I could get used to this, turning up the music, I shift into first gear and I peel out and catch his attention, his brown eyes trying to see who I was. I know the smile I'm wearing will stick with him.

Three blocks later I see the sign on the top of a little diner looking bar. I slowly pull my car into the gravel parking lot. I shift my car into park and pull up the emergency break. Opening the car door and swinging my legs out is good and bad, the freedom is nice but my legs feel like jelly from seating in a cramped rice burner. My flip flop slap against my heels as I walk up, the warm breeze brushes my skin and I smile as I soak up the sun. I could get used to this. I open the bars door and smell the spices of Cajun food cooking. The bar is nice for what it is, almost everything is hard wood. I walk to the closet booth and sit facing the door, it seems like a full service place. In a few moments my waitress walks up, shes blond and bubbling over with personality. "Hello and welcome to Merlottes, I am Sookie your waitress, can I get you something to drink first?" Her southern accent is strong, the first real one I've ever heard. I notice she has kind, coffee warm brown eyes. She seems to be giving me an off look. "Yes, I would like a Captain and Coke." I laugh, " I know its early but Ive driven for days." She smiles, looking me up and down.
"No problem." She stutters and leaves me a menu, I survey the bar and I'm not picking anything up. They really don't bother me until, and as for "them" I am referring to the actual deceased. I see and speak to those who are yet to cross over, I usually see them following a close family member and staying close to where they've died, not knowing they have died. I am happy not to hear voices for once. It gets crowded in my head, but its too soon to speak as I look next to me I see what I like to call my guardian angel Seth.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss in a whisper but hear the waitress Sookie back to take my order, I jump to look at her.

"Miss..?" She says, looking at me confused as is the rest of the place. "Sorry, Ill have chicken fried steak and coleslaw with white rice." Man, I hope you didn't hear me talking to that dead person.
She justt looks at me, Ive seen this before, I have worn it while listening to the spirits. She quickly sits down. Smiling at me.
" You're different " she says with a smile. " Its like you're on a different radio wave or something."
My big brown eyes widen. My mouth slides open and before I can think of anything to say Seth chimes in, I look to the side.
"Shes a telepathic." My translucent friend says. His blue eyes on her.
I turn back to her with shook. "Yeah?" I asked, now regaining my demeanor. "Hows that?" She looks around. " I don't know, I have feeling were justt going to be friends.." She pushes my drink towards me. I sip at it. "I don't have friends." I say flatly but in a pitiless way. "They fuck me over. " She nods, " well I hope you find better friends in Bon Temps while your here." She pats the table as she gets up. "You're food should be justt a moment."

I look back over to Seth. " You're not supposed to be here. " I whisper. He shrugs, " I'm your angel." He simply replies. "No, you're a ghost Seth!" I hiss again, looking around make sure no one sees me talking to no body. " If you don't fucking leave me alone, Ill send you over I swear to God."
He rolls his pale blue eyes, if he wasn't dead I guess Id be attracted to him, but me and him have been 'pals' for a while. He helps me, but most of time hes a devil in my ear. I gulp my drink down. "Whatever you say Kitten." He pats me on the back which I cant feel. "Don't touch me. " I growl and get up walking over to the bar to get another. I pull my ID out and hand it to a man tending bar, he had sandy blond hair and calm eyes, "Captain and coke." I smile. He looks at my DOB on my ID. "New Yorker, huh?" He smiles with the corner of his mouth and its quite endearing. "Yeah..." I smile, feeling my cheeks turn red, he is pretty adorable. "Not that special."
"Well.." he starts as he pours my drink. " Welcome to Bon Temps Catherine" He pushes it forward. "Enjoy." "Wait, before you go anywhere, y'all know where my brother is at?" I can actually start to hear my own New York accent.
"Angelo..." I smile. " Hes one of your cooks."
His face lights up. He opens his mouth and yells "Angieeeeeee!"
I blush more, "Ill be at my table." And the bar tender nods.

