AN: I'm glad you seem interested in this story! Thank you for all the reviews and alerts.

Big thanks to keiman and kei for beta-reading for me.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.


Chapter 2

The Outsider

EPOV

"There's a vampire demanding an audience," Pam informed me while leaning lazily in the doorframe. She seemed to be relaxed and bored but something in our bond caught my attention though – she felt somewhat anxious.

"Demanding?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow and glancing at her over my desk. Pam looked over her shoulder, almost like she was expecting the mysterious vampire to appear behind her. Her behavior was certainly puzzling.

"Well, he asked nicely but there is something… off with him," she finished quietly. I put the report aside and linked my fingers on the desk.

"And please, by all means, explain how off he is," I taunted, but Pam glanced over her shoulder again.

"You better see for yourself..." she mumbled and walked away leaving me, at least, slightly confused. A few moments later, there was a soft knock at my door and I leaned back in the chair, taking my typical nonchalant pose.

"Enter!" I ordered sharply and Pam walked inside followed by a vampire. The most deliciously smelling vampire I've ever come across. I raised an eyebrow and nodded at Pam, who quickly walked outside, leaving me alone with the "Off-Vampire".

"Sheriff Northman," he greeted with a small bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

I nodded and gestured for him to sit, giving myself a chance to evaluate my visitor more thoroughly. He was quite tall and muscular and I assumed that he had been changed while in his late thirties. Judging by the sophisticated accent (which reminded me of my sister, Nora), his origin could be somewhere in England. It was hard to determine though, as some vampires were nicely adapting to the place where they were currently living. On the other hand, as far as I knew, the vampire might have been born here and was just trying to sound classy. He wouldn't be neither the first, nor the last one.

What was bothering me though, was the fact that the vampire was smiling. He had been wearing a small smile all the time and during my millennia on this earth, I have learnt one thing about smiling vampires– they were either stupid and reckless or bat shit crazy. Even the youngest of us knew to learn how to school our features. A vampire who was showing emotions was truly dead quite quickly.

"My Child informed me that you'd wished for an audience. What is your case?" I asked coldly, feeling slightly bothered by his warm posture. It wasn't… vampire-like.

"I would like to register in your area," he informed me, giving me a broader smile and looking around my office, his gaze lingering on the sword hanging behind me on the wall. I instantly tensed and the vampire looked back at me, his previously pleasant smirk turning into something meaner.

"I have a lot of vampires under my command; I'm not sure if I want anyone else at this… particular time," I informed him coldly and sat up straight. All my instincts were telling me to be on the alert – something was wrong with my visitor.

He was unfazed by my dismissal. "Well, I thought it would be nice to inform you about my stay. After the Great Reveal and all..." Suddenly, something in his tone made me angry. He sounded like he was doing me a favor by coming over here!

"That's your obligation!" I growled, waiting for some reaction, but he only raised an eyebrow.

"I am not interested in those ridiculous rules," he said, shrugging. I needed a moment to analyze what had just happened.

"Beg your pardon?" I asked before I was able to stop myself.

"I've been living here for the last fifteen years and if I wished for it, I would have been able to hide from you for the next fifteen. I came here as a sign of respect and to inform you that I've been here all of this time. Let me assure you that I am not going to leave either."

This was surreal. Never since I had been made a sheriff had I been disrespected so badly by any of my underlings. My fangs snapped down and I vamped in front of this insolent prick – a prick who hasn't even identified himself yet. I took a grip on his throat and crushed his neck. I was dumbfounded when he didn't even flinch, only rolled his eyes in a way that would have put Pam to shame. And she was a master of the eye-roll.

"Please sheriff, let's drop this alpha male attitude for a moment. I am not here to fight – I am only here to assure you that you will let me be and not bother me with any of this whole vampire bullshit!"

I was speechless, pretty much because he should have been speechless. It was impossible that his neck had healed so fast. Unless…

"How old are you?" I asked, releasing him and taking a step back. I looked at the mysterious vampire in a completely new light.

Suddenly his relaxed pose, his lack of fear and almost mocking smile made sense – this fucker was old, far older than me and he wasn't even the slightest bit afraid of my retribution.

Of how many years was he my elder? A few centuries? I was not able to sense from him the power that some ancient vampires – like my Maker or Russell Edginghton, for example – were oozing. He seemed to be just a vampire… not even an impressive one.

