Hello Everybody. First True Blood story. I'm pretty excited about it. I hope you will like my story. Reviews are highly appreciated. Thank You for reading.

beta reader: Fleur LB

CHAPTER 1
RUN

I stopped my car in front of a bar, the neon lights said it was called Merlotte's. I'd been on the road for more than a month again, looking for a place I could stay for a few months. Maybe Bon Temps will be the right one, I thought, getting out of the car.

It seemed to be a nice little town, my kind of place, the type where you go when you wanna run away from everything. Exactly what I was looking for. The truth was I never liked small towns, thanks for growing up in Brooklyn, I had always been a city girl, but the need is big and the groundin the city became too hot under my feet a few years ago.

I made my way to the bar, taking a seat at one of the booths. I thought about whether it was a good idea to come so far south. I was well aware that the area was a dangerous place, especially for me. But on the other hand, Dallas or any other city was far enough from Bon Temps so probably it was safe to stay for a few months to stay.

„Hi, what can I give you?" An all-smile blond waitress stopped next to me, pulling me out from my thoughts.

Wow, she gotta be hiding something with that crazy grin, I thought. No way somebody could be truly that happy, at least I had never met anybody who was.

„So?" the blond raised an eyebrow, still smiling kindly. Whatever, she seems to be no harm, I thought.

„Just a coke, thanks," I smiled back and the waitress walked away, her ponytail bouncing after her.

I went back to my thoughts when I felt something strange. It was weird, like somebody tried to get into my head. I turned my head and saw the blond waitress looking a strange way at me, her eyes narrowed and she seemed to be concentrating pretty hard. I quickly moved my gaze away. Great, a telepath, I thought. Just what I needed. It was lucky I learnt years ago how to keep my thoughts and emotions to myself.

„Here's your coke," the waitress put the glass on the table, scanning me.

„Thank you," I smiled up at her, trying to make her sure I meant no harm.

„You are new here. Are you just travelling through or do you plan stay?" the waitress asked and I could see the curiousity almost killed her. Awesome, she's one of those who pokes her nose into everything. Plus it make it even worse she can't read my mind. I bet that was the biggest reason she was so interested.

„Let's say I'm considering staying," I answered, sipping my coke. „How is living here?"

I asked, hoping to make forget the blond about the wall in my head. I didn't need questions and I was way sure the blond got many.

„The best place of the world. I live here ever since I was born," the waitress answered, the grin back on her face again.

I'm so good it hurts, I thought, mentally patting my shoulder for knowing people so well. The girl maybe was a telepath but she was also a local, proud of her little town.

„I'm Sookie by the way," she offered her hand and I shook it firmly.

„Nice to meet you. I'm Sophia," countrymen never failed to amaze me, they were so friendly and genial. Sookie couldn't read my mind and not even that made her suspicious or rude. „I suppose you don't know about a free job I could get."

I was out of money as usual. Living on the road was expensive and the bars I hit and performed some song didn't bring too much into my purse.

„Actually one of our waitress just took off," Sookie answered, rolling her eyes frustrated but still smiling. „It can be kinda crazy around here but if you think you're up to it I can talk to the boss."

„I worked as a waitress, bartender, performer in New York, nothing can scare me away," I answered laughing, opting not to mention I did all of this in a vampire bar.

One, I knew countryfolks, especially southerns weren't so open about vampires, two, I didn't want to talk about it, or even think about what happened back then. That was the past and I left it behind.

„Performer? What do you do?" Sookie asked me excited.

„Singing, playing guitar and dance, the last one only if I must," I explained, ending with a smirk.

„Wow, Sam will be thrilled to have you. Well, as much as he can be thrilled about anything," Sookie giggled and I laughed softly.

„You can come back around 5, Sam will be here and you can talk to him," Sookie said.

„Thank you," I smiled at her.

„Hi, may I?" I peeked in the office Sookie had directed me to speak with the boss.

„Sure, come in," the man waved to me and I shut the door behind me.

„You must be Sophia," the guy kept walking around the small office, like he was looking for something.

I watched him close and sensed something weird about him. It wasn't bad but something definetly strange. He seemed to be the kind of man who always worried about something, the exact opposite of Sookie who herself was like a happy little bubble.

„Ahm, yes. Sophia Smith," I lied, following Sam's every move with my gaze.

I never told anybody my real name. I learnt on the hard way you could never know who would turn against you. I knew too well to give myself away. Back in the days I was the one who betrayed everybody who trusted me.

„Sam Merlotte," Sam said offering his hand. „So do you have any experiences?" he asked, tossing some paper away on the table.

„Yes, I worked as a waitress before, also a bartender," I answered. „What are you looking for?"

„My notepad, everything is in that, the shifts, when the suppliers come…" he explained frustrated.

I scanned the room. There was a big mess but I saw it immediately. I was good at this, finding things.

„That one?" I smiled, pointing at the shelf.

„Yeah," Sam sighed and reached for it. „How did you?"

„I'm good at this," I cut him off, shrugging. „There is always order in chaos, you just have to find the pattern."