By the time I sip some more of my drink Sookie comes back with my food. She places in front of me, smiling from ear to ear.
I wish I was carefree I think.
"Hope everything is how you want it. " She says hugging the server tray to her chest, it draws my attention up to her neck. I see that she has bites. I smirk. I was hoping I would meet a southern vamp, maybe she could introduce me. Just then my brother comes running out to the floor in his apron and picks me up out of my booth, spinning me.
"Catt!" He yells as hes spinning and then sets me down, putting his hands on my face " I'm so happy you made it here safe. " I nod happily, kissing him on the cheek. "Always!"
Sookie justt stands there looking at us, and when I look towards her, she looks away awkwardly. "Oh," I had forgotten about the meal. "Everything is fine Hun, I'll probably need another Captain and Coke soon enough." She nods, turns on her heel and heads to her next table.

My brother looks at me like hes amazed and then sees all my tattoos, my wavy long black hair and height. He hadn't seen me since I was six and needless to say I was 21 now and very ... matured compared to six.
"You look uh-may-zing!" I blush again, tugging at the corner of my teal sun dress in a fake curtsy. "Why, thank you!" I sit down. "Are you almost done?" I ask, half reminding him hes on the clock.
"Oh, yea!" As if he forgot he was at his job. "Sam doesn't mind. But I'll let you eat, I have to prep some vegetables for dinner. "
"OK" I fake pout out my bottom lip. "Hurry." I sip my drink again. He walks away. And I start to dig into my food.
.. I'm thinking they must put crack it, I laugh to myself and look over, Seth is gone for the time being. My blood has already started to run warmer then before as the alcohol has hit my veins. It hard for me to use my talents while intoxicated. I am happy for this. I finish my food quite quickly. I was so Hungry. I push my plate to the end of the table and lay my spoon and fork on the dish, a signal to the waitress that I am done. I drink some more.

"That good huh?" She laughs. "Sorry, I can put it away." The alcohol is starting to take on part of my personality, I feel my face warming. She sits again.
"Missy, are you tipsy?" She says it in a cute, teasing way.
"A little bit, but I'm okay. I'm justt having one more." I push my glass towards her.
Her smile is still there, she must find me silly. " I like you." "Why, thank you." I'm not used to being treated so nicely.
"You're very welcome." She looks over to the bar tender "Sam, get me another Captain and coke." I give her a look, "Wont you get yelled at for telling him to get it?"
She shakes her head, looking into my eyes. "Sam, hes a good boss, plus I'm doing a double tonight." I nod, stirring my drink with the straw before I drink the rest.
I am getting drunk off these drinks...
"He's pretty cute, you should date or something." I shrug, I don't know any better.
"Oh no! " She laughs loudly. "I go out with Vampire Bill." She smiles, I'm sure shes thinking of him. I can read it on her face.
"How is that?" I ask.
"Oh, my. " She blushes. "It is absolutely amazing. I love him. And I don't care about what any of these rednecks say." She looks around. "We don't have alot of fans. " "I can understand that." As I finish Sam has brought over another drink. Sets it on the table. "This ones on the house."His smile is true and he walks away.
"So, what are your plans tonight?" She asks.
"Nothing, get to know the place." I shrug.
"Oh well you should come hang out with me and vampire Bill were going out tonight." I make a face I'm sure of it. "I don't know, Ive never met one." I sip my drink. "Hes a real gentlemen, I promise he wont eat you."
I laugh nervously. "If you say so." "AWESOME!" She lights up, "heres my number." She scribbles it on a napkin.
"I have to roll some silverware." She gets up and hands me the bill, " I hope to see you tonight." I nod, alot, the drunkenness is really coming on now. " you will! "

My brother comes back to the table with his belongings " You ready?' "Oh yea." I stand up and inwardly say 'ooooooooooo' rush to the head.
"Lemme just pay for thisss." I wave the bill at him. " Oh no let me!" He grabs it and I shrug grabbing my keys as he walks off to pay. I find Sookie and stick five dollars in her apron. " See you later. " I actually giggle. I am feeling awesome. I really like this place.

Me and brother hop into the car, and I throw my car in reverse. I know I shouldn't be driving but I should be okay the next two blocks or so. As were driving through the bayou I sing along with the radio, handing his hand. Its so nice to see family. Some one who really cares about me. I hit about 30 and look over to him to flash a quick smile. I look back at the road and my heart hops into my throat. I slam onto the breaks. All I see is a girl laying on the side of the road, body mangled. I get out after I throw up my emergency break.
Angelo rushes after me. "Whats wrong?" He asks. "What the fuck do you mean, do you not see her?" I shout, the poor girl face down, with no pants, bite marks everywhere, pale.
He touches my back and rubs it in a circle. "No, maybe you drank too much." "No Cabron," which is Spanish for asshole.
He laughs. " Haven't heard that shit in a while," referring to the Puerto Rican slang.
"THIS IS NOT A TIME TO LAUGH." I storm back to the car, I am seeing things others cant, it drives me crazy. I'll come back when more sober.

