Summary: Cassandra Delfine has known the exact date and time she would die since she was thirteen years old, but the journey to that point was another matter entirely. Plagued by visions and unsure of her place in the world she does what she can to protect those she loves as she is pulled head first into a world she may never truly understand. With a vulgar best friend, an intrigued vampire, and a troublesome gift how will she ever manage to make it through college?

A/N: This is my take on an EricxOC and hopefully I won't make her a Mary-sue or Eric OOC, because frankly we wouldn't love him as much as we do if he was a wuss. Please let me know if you like it and any criticism (constructive) is greatly appreciated. (hint: reviews make me update quicker!). Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood or the Southern Vampire Mysteries, but boy do I wish I did.

Chapter 1: In for a Pound

"One thing vampire children learn early on is not to run with wooden stakes." James handy

This is not where I had hoped to be on my twenty first birthday. I didn't want to be standing in a line outside some vampire bar in a city in the middle of Louisiana. I smacked at my arm as a mosquito alighted upon the aforementioned appendage.

I looked down at my best friend whose curly dark hair danced around her shoulders as she gestured animatedly around her, commenting on everything from the tall blonde dominatrix woman carding people to the bright red neon sign flashing 'Fangtasia'. I felt myself snort softly at the pun. I'm sure this place was going to be fangtastic. I tuned back into Morgan's incessant babbling, wondering to myself how she had convinced me to come here to "have a little fun".

"I heard from Caitlin that he is a god nestled amongst us mere mortals." I laughed lightly as she fanned her face dramatically. However the scowl that had taken up residence on my face quickly returned as we made it to the front of the line.

"I.D," Obligingly we handed her our licenses fidgeting slightly in place has she dragged her eyes up and down our bodies. "Well aren't you just too sweet." A cool drawl drew me out of my thoughts causing a blush to bloom across my cheeks as I realized she was looking at me.

"Uh, thanks, it's just the dress." I gestured down to the pale pink frock that seemed much too modest for the club with its high neck and lower thigh hemline. A predatory smile spread across her lips as she handed me my i.d. back.

"Oh they are going to just love you, birthday girl." I started to internally freak out as Morgan pulled me through the dark doors.

"Hey Morgan, maybe this wasn't such a good idea." She shook off my concern with a flippant wave of her hand.

"Relax Cassie and enjoy the ride. We are going to have an uber-fun time." She pumped her fist into the air in excitement before dragging us further into the dark foreboding walls of the club. Morgan expertly maneuvered us to the bar where a Native American vampire was cleaning a glass. Morgan stepped up to the bar with a confidence and ease I was not capable of feeling at the moment. " I'll have a mudslide my good bartender." I watched silently as he raised an eyebrow before quickly mixing her drink. When I say quickly I mean almost too fast to see. I felt my heartbeat quicken as he turned his dark gaze towards me.

"I'll just have a Bacardi and coke please." I turned to see Morgan chugging down her mudslide in record time and I had to bite my lip to keep from groaning out loud. At a height of five foot four and a grand weight of one hundred and thirteen pounds, Morgan could get tipsy off of a sip of alcohol let alone a whole shot. She set the empty glass down and smacked her lips in satisfaction.

"Don't be a party pooper and stay at the bar all night Cassie, you're twenty-one now! Live it up!" I sighed as Morgan quickly threaded her way through the throng of bodies that were gyrating about the open dance floor. I turned back to the bar to find the bartender watching me with shrouded eyes.

"How much do I owe you, Mr. ?" I sat down as his face broke into a rather unnerving smile.

"Long Shadow, and it's on the house, Twenty-one being so important and all." I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic, but I laughed anyway before softly replying,

" I guess it's been awhile since yours." I stiffened and peered up at him through my eyelashes hoping that he had a sense of humor. To my surprise and relief he let out a hoarse chuckle as he picked up a glass to clean.

"That would be a grave understatement." I grinned slightly. Maybe tonight wouldn't be as horrible as I had thought.