„Well, thank you," Sam said, watching me close.

„So, do I get the job?" I asked, smiling sweetly.

I could turn my attitude whenever I wanted. I was like a cameleon. There wasn't anybody left who knew the true Sophia, at least not anybody I stayed in touch with. It was much easier to move on this way. And what could I say about myself anyway? Hi, I'm Sophia Fairholm, the girl who was raised to be a killer, fell in love with a monster, betrayed her family, let everybody die who ever cared about her. That would be one hell of an introduction.

I got a complex personality, I was everything in one person, that was why I could be anybody who I wanted to be, wearing a mask all the time was easier for me than let people in, also I got used to lie everytime. It was a way of life for me.

„Yes, I guess. One month probation. You can start tonight if it isn't too fast for you."

„No, absoulutely no. Actually it's awesome, I'm totally out of money. Spent my last pennies to rent a place," I answered happily.

„Okay then, Sookie will give you the uniform and welcome," Sam nodded.

Everything worked out perfectly. I got the job, found a flat, Bon Temps seemed to be a good place for me. Though Sookie got on my nerves with all the talking and grinning but I didn't say a word. I even enjoyed it a little, she was really nice. And I could even understand all this rambling and grinning with her being a telepath. Tara was one of a kind, she was loud and edgy but I knew I could handle it easily, not to mention Tara wasn't bad she just had an attitude and I met worse. Lafayette got a great sence of humor plus he made the best hamburger I ever ate.

The night was busy but I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved the rush, that I got no time to think. Silence wasn't a friend of me, thinking about what I did and what the consequences were didn't do any good for me.

We were about to close. I was tired but it was a good kind of weariness, not mentally but physically. Only Sookie and I were in the bar, even Sam left.

„So how did like your first night?" Sookie asked, while she cleaned the tables.

„I liked it," I smiled, grabbing some bottle from the tables.

„It would be great if you sing some time," Sookie grinned at me. „I really would like to hear you."

„Sure, though not now but some time soon," I nodded back at her from behind the bar.

I bent down to pick up some broken glass from the floor when I heard the door opening.

„Bill, I'm so glad you came. I want you to meet somebody," Sookie rambled excited.

I stood up and my breath was caught in my throat. The world definetely was a small place.

„Bill Compton?" I looked at the man next to Sookie. I would have never thought we would meet again, let alone in a small town like Bon Temps.

„Sophia?" Bill made the same surprised face as I did.

„You two know each other?" Sookie asked surprised as well.

„It's nice to see you again, Bill," I smiled at him, ignoring Sookie.

„Does Eric know you are here?" Bill asked, looking concerned at me.

I stared at him, my heart missed a beat at the mention of the name, my hand tightened around the bottle I hold.

„Eric is here?" I asked, fighting hard to keep my voice steady.

„You know Eric?" Sookie looked at me, her eyes widening.

„He's the Sheriff of Area 5. Didn't the Council informed you…"

„In that case I'd better leave," I cut him off.

I could feel the blood running out of my face, my body becoming cold. That happened all the time something unexpected or scary happened to me. I almost literally froze.

„I suppose that would be the best for all of us," Bill nodded.

I stared ahead, my mind and body became numb. The sound of breaking glass echoed in the heavy silence. The bottle in my hand broke into pieces, falling to the floor, as well as drops of my blood.

„Oh my Gosh, are you alright?" Sookie ran to me, taking a hold on my bloody hands.

„Yes, I clean this up and leave," I answered, pulling away her hands.

I shook myself mentally. This wasn't the time to break down, there wasn't a time for it.

„Leave it, I'll do it," Sookie offered, benting down next to me.

„I can do it," I groaned, I was about to lose it. I needed to get away from there as soon as it was possible.

I should have been more careful. I should have let down my guards to know if he was close.

Vivid images of Eric standing in front of me covered in blood, my stake pointing right at his heart appeared in front of my eyes.

„No, you need a bandage on your hands," Sookie complained.

„Go," I growled, pushing away Sookie's hand.

„Sookie, we would better leave," Bill took a hold on Sookie's arm, pulling her up from the floor.

„But Bill," Sookie started again but stopped when she saw Bill's face was dead serious.

„It was nice to see you again, Sophia," Bill nodded as they made their way out.

„It was nice to see you, too," I answered, watching them leave.

Amazing, I thought as I closed the bar, taking the key under the flowerpot and light a cigarette. This was so not happening to me. I travelled around the big U.S., avoiding all the big cities, hoping I could escape and there I was, in the middle of nowhere, right beside Eric Northman.

What did he even do there? Sheriff of Area 5… I could imagine how full of himself he must be about it. Not that he didn't work for it. Oh, he did, very hard. Killing almost everybody of my family could be a hell of a job. Again, I couldn't blame him for what he did. We started it by sending me to his bar.

Of course if I didn't run away the Council would have informed me as Bill thought. Or not, because they would have closed me to a dark cell under the ground somewhere far from humanity for what I did.

That was why I was on the run, running from the Council, from Eric, from my past.