We drive to his apartment and I take a small nap, when I wake up I have a shower and get dressed to go out. I let my brother know I'm hanging out with Sookie Stackhouse.
He seems happy that I am already making friends and doesn't tag along. When I pull up to the estate I see a woman on the porch, petticoat and all, looking like something that walked out of the Civil

War. I open my car door and she is gone. I sigh, please don't let this place be more haunted then the Bronx. Before I exit the car, I look into my car mirror and touch up my eye liner, apply some

clear lip gloss and pop my lips.
"You look fine." Its Seth, now its time for me to roll my eyes. "You cant be here 'Angel' " I mock him. I pull at my white skirt to make sure it all looks good, I am very self conscience sometimes.
"Why not, I'm protecting you." He purrs.
I punch the steering wheel, making my car honk and I growl. "Oh yeah, the ghost that saves me from the vampire, I believe that!" I get out of the car and fall down because of a man. He is real, this must be vampire Bill.
"I don't like him." Seth says from the car. I groan inwardly and look up at a pale hand.
"Miss, are you alright?" His voice is smooth as honey as he easily picks me off the ground as if I'm a piece of paper. I am shook. "I'm good, justt wanted to introduce myself to the grass. " I laugh. He laughs too, I'm not sure if he means it. "Why don't we get inside before you try and introduce yourself to the sidewalk or steps." I noded and fixed my skirt once again. We walk up the house and as I touch the door, I see a flash from the past. Its day time here and there are small children. I let go of the door and its gone, the house is tattered.
I sigh out loud this time, and vampire Bill looks at me strangely. "Is there something wrong Miss..." He doesn't know my name.
"Catt." I say and as I finish with name Sookie is on the staircase, she looks beautiful in an emerald green cocktail dress.

"Catt! You made it, Bill this is Catt, shes new to the town" He gives an untrustworthy look "New? Where are you from? "
"New York." I say with a politely.
"I see you're not tipsy anymore" Sookie says with a laugh.
"Yes," I smile " I usually don't get drunk in the middle of the afternoon tho." Sookie nods, "So we were wondering if you wanted to go a vampire bar with us."
I was taken a little aback. I justt met my first vampire not two moments ago.
"I don't know, I don't think I'm dressed right. " I look down at my white corset and white lacey skirt, doesn't really scream vampire bar to me.
"Nonsense you look absolutely fine." She prances down the staires. I feel my stomach doing flips.
"Well okay then, I'm down."
We walk into the living room.
"May I offer you ay refreshments?" Bill says, his accent stronger then before.
"Alcohol!" I say quickly and laugh to myself. "I'm justt a tad nervous." I sputter, looking at my hands, usually I an confindent, now I feel like a high school kid.
He pours some of my favortive rum, straight into the cup, and hands it to me. "This should take the edge off." He grins.
I grin back and then look to Sookie.
"So..." I start. "Is there anything I should know before we go?"
Sookie looks towards me. "They can glamour you, its like mind control so don't look them directly in the eye for more then three seconds or so."
Bill nods and add in addiction, "Don't invite one into your home, unless you really are sure of their charator."
Now it my turn to nod, I listen but look around the old home, I wonder if this was his home in his past life.
"Anything else?" I muse. Taking three big gulps, finishing the cup and wiping my mouth. I am still nervous.
They both shake their heads. "Be careful?" Sookie states but its more like a question.I stand up, a little buzzed. My white Mary Janes are no longer my favortive pair of shoes, I walk over to the bottle and take a shot out it, toasting to the hope of no longer seeing Seth when I get outside.
"You guys ready?" I toss my keys on the table. "I'll let you drive, since Ive been drinking and I have no idea in what direction were going." I smile. I secretly hope they like me and don't think I'm an alcoholic. And at that we leave in Bills car, seeing as he knows how to get there better than I would.