"Old enough to allow myself to be bold," he shrugged and I circled him a couple of times before sitting back behind my desk.

I was in a particularly nasty situation. I had my rules and I was not going to ignore them just because this damn vampire is older and stronger than me. I thought briefly about the sword hanging behind me and cursed that I had placed it there – it would be more handy under my desk. His eyes wandered behind me and he cocked an eyebrow like he knew what I was thinking about, almost like he was challenging me to try and do it.

I was no idiot though; I was not planning to attack the vampire who could be the age of my Maker and risking my life in the process. So far, he hasn't acted violent or threatening to me – on the contrary – he almost seemed to be polite. It was obvious that I had to tread carefully.

"The fact remain the same – as a resident of my area, you need to follow the rules. I will not be lenient just because of your age – whatever it is, mister…" I paused, looking at him expectantly. He still hadn't identified himself. The vampire was looking back at me blankly. "Your name?"

"Didn't I introduce myself?" He seemed to be genuinely surprised that he hadn't. "I am going by the name of Ben Flynn right now."

Ben Flynn? Why not John Smith? I kept that snarky remark to myself and took a registration form from my drawer. I could dwell on it or move on to violence, but I just couldn't see the point in it. He seemed to act civil and any rash movement might be dangerous to me. I decided to take care of him on a later day – there was no way that I would simply put his disrespect aside.

I wrote down 'Ben Flynn' and turned back to the vampire. In moments like this, I felt that vampire politics had lowered me to the level of a common clerk. Maybe Ben was right and vampire politics was indeed a pain in the ass.

"Place of residence?"

"Wait, does this mean that I am forgiven?" he asked with a broad smile.

"No," I glared at him. "I'm thinking of a particularly nasty way to punish you." His enthusiasm deflated. "Place of residence?" I repeated.

"3 Sparrow Lane, Bon Temps."

I frowned. Bon Temps was a dwelling hole-in-the wall in the Northern part of my area. It was around twenty miles from Shreveport and if I was correct, one shifter has been living there. I cursed my ignorance of that shifter and his affairs. The dog, Samuel Merlotte, had moved there four years ago and not even once had I thought about driving over to his bar and checking it out. He was just a shifter after all.

The shifter who probably knew about this fucking Ben, the voice in the back of my head mocked me and I turned the paper on the other side more forcefully than necessary.

"Purpose of visit, the reason for registration?" I growled out.

"Family matters," he offered simply and I mentally rolled my eyes.

I wrote this lie down though. "Expected length of stay?"

"Undetermined."

"Maker?"

"Deceased."

"Progeny?"

"Non-existent."

"Previous place of residence?"

"Europe." Ben fucking Flynn was really getting on my nerves. I raised my eyes and tried to kill him with my gaze. After a long moment of silence, he sighed dramatically and added. "Venice."

"Very well," I said signing the form and putting it aside.

I sat more comfortably and clasped my hands on the desk. The silence was elongating and I waited patiently for Ben to start squirming. After ten minutes though, it was me who felt uneasy.

"Is that all or are you still thinking about my punishment?" he asked arrogantly and I felt a lightbulb moment approaching. I knew how to punish this superior asshole. "Because I can offer a monetary compensation…" I smirked at this. Easy money was good money in my opinion.

"That seems to be reasonable – I believe that for the last fifteen years, you have missed paying a proper tribute to the Queen. " Ben just nodded, not asking about details. "But I think that this particular offense needs a more unorthodox approach."

He squinted at me, suddenly dropping his smiling pose. "What do you suggest?"

"In a week, the bar where we are currently sitting, will be opened for humans. I hope that the human society will be intrigued by vampires or at least by our PR-ed appearances. Fangtasia is going to be a vampire bar. A vampire bar where vampires will – in their best attempts – try to entertain human patrons. Do you know how to mix drinks?"

Before I had finished talking, Ben Flynn was no longer arrogant and relaxed. He was pissed off and even though the situation was risky, his discomfort felt fucking amazing.

"You want me to serve human patrons? Serve drinks and what else?"

"I don't know. One or two toilets might need scrubbing." I smirked at him and showed some fang.

Flynn was stone-faced and clearly annoyed. "What's my alternative?"

