Eva Spencer had known she would be an item worth discussing when she had decided to crash the town's comfort spot wearing her semi-revealing white silk dress. She had tried to simplify it with colorful bangles she had picked up at a booth in Picadilly Circus' weekly street fair, and slouchy brown boots she had found in a shop in Berlin, but she still stood out in the small-town bar. Pretending to ignore the curious stares that followed her from the door, Eva slid onto one of the high stools at the bar and caught the bartender's attention with a slight smile.

"Just passing through?"

"Is it that obvious I don't belong here?"

"A girl like you's bound to stick out wherever she goes."

"I'm going to be optimistic and assume you meant that as a compliment," Eva smiled. "So thank you."

"I surely did, ma'am," he returned her smile. "What can I get for you?"

"Gin and tonic with a cherry."

"A cherry?"

"Please."

He retrieved her drink and delivered it with a grin. "Can I get you anything else ma'am? You hungry?"

"Nope, just thirsty for now."

"All right then. I'm Sam, this is my place, and you just let me know if there's anything else I can bring you."

Eva sat alone at the end of the bar sipping her drink silently as she let her eyes drift curiously around the semi-crowded bar. The strangers' faces shared a lazy small-town similarity—mostly vacant, but casually interested in one another. She imagined that this was a familiar environment for the bar; night after night the people would gather together to share the toils of their workday and wash it away with a beer and burger, just in time to return home for a few hours of rest before the whole routine began again.

"Hey Sam, any chance I could get off a little early tonight?"

Eva turned her attention to the young blonde woman who had emerged from the back, carrying a large tray loaded with two pitchers of beer and three plates of burgers and fries. She was grinning wide and walking quickly, dodging the other waitresses and the customers with practiced ease.

"Early?" He turned to the blonde with a scowl. "Whatcha wanna get off early for, Sookie?"

"I've got plans," she replied with an even wider grin.

"Date plans?" Sam asked.

Her smile faltered very briefly, but she managed to keep it strong. "Yes in fact."

"Well, if it slows down enough maybe so," he shrugged, "but I still need you here for a while."

Sookie's smile finally faltered, but she nodded obediently. "Alright then." She continued serving her tables.

Eva watched her flit around the floor, busily serving and taking orders, but Eva noticed that her smile had almost completely vanished. Eva couldn't help feeling curious about the waitress' postponed date and why her boss wouldn't let her leave. When she passed by the bar again, she smiled briefly at Eva, who returned the smile before the waitress disappeared into the back room.

"Hey Sam," Eva waved him down, and he returned promptly.

"What can I do for you ma'am?"

"Well for starters, you can call me Eva," she held out her hand, and he shook it. "And then I think I might take you up on something to eat."

"Let me get you a menu." He left briefly and returned with a menu, but as he was handing it to her, his eyes drifted up towards the door and his forehead creased into a deep scowl.

Eva glanced over her shoulder curiously and saw what had taken Sam's attention. Two strangers had entered the bar, waltzing in with control and danger shining from their eyes. She knew instantly what they were, and judging from his reaction, she assumed Sam did as well.

"Do you get a lot of vampires in here?" Eva asked Sam, turning away from the newcomers carelessly.

"No, but we get one. And he's been more than enough for me." Sam continued to watch the vampires carefully. "They're looking for trouble."

"Maybe they're just looking for a drink," Eva suggested. She glanced at them again as they started to speak.

"Good evening one and all…" the male vampire speaking had thick, wavy auburn hair and an insincere smile that put Eva on edge. "We've just been dying to come out and get to know this little town that has so captivated our dear friend…"

"You know, we were rather expecting him to be here…" the female companion spoke with a low voice that sounded almost like a purr, or possibly a growl. "Anyone seen Bill Compton this fine evening?" She had short dark hair that was slicked back away from her face.

"He hasn't been in here tonight," Sam answered promptly.

"We were under the impression that this was his hangout?" The male came to the bar in one swift movement. "In fact, we've heard this place has hosted quite a few of our friends. A few of them who weren't so fortunate at getting out of your town again…" he cast his glistening eyes around the bar. "None of you would know anything about that though, would you?

Sam pulled back instinctively, but forced himself to stay controlled. Eva continued drinking calmly without even flinching at the vampire's sudden movements.