We chit chat onto the way to the bar, it is too dark for me to see where were driving and land marks. And then before I know it I see a huge red sign.
Fangtasia, I giggle to myself and look around the car, making sure Seth wasn't near, thats I all I needed, a worrysome ghost at a vampire bar. But he wasn't anywhere.
We walk up, I stay behind Sookie and vampire Bill but I stay close, if I learned anything from the big city is stick close to your people. We wait in line until we get to the door where a blond woman in a blood red jumpsuit that fit her well is waiting, shes a vampire I think to myself. She smiles at Sookie and Bill, "Eric's waiting for you inside."
"I could care less about what he wants." Bill spat, and they moved forward so she could ID me, she smells the air and her blue eyes look right thru me. I get the chills.
"Well arent you a young blossem." Her smile is fake. I take back my ID and go to walk away when she grabs my elbow.
"Don't get lost Sweet Thing."

I walk into the bar, its all red and black, I feel like I'm in a Blood club. We walk up to the bar and order drinks, Bill gets a Tru Blood and Sookie just gets a pop. I grab a grown up drink.
Following Sookie and Bill we walk up to a man sitting in a chair overlooking the whole bar. They stand in front of me me, blocking me from his view. He is beautiful for a man, blond hair pushed back with a comb and artic blue eyes, he wears all black and his voice gives me the chills, justt being in his surrounding gives me the feeling of something unnatural.
"Bill, my old friend..." I zone back in "Whos this young lady?" Bill tightens up in his chest, for someone who doesn't breathe he is very tense.
I look around trying not to think of this stranger in the chair, when I rudely walk off to the bathroom. Dancing through the crowd till I get inside, leaning on the back of the door.
In the bathroom is a girl who is topless, a vampire has her pressed against the wall, their, well, fucking.
"What the fuck?" I say to Seth as soon as I get into a stall. "Whats going on here?"
Seth looks bored "Its a VAMPIRE bar Catt."
"I know that, but get a fucking room." I heard growling from the vampire on the otherside of the door.
I bang on the stall.
"Fuck you bitch." I say, and Seth looks nervous, " You shouldn't of done that Catt..." Just then the vampire ripps the stall off and I instintivly back up, sizing him up for no reason. I cant defeat him.
"What did you say!" He screams in my face. I trip backwards on the tiolet and without that blink of an eye Bill is there. "Can I help you?' He looks at the other vampire who quickly leaves with his play thing in a flash.
Bill helps me up. "You shouldn't have such a mouth if you're so clumsy Miss Catt." I smile, and pull out a silver pocket knife out of my bra and replaing it back quickly.
"I would of justt killed him." I say.
"Not in my fucking bar." A smother older voice says.
Its the stranger.
"I will handle this Bill." He says.
"No Eric, you will not." Bill says hard, he must not like his 'friend'.
"She is not yours. And I am you Sheriff. Leave." He looks roughly at him.
Bill leaves and looks at him as if its the last time.

The bathroom is quiet and very crowded by Erics presence. It alone seems to fill the whole room.
He moves closer to me and presses me up against the stall wall, he reaches to lock the stall.
"You know what I should do to your sorry excuse for an existence?" He rasies his blond brows, hes so pale I notice.
I hear Seth screaming "GETOUTNOW" in my head and I cover my ears unintentionally.

"I'm not yelling at you..." Eric says as he closes the distance. Pressing me upward, his simple pressure picks me up off the floor. His body is cold as stone and I gasp.

"I should suck you dry..." he growls into my ear, " you smell so..." he breathes in "fresh." He grabs my wrists and I make a last attempt to get him away, by punching him accros face. It hurts me more than it hurts him. It was like hitting a tombstone.

As if instantly I hit the bathroom floor outside in stall, my face hits on the floor and I feel him atop on me, pulling my hands behind my back as if arresting me. Pulling me up, im knealing in front of him now. I pray to God he wont bite me. "I should kill you, for doing that." He whispers against my neck as I pull my face away from him. I feel tears slide down my face. "But..." his lips justt brush against my skin and I flinch. " I think I'll keep you." He picks me off the floor.
"Kill me then!" I look over my shoulder and manage to spit on him. I don't really care at this point anymore. He rams me against the other wall. "Listen if you want to live little girl." he barely whipers right behind my ear, tangling my hair in his fingers in my hair and giving a good tug. "Go out there and act like nothing happened justt now, Ill let you slide this once." He tugs one last time pushes me to the floor.

Hes gone by the time I can look.