"Eric!" Far away I could hear a noise. I wasn't sure what it was, my thoughts were consumed by a low almost musical hum. I felt warm, not overly hot but like the sun itself was warming me gently, lovingly. I loved this feeling, loved being so utterly devoid of useless chatter, I was floating out of myself, not weighed down by anything. Stars and lights in colors I never knew existed surrounded me, they too were warm when I passed through one. It happened to be a shade between navy blue and bright purple.
I heard it again. Something was interrupting my concentration, making the colors and sky tremble and fade. I panicked not wanting to let go, as if it was my life that was slipping away. Slowly I felt heaviness come back, I tried reaching for something but I was surrounded by nothingness and then I heard another noise. When I opened my eyes I found the answer, "Eric! Oh god," I could see my sister slump in relief, "I thought you were dead." I groaned and slowly stood up. Looking down I saw my white shirt was ripped and covered in blood, but I had no wounds. Not even a bruise, I frowned as Pam dragged me to the car and drove us home.
I spent the night awake. I had saw the knife, I knew I had broken a few bones, yet nothing. I spent an hour looking over my body after I showered, then I thought of him and never got any sleep. When the afternoon came, everything was back to normal. We spent the day swimming after getting two orders of waffles at Merlotte's as planned, skipping the day entirely, then sun tanning. Though that was more Pam then me, since I usually burned. Then we spent the night talking about Monday evening and the vampire interview. That conversation made Pam go out and rent every vampire movie at the movie store, most with real vampires playing in them but others were from the eighties and nineties before anyone knew the truth. The guy at the counter stared until we left. Although it could have been because it was night by then.
And I also bought some true blood.
Laughing we got into the car, Pam shook her head as we drove out of the parking lot, "What the hell are you going to do with that?" I shrugged stomach cramping from laughing at the expression on the clerks face, "No clue but I'll figure it out."
The weekend was less eventful but I could tell Pam was still worried about what happened because she kept us within sight of the house and never left me alone, it didn't help that when I slept I saw him. When Monday morning came I sighed, grateful. Pam was driving me crazy. The morning passed too fast and then I had history. Everyone was excited or nervous and no one shut up. Pam walked in, a geek behind her holding her books. I had to admit in just a week she took the position of biggest bitch in Bon Temp and worked it. I was incredibly proud.
"What do you think he's going to be like?" Pam said as she dismissed the servant and checked her make-up. I shrugged, "Hopefully not boring. Maybe he'll murder someone." Pam closed her compact mirror with a snap and looked at me, "You know you've been weird all weekend. What's wrong?" I sighed, the class had started five minutes ago, neither of us paying any attention. The teacher which I forgot his name looked over and said, "Miss Northman do you have something to say to the class?" Pam stopped, stared at the teacher and then stood, surprisingly saying, "Yes I do. I was just say that I hoped to do a paper on our home in Sweden and how our two countries have gotten considerably closer since vampires came out of the coffin. And I was hoping that our visitor was old enough to remember the old world and give me more information so that I can execute my paper as planned." Pam sat down and the room was silent I couldn't help the chuckle that came out. Trust Pam to come up with that in under a second flat. Then again knowing her it was most likely the truth.
I waited until the teacher started talking again and said, "No sleep." She didn't agree I could tell but didn't reply. When class ended we had lunch oddly enough with Sookie and the gang. This included Alcide, Tara, Lafayette, Jason, Arlene and her boyfriend Terry which even more strangely I liked because he didn't know how to lie and was such a gullible guy, Sam and my now rival Bill Compton. Bill sat on one side of Sookie and unfortunately Tara was on the other. So I spent the afternoon flirting with her since we had the same classes. By the time the last class ended she turned looking extremely frustrated.
"Look Eric I'm not interested in you. We made out once but that's it, now Bill asked me out and I said yes so leave it." I grabbed her arm before she could bolt and said, "Sookie I know you like me, besides you shouldn't lower your standards when we could be together." She rolled her eyes, "First off Bill is a really nice guy and even better than you, second of all why are you even hitting on me? It's not like you even like me." I frowned, "What are you talking about? I wouldn't hit on you if I didn't like you, well if I didn't want you." Sookie leaned close and quickly kissed me. It felt good, soft and good as she wrapped her arms around my neck and my hands found her waist. Then just like that my mind went to the tattoos and Sookie pushed me away.
I stood frozen and said, "Did you just…" "It's okay your gay Eric but you shouldn't play with people just because you're afraid." I was shocked. But as she walked away I said, "I'm not gay." "Bi-whatever." She said over her shoulder but didn't stop. Sookie Stackhouse fucking read my mind. So what people said were true. Fucking Awesome.
Pam waited for me at the car, her turn to drive today and declared we were going shopping. Unfortunately Bon Temp's didn't have more than a small Wal-Mart and some small shops that though were okay weren't Pam's style. Two hours later and we were in the next town, another half and hour and we found an approved store. Then we went to work. Since our allowance every month was the same that our parents gave us, we had enough to get a lot of new clothes. We spent most of the afternoon there and by the time we left all the attendees were grinning most likely making more in a day than they did in a month.
I laid on Pam's bed as she modelled her entire wardrobe in front of me finally coming down to two new outfits. I had to leave since the clicking of different heels were starting to freak me out, if one of them broke I was done for. When night came Pam wore a tailored jacket with a pastel blue shirt underneath and an amazing pencil skirt. Her new favourite pumps were pink.
We arrived late but as Pam said it was fashionable, it still didn't stop my heart from jumping or my hands to sweat. It was odd, I shouldn't be nervous, it's not like I cared but I couldn't help but to walk faster. The classroom was whispering and I saw Jason talking to Hoyt in the back and another group huddled around the windows. No vampire. Pam led the way to some seats now arranged in a circle the desks pulled up to the sides of the rooms. Mr. Leyden now I remembered his name quieted the room. Once everyone sat down everyone looked around as if the vampire would just appear. My heart started to race and I my mind kept flashing to those damned tattoos. My skin started to itch and I really wanted to bolt but then the door opened.
Then in front of the class was a kid. Younger than most of us he stood looking calm and stoic, dressed in a white shirt and off white pants, soft brown copper hair and his eyes…well his eyes weren't wild or untamed like in my dreams but calm and full of knowledge that humans could only dream about. Suddenly I wanted to know what he knew, wanted to have those memories of centuries. I wanted him and it took all my energy not to jump up when he glanced at me.
"Hello," He said calmly and his accent indictable was soft and fluid, "My name is Godric and I am the sheriff of this area. I am over two thousand years old and the oldest vampire in the new world. I am pleased to be invited, it is always an astounding experience when human and vampire can come together in peace and understanding and I am thankful to be the one to experience such a thing. Now do you have any questions?"