"Well? Where is Bill?" the vampire repeated.

"I don't keep tabs on him," Sam snapped.

Sookie came out from the back room again carrying another full tray, but she stopped short when she saw the vampires.

"Oh my, can it really be the infamous Sookie Stackhouse?" the woman's lip curled away from her teeth as she inched towards the waitress. "We've heard tons about you from a rather large variety of sources.

The male smiled. "Sookie, Sookie, Sookie…"

Eva noticed how Sookie's entire body suddenly seemed to tense, and her eyes flicked nervously between the three vampires.

"If you're looking for Bill, he's not here right now."

"So we've been told." The woman wandered towards the pool table where a group of guys were watching her attentively. "He's bound to show up eventually though, ain't he? He'll be coming to see you for sure."

"No he won't," Sookie answered quickly. "I'm meeting him later. You should go to his house now if you want to see him." She lifted an eyebrow. "If you are his friends, you should know where it is."

"Hmm…he's going to be staying put, at his place, all night?" The man grinned again. "How convenient for us."

"Isn't it thought?" The woman traipsed her fingers across the chest of one of the young men. "He is such a buzz kill."

"And she does love her buzz," the man laughed loudly.

"That I do." She sniffed the man's neck and he pulled away slightly. She laughed and walked away from him. "Don't worry baby. I don't want you anyway." The girl joined her mate and they started moving in towards Sookie.

"You can't touch me," Sookie told them firmly.

The female laughed and brushed a finger across Sookie's cheek. "Like that you mean?"

The male sneered and put his hands on Sookie's waist.

"Take your hands off me." Sookie stepped back, but they moved towards her again. "You can't touch me. I belong to him."

Both vampires laughed now.

"He's not here though, is he? So at the moment, I'd say you're fair game."

"Take your hands off me!" She tried once more, but they ignored her completely.

Eva sighed and took a large sip of her drink before spinning around in her seat and facing the forming dispute. "You should do as she asks."

"Are you talking to me?" The man turned to her instantly.

Eva stood and faced him boldly. "She is not your human. You have no rights to her."

"Who the hell do you think are, bitch?" The woman sneered.

The male stepped away from Sookie and stepped up close to Eva, putting his face only a couple inches from hers. "How dare you tell us what to do?"

"Do you know the punishment for biting another's human?" Eva asked calmly. "They pull out your fangs," she dragged it out slowly for dramatic effect. "They tear them right out of your mouth. And then you have to starve for the entire month it takes for them to grow back in. It won't be smooth either. Days and weeks of agony while the sharp new fangs pierce through your gums, slowly ripping the tight, sensitive flesh…"

"Shut the fuck up!" The man had his hand around Eva's neck in an instant.

"Does your sheriff know what you two are up to tonight?" Eva's voice was a little strained as the vampire tightened his grip on her.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him," the female crooned. She left Sookie and joined the other vampire by Eva. "I would be mighty interested to know how you've come to know so much of our ways though little girl."

The male pressed his nose against her neck. "You've never been tasted."

"No I haven't," she confirmed.

"Are you one of those religious folk?"

"Not at all."

"Good, then they won't miss you when you're dead."

"You aren't going to kill me," Eva tried to laugh, but the vampire's grip was still tight.

"Is that so?"

"You might want to, but the consequences would be severe."

The vampires looked at each other and laughed as they revealed their fangs to Eva.

"I'm giving you a chance," she told them. "You can leave now without harm…" She was coughing a little now in an effort to keep her voice.

"Or what?" He released his grip on her throat slightly so she could speak more freely.

"Or you'll have to face the authority."

"The authority?" They laughed again. "The police don't frighten us little girl."

"Who said I was referring to the police?" Eva reached out a finger so quickly the vampires didn't even know what she was doing until she had pricked her finger on the man's exposed fang.

"What the hell are you doing?" He jerked away from her quickly. "Do you want to be dead, bitch?"

The vampires sniffed as dark red blood oozed from her finger.

"Yum." The woman licked her lips, letting her tongue slip across her teeth slowly.

"You smell delectable…" the man leaned in towards her again and took a sniff. He drew his fingers through her long hair.

Eva smirked and placed her hand against his cheek. "And you smell like shit."

