I'd seen Sookie immediately fall under Bill's spell. He was, after all, Bon Temps' first vampire. But Sookie revealed to me after a few days that she couldn't read Bill's mind. She'd saved him from being drained by the Rattrays on the first night they met and soon after, the two of them had hit it off romantically and no doubt, her not being able to read his mind had quite a bit to do with it.
I'd been correct when I figured that Bill and I would hit it off. Bill hadn't quite been accepted yet and I'd done Sookie's gran a favor without asking by talking to Bill about the Descendants of the Glorious Dead, a historical society in town that mainly wanted information on the Civil War and the town in general. I'd recently joined. Adele Stackhouse had been pleased when I told her that Bill would be up for talking to us at a night meeting soon.
Bill and Sookie spent most of their time having some kind of confusing romantic relationship and when Sookie told me details I barely understood the problem. He'd had some vampire friends over that had maybe threatened her? I didn't quite get it but Bill and Sookie's relationship was not really concerning.
Girls had been turning up dead. One of them had been Dawn, a fellow waitress at Merlotte's and a friend of mine on occasion. She may have slept around but she wasn't a bad person. The other girl was Maudette Pickins, who I might've seen at Merlotte's from time to time but I couldn't be certain. I had to admit that I found it odd in a town this small that there was a murderer. I just kept all of my doors locked and practically ran to my car when my shift was over.
Sookie seemed to be losing sleep over it for some reason and had figured out both of the girls had been with vampires. Bill, being one, knew of a vampire bar in Shreveport where they could get some answers. I felt it was my responsibility to let Sookie know that she wasn't a detective.
"Sookie, I really don't think this is a good idea," I said at work the night before she was planning to go. "The vampires in those bars don't wanna help you. They aren't worth your time."
"How would you know, Dallas?" she asked, picking up the food for one of her tables from Lafayette. "We've only met one vampire and that's Bill. You know what, if you're so concerned about all this, maybe you should come with us. I've already told Bill that this isn't a date and with you there, it definitely won't be one." I raised one of my eyebrows before following her to her table.
"Can I ask what is so wrong with him? I think Bill is a great catch and he's clearly carrying a torch for you. You've been wanting some quiet for years and now you've got some! I think it's a God-send. Besides, he's a great guy and he's gorgeous. I don't see how you can lose."
"Why don't you date him then?" She started laughing and I laughed along with her. "It doesn't really matter though because tomorrow is supposed to be business. Don't back out on me!" I had been sort of trying to convince her to go with just Bill to the bar. Who knew? Maybe she'd thank me for it later. Even though vampires didn't bother me the way they did others, the thought of a place completely filled with them creeped me out. "Please, Dallas!"
"I just don't see why you need to me to go. Why can't we let Sheriff Dearborn and Andy do their jobs? They'll find whoever did this. Besides, the last thing I want is to get poor Bill in trouble when he doesn't deserve it. He needs to fit in around here." I knew that would get her to thinking but it didn't stall her long.
"Sheriff Dearborn and Andy aren't exactly doing their best and I think it's because both of them had been with vampires. I was the one who found Dawn and when Andy got there, he wasn't thinking very nice things." I didn't doubt it. "Nobody is gonna know what we're doing, Dallas. Relax and come with us. You never know, this might be a really good trip for you."
The next night I got ready in a tizzy. Sookie was wearing a dress, I knew for certain. I partially pulled back my dark hair and left it curly. I pulled on a lavender dress that cut off right before my knees and that cinched under my cleavage. It was nice and I figured that Fangtasia might be a nice sort of place. I hadn't received a dress code list of what was appropriate but it was a place where a lot of people got dates so I figured they must look pretty nice.
I rode awkwardly in the backseat of Sookie's car while she and Bill were clearly flirting with each other. The ride to Shreveport seemed to take longer than it usually did. When we pulled into the parking lot of Fangtasia, I was almost relieved. "This is it?" I asked, poking my head between the front seats, trying desperately to not only separate Bill and Sookie's come-hither looks but also to get a glimpse of the clientele. Darn, it looked like I was completely overdressed. Sookie was too.
"Yes," said Bill. "This is it. Don't worry about it. If you both keep close to me, everything will be fine. My only suggestion is to not be openly nervous. They seem to sense that. That's when they would target you." My mouth practically dropped open from horror. Vampires weren't legally supposed to feed on humans at all, especially not for full-length meals. A little love bite here and there didn't hurt anyone but it was crystal clear to me that the biting that happened at Fangtasia wasn't all sexual. "Be calm about this, Dallas."