" Do you mind if I talk to you tonight? I only ask because I'm sure you must get busy and I don't want to distract you, but I'm pretty positive I'm going to get bored and it would be nice to have someone to converse with. So would it be okay?" I finished off my ramble with an unsure shrug of my shoulders, which seemed to amuse the longhaired vampire even more.

"Shouldn't you be getting, how should I say it, wasted with your human friend?" His rough voice was tinged with mild curiosity. I let out an exasperated sigh as I nursed a sip from my drink.

"Well I don't fancy waking up with a splitting headache and I really need to keep an eye on Morgan or she'll end up doing who knows what. Last time she got drunk she ended up painting her dog pink. The strange part is that we still have no idea where she got the paint from." I received another chuckle for my troubles and I decided that Long Shadow was rather easy to amuse or I was just really entertaining.

I sighed closing my eyes in the process as I fished into the stream that ran continuously through the back of my mind. I picked at the whispers that included my 'voice' and Morgan's 'voice'. Grabbing onto both I allowed my mind to be assaulted by the various futures that could happen within the next hour. I made my mind rapidly skim each scene for any danger or mishaps that might occur involving either of us. Finding none I quietly disentangled myself from the stream and opened my eyes in the real world. I glanced quickly at the clock to find that about a minute had passed and I sighed in relief that my trance had been short.

Sometimes when I went into a 'trance' I would wake-up to find that hours had passed. In a way it was a lot like daydreaming, except that I saw futures instead of dreams. I sipped at my rum and coke, making sure that the alcohol didn't affect my body or mind adversely. The next hour or so passed with little incident as I kept up a steady stream of amiable chatter with the Native American bartender. It turned out that he had a pretty dark sense of humor that took me awhile to get tuned to it, but once I did I found myself laughing at its subtleties.

At the moment Long Shadow was busy getting drinks for an excited group of tourists so I attempted to keep myself occupied my studying my surroundings. It seemed that everything in the bar was done in either a glaring shade of red or a light absorbing black with a touch of gray thrown in for effect. The pictures of iconic movie and literary vampires lined the walls along with signs that prohibited 'biting' on the premises.

Various tourists were huddled together in groups dressed in black clothing or 'fangtasia' t-shirts from the gift store. I looked down at my pale pink dress and I quickly realized that I stood out like a chalk in a blacktop. Luckily Morgan also stood out in her bright red ensemble, which made it easier to keep track of her physically and mentally.

As I finished looking around I almost felt offended for the vampires. This place was so cheesy and the vampires, which you could easily tell were vampires, seemed to play up to the stereotypes in their skintight dark clothes and seductively hungry smiles.

" Hey Long Shadow?" He flicked his dark eyes up at me to show that he was listening, " Do you guys ever get tired of this?" I gestured vaguely at the club behind me. His gaze intensified as he replied.

"Of what exactly?" I paused, wondering if I should continue with my train of thought. I was saved from answering as a rather drunk girl stumbled into my back, falling on the ground in the process. I immediately jumped off of my barstool thankful for the black flats I was wearing and reached down to help her up. I tensed as she grabbed my hand with a flailing arm.

" I don't want to do this anymore." A vampire was holding her tightly against his chest with one arm as the other stroked her body. He pulled her bleached hair back as he held her close.

"I thought you said you couldn't bear the pain any longer. I'm just helping to ease it." His voice was as smooth as syrup and just as sweet. Sugar coated arsenic.

"Let me go. Please! I don' wanna die!" Without further delay he plunged his fangs into her neck with fervent pleasure. The life drained from her body as he fed on her blood until all that was left was a fleshy shell.

I flinched as her drunken eyes made contact with my wide ones. I grabbed her other hand and lifted her up, using my impressive height of five foot ten to my advantage. I managed to maneuver the now protesting drunk into the chair next to me.

"Whadda you doin' getch yur hands offa' me!" Her voice was a mixture of Deep South and drunkenness, which made it very hard for me to understand. I had been born and raised in the north, only coming down south for college.