"Fuck!" He pulled back from her, his hand flying to his face. "What the fuck did you do?"

Eva held up her right hand to reveal a large silver ring on her ring finger. She was pleased to see that the rose image engraved on the ring had burned perfectly into his cheek.

"Oh she's feisty," the female purred again. "I can't wait to taste you…"

"You do and it will be the last thing you ever taste."

The female smiled, showing her fangs more completely as she inclined her head towards the door. "Bill…"

"How nice to see you," the dark haired one turned towards him. "Sookie said you weren't coming in tonight."

"I'm not here for Sookie," he told them. "Step away from her Payton."

The female vampire glared at him. "You're here for this one?" She gripped Eva's chin tightly.

"I said, let her go." Bill took a few steps towards them.

"Maybe you've forgotten, but you only get one human." The man snapped at him.

"I wasn't claiming her as mine, Antony."

"Good, then I don't see the problem here." Antony took Payton's place in front of Eva and placed his hand on her neck.

"I said, step away." Bill's warning came from low in his throat like a growl. "She is off limits."

"Who are you to set limits?" Antony questioned him without taking his eyes off of Eva. "You don't have that sort of authority."

"And what about me?" A silky voice spoke from the doorway. "Do I have the authority?"

Antony's grip tightened on Eva's neck and he looked over his shoulder slowly. "Eric…"

"Release her," Eric demanded, "this instant."

"My apologies." Antony let his hand slip from Eva's neck and he turned to Eric with his head slightly bowed. "We hadn't heard that you had a human."

Payton glanced longingly at Eva for a moment before stepping away as well. "If we had known she was yours, we wouldn't have touched her. I swear. We didn't know though…we could sense her purity…she's never been tasted…"

"She isn't mine," Eric told them. "She is nobody's human."

"I don't understand," Antony glanced at Eva.

"She is free, but she is under my protection. Evangeline," Eric beckoned to Eva, and she came to his side. Bill stepped up to her other side, partially concealing her behind himself and Eric.

"Under your protection?" Antony repeated.

"That is correct." Eric took a step forward. "You know, I've been hearing quite a few rumors about the two of you and all the trouble you have been causing in the towns."

"We've just been having a little fun, Sir…" Payton stepped close to Eric and touched the tip of her finger to his lips. "Surely you can understand that…"

"I am not amused. He exposed his fangs with a growl, and she stepped back swiftly. "I think it's time for you to move on."

"Move on?" Antony echoed.

"I am banishing you. I don't want to so much as hear about you in this part of the country for at least three years. Understood?"

"Banished?" Payton almost laughed, but there was nothing humorous in Eric's expression.

"I will not repeat myself."

Payton silenced immediately and headed towards the door.

"One moment." Eric's voice stopped the two of them from leaving. He took Eva's still bleeding hand and held it up. "Breathe in," he commanded of them. "Memorize every aspect of her scent." He waited and when they didn't obey he repeated his demand more sharply. When they obeyed, he nodded. "Now remember her smell and know that she is protected. No vampire is to feed on her or even touch her unless they wish to suffer the very unpleasant repercussions. Do you understand?"

The three vampires sneered, but nodded their consent.

"Good. Now leave." They left immediately, and Eric instantly turned on his smooth, fix-it persona, speaking loudly for all to hear. "My apologies. There are regrettably still some of our kind who take too much pleasure out of pathetic displays of strength and terror. It reflects badly on us all I'm afraid, but I sincerely hope you will not hold the rest of us accountable for the misbehavior of a few." He glanced around the bar, giving just a sample of his charming smile. "Drinks on me." The clients still looked slightly nervous, but they mostly smiled appreciatively at Eric's offer. "I'll leave some money with the bartender," he told Eva, "and then we can return to Fangtasia to talk…"

"No," she interrupted. "Not Fangtasia."

Eric frowned slightly, but nodded. "All right. We will stay here. Take a table, I'll be there in a moment."

As Eric headed to the bar, Sookie walked towards Bill and Eva. She was smiling widely at Bill. "Did you sense them bothering me?"

Bill looked at her, but didn't return her smile. "I did not come here for you." He put his hand on Eva's back and directed her towards a vacant booth off to the left.