"I swear," began Sookie, "I am just going to go in here and ask a few questions and then we can leave. It won't take long at all."
"Is it okay if I just wait in the car?" I asked sheepishly. "I'm okay with vampires and all, just not with this." I hoped they would back off and leave me be but when Bill turned around in his seat, I automatically felt calmer. He was incredibly reassuring.
"I won't let any harm come to you, Dallas," he said in that thick voice he had. The way Bill said my name was intensely personal and he seemed to drag out every letter in that Southern drawl of his. His accent wasn't so different from mine, really, but it sounded better coming from him than it ever had from me. I felt assured he really would take care of me and Sookie inside. I nodded.
I opened the back door and got out slowly. I can do this, I said to myself. I can do this. I looked around frantically while Sookie and Bill got out of the car. There were weird people in leather and chains everywhere; typical fangbangers. Then I saw the woman at the door checking IDs. She was obviously a vampire and a freaky one at that. She had thick blonde hair that fell down in waves and skin that looked like the life had been sucked out of it. But she was gorgeous. Bill started walking towards her and Sookie and I followed suit. The woman knew Bill because she called him by name and they talked casually for a couple of minutes. Sookie and I just exchanged an awkward glance. I gleaned from their conversation that Bill was "main streaming" which probably explained why I liked him so much. The woman, whose name was Pam, seemed to think that Bill needed to be around others of his kind.
She eerily smiled at us before asking to see Sookie and I's IDs. I nervously pulled out my wallet from my floral handbag and, hands shaking, showed her my driver's license. She looked it from it to my face and then back again. Then she nodded. "Bill, you should've known better than to bring this doe-eyed girl here," Pam said. "She needs a tonic." Then she laughed, which was an entirely glorious sound that shook me to my core. I hastily pushed my wallet back into my purse as she checked Sookie's ID. I felt too embarrassed for words. "I never forget a pretty face," said the vampire woman. I looked over at her again and she was eyeing me, from my white wedge sandals to the heart shaped neckline of my dress. "You're both in my vault." I gulped and looked at Sookie again as Bill took hold of my hand and urged us inside.
Was she a lesbian? A lesbian vampire had actually shown interest in one Dallas Montgomery? I couldn't believe it.
Once inside, I stared around Fangtasia like a gaping idiot. The place resembled a strip club; a strip club that specialized in darker sexual things. People were dancing on poles and grinding each other on the dance floor. It was straight out of something on TV. I glanced at the bar where the Native American bartender was openly staring at us. Now that I had noticed it, everyone inside the building seemed to be staring at us, including one man who seemed to be seated on a throne at the front of the room. Sookie made her way over to ask the bartender questions as I turned to Bill.
"Why are all these people looking at me?" I whispered. Bill gave me some kind of apologetic smile before answering.
"You look like vampire bait in that dress," he responded lowly. I looked down at myself as color flooded the apples of my cheeks. I'd heard him say something like that to Sookie on the way over but I'd thought it was a joke, some kind of odd vampire flirting. "Let me get you and Sookie a drink." I nodded slowly and I took his arm when he offered. "The two of you look too nice to be here." I smiled.
"Thank you, I think." He smiled at me then and I felt myself relax a little. Sookie would ask her questions and we could leave. It would be okay.
Bill ordered us drinks, a True Blood for him and gin and tonics for me and Sookie. When we sat at a table together, Sookie explained that she hadn't gotten anything out of the bartender. He'd blatantly told her that everyone in Fangtasia turned a blind eye to who was with who and who was feeding on who. I found that to be incredibly gruesome and it only added to how squeamish I felt.
As Sookie and Bill started talking about who Sookie should approach for some answers next, I noticed the man at the front of the room again. The throne on what looked like a stage was odd even for this already odd place. He had long blonde hair that obscured most of his face from my vision and the woman, Pam, was standing near him, whispering something in his ear. I knew he had to be a vampire. He was pale and even though I couldn't see most of his face, I knew he was beautiful.
"Bill," I asked slowly, "who is that up there? The blonde." Bill practically rolled his eyes at my question, which I thought was unnatural for someone as put together as Bill is.