"Long Shadow could I get a bottle of water?" I turned to visually measure how drunk she was, " On second thought, make it two, please." He nodded before handing me two bottles to which I handed him a five hoping that would cover it. I quickly twisted one of the bottles open and shoved it into the drunken girl's hand ignoring the looks of curiosity I was receiving from the Native American in front of me. " Here drink this and you should feel much better." She looked up at me with surprising wariness for someone as far-gone as she was.

"Who're you?" I smiled before gesturing to the water bottle.

"Cassandra, but you can call me Cassie. Just drink some water and you'll start to feel better." I rested my hand on her shoulder in a hopefully comforting manner. She stared up at me blearily before her eyes started to tear up and soon she was crying into her arms. I threw a bewildered look at Long Shadow only to find that he was at the other end of the bar. I patted the girl's back in my attempt to sooth her tears. "Shhh, it's okay, just calm down. Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" She lifted her head, drawing in ragged hiccup-y breathes.

"M-my name's Mary Jo." I reached my hand out with a soft smile and lightly grabbed hers from off the counter.

"It's very nice to meet you Mary Jo. I've been told I make a pretty good listener if you would like to talk." I let her hand drop after a brief handshake. I went to take a sip of my rum and coke, letting her decide what she wanted to do.

"Why woulda a lady like you wanna to listen ta me for?" I really took a look at her for the first time. She didn't seem older than twenty-five, but she was one of those girls who had aged too early and now held just a shadow of their former beauty. Her body was patterned with old bite marks that were easy to see do to her lack of substantial clothing. She definitely couldn't be called classy.

"Honestly? You look like you need an ear." I took another sip of my drink waiting for her response.

"It's just been a rough coupla of weeks, ya know?" Her voice was low and coarse, the kind of voice you get from smoking too long. I looked behind me to find Morgan twirling merrily around in the middle of the dance floor.

"Yeah," I sighed softly, " I know the feeling." I smiled at her as she began to drink the water I had gotten for her. She looked reluctant to confide in me so I did what I did best, I started a stream of steady chatter. It took roughly thirty minutes of me talking, with interjections here or there from Long Shadow for Mary Jo to begin to open up. We started slow, but I soon had her explaining why she was as trashed as she was.

" I done lost my job and Sawyer left me for some trampy little red head. It's like it all just went to shit." The slur in her words was already softening as she began to sober up.

"Well what you need to do is forget about Sawyer and that red head. Any guy who will leave you isn't worth it. For your job that's a tad trickier." I hummed thoughtfully as I thought about her options. I closed my eyes and grasped experimentally for Mary Jo's thread. I wasn't normally this carefree with using my gift, but it was literally life-or-death if I didn't help her so I allowed her successful futures to play in my mind. I opened my eyes as a name whispered into my ear.

" You alrigh' Cassie?" I shook my head slightly and threw a smile o my face.

"Sorry Mary Jo, I just got lost in thought. About a job, well I've heard that they might be hiring down at Alligator Joe's. If you go down there tomorrow, around two'ish, and clean yourself up I'm sure you could get the job." Her eyes were wide as she stared in me in shock and gratitude.

"Thank ya so much Cassie, how can I repay ya?" I just waved her off with a flippant hand motion.

"Don't worry about it, just help out someone if they need it and we'll be square. Deal?" I held out my hand for her to shake, but she forwent the hand and grabbed me into a big hug instead. I patted her back awkwardly before disentangling myself. My body suddenly stiffened as a vision overlapped my gaze. Out of all of the prophetic dreams, visions, and guiding whispers I was subject to, this second-sight was my least favorite because it always meant that the danger was immediate.

"How about we go somewhere more intimate?" Morgan turned to face the vampire she had just been happily grinding with.

"Sorry, I have to make sure Cassie is having a good time!" His smile barely flickered at her rejection before his gaze intensified and his word became low and sweet. Sugar covered arsenic.