"Fifteen years in a silver-lined coffin. Every day since the delay of your registration." I offered, not lieing to him. It was a typical punishment for neglecting vampires. Just no one, ever, had ever been fifteen years late for their registration. "You can, of course, fight me, but I assure you, I have plenty of underlings ready to take care of you later. You can be older, even by a millennium, but you cannot handle all of them."

A corner of Ben's lips twitched and I felt a strange feeling creeping over my back. Was this a sign of cockiness?

"It seems to be a reasonable punishment. Overdue tribute and working for you at this Fangtasia. How long will my services will be required?"

"Let's say twice a week for the next five years. Of course, you will not receive a penny."

"Of course…"

When a few moments later, the vampire had gone outside, I quickly texted Reuben to find me any dirt on this asshole and I was on the move.

Ben Flynn was driving a Maserati 3500 and I was a little bit impressed. A few years ago, I would have been enchanted but I was already over my phase of classic cars – my brand new Corvette was a testimony to this change.

I was flying high to avoid being smelled or heard by him and a half hour later (the jerk was taking his time on the curves), his car turned into the wooden area where a nice, two-storied house was located.

When I tried to fly closer, I was surprised when I felt a strange pressure on my body. I hung in the air and frowned, outstretching my hand. I was shocked when my fingers touched a bubble-like barrier. I flew around the land, but there was no way to trespass. I was left a good hundred yards from the front yard and I cursed in my native language.

The fucker had hired a witch to ward his property. I have never seen a magic like this and it only fueled my anger… no – my hatred – toward Ben fucking Flynn or whoever this fucker really was!

Fury was growing inside me and I was already forming a plan of an ambush to kill him. He was a thorn in my side since he had shown me disrespect and lack of fear in my office. He can be older than me, but I was sure that me, Thalia and a few others of my underlings would be able to easily overpower and end him. I smiled, realizing that his first night at Fangtasia would be a perfect opportunity.

My smile disappeared when the front doors opened and a young woman ran toward my newfound vampire enemy. And I was utterly dumbfounded.

The girl was perfectly curvy and tanned, her long curly hair was bouncing with every step that she took. Her hair and her magnificent breasts were equally… bouncy. She was petite and delicately built, almost looking like an angel in the light of the moonlight. I wished to come closer and check what color her eyes were. And the smell… She smelled like heaven and even the distance and the barrier weren't able to mask it. My fangs ran down when this woman launched herself at Ben Flynn and closed her arms around him, snuggling into his chest.

So, Ben Flynn had a pet. A beautiful, mouthwatering human who would no doubt be mine if I had spared some time and visited this fucking shifter! With her amazing smell, I would have had hunted her across this backwater town and claimed her as my own. I was furious and I had to admit that my fury was a bit irrational.

In front of me, Flynn embraced the girl and kissed her hair, assuring her softly that there was never any reason to worry.

I was fuming when the girl stood on her toes and kissed his cheek gently. Ben only laughed. What a douche-bag… If I were in his place, I would already have had this eager woman under me. Or above me. Those breasts were really nice while they were bouncing, after all.

When the vampire ignored this girl's attention (when she gently nuzzled her face into his chest and slowly rubbed his arms) by not giving her any sexual gratification in exchange, I was shocked. That's why vampires keep pets after all – you fuck them and you feed on them and when you're no longer interested in your human, you just hand her over to someone else! When you take a pet, you have to take care of it though – even humans take care of their small animals. It was a little sad that this enchanting creature was wasting herself with this plain sack of potatoes with fangs.

An idea popped into my mind when I watched the couple walking inside. Ben Flynn was no longer interested in his pet, but still, there was nothing more humiliating for a vampire than having a human choosing another over you. I faintly heard the girl telling him that she's going to bed. I growled when I imagined her voicing this invitation. She was probably playing with a strap on her innocent white nightgown and maybe biting her lower lip a little. I looked down at my hardening cock and cringed.

Damn, I was not expecting to have such a reaction to a human whom I have not yet touched.

"Good night then, Sookie," Ben answered and moved into the other room. The girl walked upstairs and soon she turned off the light in her room.

I shook my head at this vampire's unbelievable stupidity. His lack of interest in the girl was my gain though – he will have no one else to blame but himself when I fetch this lovely Sookie away from him right in front of his nose.


AN: Let's remember it's still the night of Great Revelation. Just assume that Eric's knowledge about human relationships is limited.

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