"That is Eric," he said. "He owns this place." At this point, all three of us were staring at the blonde vampire. Eric turned as if he sensed our eyes on him and his gaze pierced mine before I looked down at the table. Bill automatically tensed which I thought must be a bad sign. I had been right though; Eric had a gorgeous face, one that looked rough and pretty at the same time. But it only added to my automatic fear of him. This vampire was nothing like Bill. Then Eric made a hand gesture at us that seemed to suggest he wanted us to come up to him.
"He has summoned us," said Bill. "I wonder if he has somehow sensed that Sookie is different." I hadn't even thought of that, though it was a huge possibility. Sookie had never really been good at hiding her telepathy.
"Then maybe the two of you should sort things out with him?" I asked. "Sookie could ask him some questions." I didn't want to sound like the coward I most certainly was. I had no intentions of talking to this Eric, who seemed to me more dangerous than anyone or anything I'd seen before. The feeling I got from him was synonymous with the feeling I got whenever I watched a horror movie with Sookie and Tara, only amplified. There was nothing trustworthy about this vampire.
"Dallas, you must come with us," said Bill. "There is no refusing Eric. I cannot explain it in detail but vampire politics dictate that you cannot deny someone with his power. I suggest we go up there before we anger him."
Sookie was fine with it; what was Eric but another vampire to ask questions of? I noticed Bill was uneasy about it but he certainly couldn't have been as nervous as I was. When we reached where Pam and Eric were standing, I rationalized that this had something to do with Bill as a vampire or maybe even Sookie. Eric wouldn't bat an eyelash my way. I was small, I was meek, and I was human; three things I was assured he wasn't.
Sookie didn't waste any time delving into showing them the pictures of Dawn and Maudette and asking them questions. She'd barely introduced herself but her manners were the least of my concerns. I was only grateful that they seemed focused on her. I stood behind Bill, clasping my hands together over my handbag, when Eric finally noticed I was there.
"And who are you?" he asked. He had an accent that I couldn't quite place but I instinctively knew he wasn't American. I pulled myself together.
"I'm Dallas Montgomery," I practically whispered. He moved his head so that his hair fell out of his face and he smiled at me so I tried to smile back. Pam seemed to want to laugh.
"I'm Eric Northman," he said, extending his hand towards me. I reluctantly took it and felt how unnaturally cold he was. Bill wasn't that cold, was he? Eric's lips brushed the back of my hand and I almost jumped out of my skin.
"I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. Northman," I said, slipping my hand from his grip slowly. It might not have been totally true but it also wasn't a total lie.
"Well, aren't you sweet?" he responded. Pam cracked a smile and Bill pressed his lips together. He was as uncomfortable as I was. "You can call me Eric, sweetheart."
Bill, thankfully, said, "Well, we don't want to waste anymore of your time, Eric. We needed to be going anyway, since Sookie hasn't gotten any sufficient information."
"No, I insist you stay a while," Eric said in a tone that implied that we didn't have a choice. "It should do you some good to be around your kind, Bill." As Bill replied with some sly remark, Eric looked at me and gestured to the chair on his right. I knew I couldn't refuse him and after all, he hadn't been mean. I took the seat slowly and watched as Sookie sat to my right. Eric and Bill continued having a conversation that made it clear that they had animosity between them. Then Sookie gave me a look, a look that I knew very well. Something important was going on and she'd heard it.
"What is it?" I whispered, praying that Bill was still distracting Eric.
"There's gonna be a raid," she whispered back, anxiously. "That guy in the hat over there is a cop. They're trying to catch vampires feeding on humans and there's someone in the bathroom doing it!" I gulped. We needed to leave. But there was no way to grab Bill's attention without alerting Eric of Sookie's abilities.
"Grab Bill," I said. "I'll tell this guy, Eric, without mentioning you."
"Why tell him at all?"
"He won't let us leave without a good explanation." I felt someone touch my bare arm and when I turned, it was the vampire, Eric.
"What is it you're talking about?" he asked slyly. I screamed at Sookie in my head to reveal the raid. She did, thankfully, and it was just in time. The five of us managed to escape out of the back entrance. Once we were safe, Eric turned back to us. "You truly are gifted, Miss Stackhouse. I have no doubt we will be seeing a lot of each other." His blue eyes fixed on me then. "Miss Montgomery, it was a pleasure and I hope to make your acquaintance again soon." Was he making fun of me? I didn't have the chance to react because he and Pam were gone before we could say anything.