"You will leave your friend behind and come with me." Morgan's eyes glazed slightly as she nodded her head in a drugged manner. With a grin the vampire led her towards the front door, as they left the club the dominatrix vampire from earlier narrowed her eyes slightly. Morgan followed willingly as he ushered around to the back of the building before stowing her in a black Volvo and speeding off.

"Cassie?" I rough voice pulled me from the vision. I looked up to see both Long Shadow and Mary Jo staring at me, her worriedly and him intently. I plastered a light grin on my face as I stood up.

"I'm fine, my vision just went a little wonky that's all. I'm going to go outside and get some fresh air." I fanned my face in a gesture oddly reminiscent of Morgan before I hopped off of the barstool. Mary Jo grinned at me before turning back to the bar to finish her second bottle of water. I began to move towards the door, steadily increasing my pace as I realized that I could see Morgan near the exit being led outside by the vampire I had dubbed Sugar coated arsenic.

I felt little sorrow as I roughly shoved tourists out of my way to get out the door. As soon as I was out I turned sharply and ran in the direction I knew the pair was heading. I managed to get them in view while he was a decent distance from his car.

"Morgan, where are you going? You're my ride home!" I tried to make sure I sounded as if I had no idea what was actually happening. I watch as he leaned over a whispered something into her ear.

"Listen Cassie, I'm heading over to Jackson's for the evening. I'll give you the keys, okay?" If I hadn't of known that she had been enchanted somehow, I would have believed her. I nodded slowly as I walked towards her, she reciprocated and we met in the middle of the lot. I glanced at Jackson and shivered as he smirked at the exchange. Once Morgan was within reach I grabbed her wrist instead of the keys and began to drag her back towards the front of the club. I cringed as her sharp nails dug viciously into my wrist.

"Cassie, let me go! I want to go with Jackson!" I darted my eyes to her as she fought me."

"Morgan, you told me not to let you go off with anybody tonight. I'm just doing what you asked." It wasn't a complete lie. Her exact words had been not to let her leave with someone ugly, but I figured it was close enough.

"Cassie, I have to go with him!" I would have replied, but Jackson was suddenly in front of my path.

"Now where do you think you're going Cassie?" I watched warily as he stalked towards us, his voice gaining a hypnotic lull the more he spoke. His eyes intensified. "Morgan went home with a nice human boy named Hunter. You had no reason to worry about her because she was happy when she left. She gave you her car keys and you drove her car home." A fog attempted to descend upon my thoughts with every beguiling word, but it slipped away unable to gain purchase and I remained clear headed.

" I am taking Morgan home Jackson and you are going to back the hell off you greasy haired creeper." His eyes widen in shock before narrowing in rage. I didn't even have time to scream as my body was thrown against the metal siding of the building. I sharp crack resonated through the air as I land on the ground. I groaned pitifully. Something had definitely broken. I let out a strangled cry of pain as he lifted me off the ground by my neck.

Morgan seemed to snap out of her trance and tried to come to my aid, but she was knocked back with a flick of Jackson's wrist. I would have worried about her wellbeing, but my attention was more focused on the cold hand that had wrapped itself tightly around my throat.

"h-help," I tried to croak out a call for aid, but it was no louder than a whisper. My fingers clawed desperately at the hand as I struggled to suck in oxygen. I kicked out in distress; my long limbs would have worked to my advantage if he had been human. My frantic motions began to dwindle as black spots started to dance in my vision. As the darkness grew a loud rushing began to assault be ears. The feeling of falling took over along with a sudden sense of euphoric weightlessness. Was I swimming? Where was I?

A sharp pain in my rear end yanked my mind out of its watery state with starting jolt. I suddenly became aware of a burning in my lungs that had me gasping for air. My senses were assaulted by disorientation as I tried to figure out where I was. With a sudden clarity I realized I was in a side alley along Fangtasia getting my butt kicked by a horny vampire. The sight of Jackson being held by the scruff of his neck like a wayward puppy baffled my mind until I laid my eyes on the ridiculously handsome and tall blond who was holding him up. A god among mere mortals.

" Jackson it would appear that you were attempting to feed on the premises, but I must be mistaken. Surely you would not be foolish enough to commit such an act. So enlighten me, what is the problem here?" His voice was decidedly masculine and deceptively light. The veiled threat within his words was barely perceptible, but undoubtedly there.

"I was making my way off the premises Sheriff when I was accosted by her." I watched the exchange with wary eyes, vaguely aware of the sore aching in my throat muscles and a sharp stabbing in my arm. I glanced down at my arm and noticed that my left elbow was set at an extremely odd angle.

"Oh. That looks bad." My voice was rough and scratchy as I spoke and I'm pretty sure the numb calm I was awash with was a result of shock. The sheriff flicked his eyes towards me. Jackson was dropped into the dirt at the feet of the bouncer vamp, I hadn't even noticed her before then, where he remained. The big blond walked, well more like glided, over to where I was situated on the ground. I stared up at him with both fear and intrigue. If he was death then death had never look so good.

"Are you saying that you were incapable of subduing this one human? You didn't seem to have trouble with the other one." His glacial eyes returned to Jackson. Morgan's body was lying on the harsh gravel, unmoving except for the steady rise and fall of her chest.

"I don't know what happened!" Jackson seemed to become more frantic as the blond vampire's face hardened. " She shouldn't have known that I was leaving with her friend, she was occupied at the bar. Just as I have the human in the parking lot she suddenly appears and starts dragging my meal away. I tried to glamour her, but it failed. I don't know what happened?" The blond's sharp blue gaze snapped back to my face his eyes now curious.

"How very…interesting." The soft purr caused my heart to start beating frantically as his eyes trailed my prone form. " I would suggest that you find your food elsewhere from now on." Jackson stumbled to his feet looking almost human in the action.

"Yes, sheriff." With a stiff bow he was gone from the parking lot. The blond turned his attention back to me.

" Vad heter hon?" Oh dear, he was speaking another language. I hope he wasn't talking to me. The blonde dominatrix was quick to reply in her lazy drawl.

"Hon heter Cassandra Delfine." I recognized my name and wondered briefly if I wanted to know what they were talking about. I shifted slightly only to bite back a cry of pain. The Sheriff was observing my every move with half-lidded eyes.

"Excuse me, would it be possible for me to go to the hospital or do you need me to answer questions." I figured I should be as polite as possible even though I felt as if my mind was covered with cotton. Tall and handsome lifted an eyebrow, before allowing a small upturn of his lips.

"Well aren't you sweet?" His tone was condescending and the smirk on his face had grown. "Well Cassandra, we seem to have a problem you and I. Are you able to follow me to somewhere more private?" I was pretty sure that it was an order and not a question, but my arm was killing me and I really wanted to go to the hospitable.

"Sure, but could I maybe have some ice for my arm?" He seemed amused by my request and nodded before reaching a hand out to me. I reached up with my uninjured arm and delicately slid my hand into his large palm. Elegantly long fingers wrapped around my wrist and gently tugged me to my feet. His hand lingered and I realized that Morgan's nails had torn up my wrist during her struggle. Unsure of how to respond in this situation I bit my lip.

"Do you a want some?" My voice tapered off in uncertainty, but it appeared to be the right thing to say as his tongue darted out and meticulous licked the blood surrounding the gouges in my skin. His eyes closed as if he were savoring it, which probably wasn't far off.

"Interesting." His voice came out as a thoughtful murmur as his eyes opened. My hand slid out of his as he began walking towards the back door of the building. I glanced sideways to see that the dominatrix was easily holding Morgan's body. I sucked in a large breath before making my way towards the door, cradling my left arm carefully against my body. In for a penny.

Translations: I used an online translator for these so please tell me if these are wrong so I can fix it. I like to be as correct as possible with my stories and I take the research seriously.

"Vad heter hon?"- what is her name?

"Hon heter Cassandra Delfine."- Her name is Cassandra Delfine.