*Hey, thank you to the sweethearts who reviewed the first chapter, I dedicate this second one to you :) hope you enjoy it*
It was seven o'clock and Samara was expecting her friend to come and let her go. She wanted to talk to him about what happened in Fangtasia anyway. If Eric really was the Sheriff of this area, then Jacob would know him. Jacob was only turned about ten years ago, so he was still relatively young. She knew a lot of vampires struggled to get normal jobs simply because of what they were, but when she was asked by the owner of this place to find someone to stay until late and do the restocking, Samara had no problems employing Jacob. The two of them bonded instantly over a love of music. He was able to tell what edition an LP was just by looking at them, and during his life had been a roadie for several bands such as Guns N Roses, and Iron Maiden. Of course, it had been at an Iron Maiden concert that his life was ended and he had arisen as a vampire. He didn't really act like a vampire, Samara knew he considered the life more of a curse than a gift, but he just smiled and got on with it. She wished other people in her life could be as pleasant.
"Hello?" Came the high nasally tone that announced her mother.
"Mom, it's Sam."
"Samara, how many times do I have to say that you shouldn't call yourself Sam? It's a boy's name."
"Okay mom."
"Now, how did your graduation go?" Samara could hear water in the background, her mother was obviously at the pool as usual.
"Yeah it went great, I graduated top of the class. They gave me a two thousand dollar check for it."
"Fantastic, now you can get that hairstyle we talked about."
"What hairstyle?"
"You know, the blonde with the extensions. I'll never understand why you cut all of your hair off."
"Because I prefer it short. And my hair is too red, if I put blonde on it then it'll turn out orange or pink."
"Perhaps you can use the money to come out here and see your mother. Perhaps you could try to get a tan while you're at it."
"Mom, I like my skin colour."
"But darling, you're as pale as one of those vampires."
"I like that."
"You don't want someone mistaking you and trying to throw silver on you." Her mother laughed at her own joke.
"I doubt that would happen." Samara sighed. Her mother had always been and will always be the same. She was more concerned with Samara's looks than the fact that she was really clever. You would think most parents would be ecstatic if their daughter graduated at the top of their university class.
"Now, tell me, have you had any luck finding a man yet?"
"No mother, I haven't."
"Life is short you know, before you know it you'll be forty five and you won't have such a young body or face."
"I know mom."
Reminiscing on the conversation just made Samara feel even sadder. What on earth had she ever done to deserve parents that did not give a shit about her? Her father was the district attorney for Louisiana, he lived in Baton Rouge, and she saw him perhaps four times a year maximum. Her mother, after divorcing her father, married an old oil tycoon, and was filthy rich now. She lived in the Florida Keys, and Samara was lucky (or unlucky) to see her twice a year.
"My, my, don't we look sad today?" A voice broke Samara out of her reverie.
"Hey Jake." Samara high-fived the vampire. Unlike other vampires, he was not stunningly beautiful, or perhaps it was because Samara was so used to him. He was average height (well tall compared to her shortness), had light brown hair, and skin that you could tell was once sun kissed, but now was pale. He was about twenty six around the time of his changing, and so he would remain forever.
"Why are you looking so down?" He took off his jacket and plopped it behind the counter as Samara got up to look out the window.
"Oh I got to speak to my mom yesterday."
"Oh… how did that go?" He asked tentatively, already knowing it would not have gone well.
"The usual. Samara, why aren't you prettier? Samara, why aren't you more interested in men? Samara, why don't you want the life I have? Same old bullshit."
"Well I can answer those. You're already beautiful, you don't need to be prettier. Men simply aren't good enough for you, and her life sucks, so who WOULD want it?" Jake lightly tapped her nose with his finger. Samara smiled. Jake could easily cheer her up, which was part of the reason she liked him so much.
"Thanks man. I don't know why I even call her. I'm just chasing that motherly love that I've never had."
"Hey Sam, you have me, Ruby and Eden. You don't need anyone else."
"Speaking of them, Ruby actually dragged us to Fangtasia on Saturday night."
"You and Eden both went?" He asked incredulously.
"Yeah." Samara laughed.
"How was it?"
"Well, it was okay until some vamp tried to glamour me."
"Oh shit." Jake had a knowing smile on his face. He was the reason Samara knew she could not be glamoured. She asked him to try it on her once to see if it would work, but when it did not he was completely shell-shocked. He was the only human as far as he knew that could not be glamoured. He did not see fit to take this up with the hierarchy though; he was sure that would not bode well for Samara.
"Yeah so he went and told on me."
"To Eric?"
"Is that what Ruby said his name was? I can't remember. I know he had this vicious female vampire, who more of his personal guard dog."
"That would be Pam."
"She acts like she was never human. She was born a cold, heartless bitch."
"I have to agree with you on that one. So what happened when you were summoned?"
"How do you know I was summoned?"
"He summons everyone."
"Well I sort of got on my high horse and basically told this vamp Pam to fuck off."
"And you're still alive?"
"Well then me and Eden got dragged over to that guy, Eric, and he was telling me basically that when he summons, we should run over."
"You argued didn't you?"
"You know me so well." Samara laughed. "No, I just called him on being a dick, trying to summon us. Who the hell does he think he is? He thinks he's so high and mighty sitting there in that throne lording it over everyone else. Argh, he annoys me so much. That Pam is irritating too. She was trying to be all scary, but I'm not fucking afraid of them. I don't care who Eric thinks he is."
"He's the Sheriff, Sam."
"Yeah but humans aren't ruled by Sheriffs. I reminded him of that too."
"His bar, his rules."
"Fuck that. Just because he's hundreds of years old doesn't mean he can be a dick."
"He's like a thousand years old."
"Wow. I thought you guys would like start to disintegrate after about five hundred years." She teased.
"Shut up." He playfully pushed her, gently because he knew if he pushed her properly she would go right through the window.
"Anyway, I told him to piss off basically and left."
"He let you leave after you dissed him?"
"Yep."
"Oh, shit, Sam. I'd be really careful if I were you."
"What? Is he going to come and get me?"
"I don't know, but no one that disrespects him usually gets to leave Fangtasia with their neck intact. I don't think he's finished with you yet."
"So I can expect a visit from him?"
"I'd say so, yeah."
"Wonderful." Samara sighed.
"I'll talk to him for you if you want?"
"No, it's okay Jake. I said those things; it should be me who reaps the consequences."
"You need my help, you just let me know, alright?"
"Thanks Jake."
"So, I imagine Ruby arrived at Fangtasia with you and Eden, but left with a vampire?"
"You'd be right."
"She's going to get herself into a lot of trouble one of these days. Her fixation with my kind can't lead anywhere good."
"Oh, doubting your own kind?"
"I don't doubt myself, and I don't doubt several others. But the vampires who go to Fangtasia know that humans are there wanting to be fed on or be screwed by a vampire, so sometimes they go with the intention of that human never breathing again after they're done with them."
"She was okay yesterday when she came home, but those bite marks look really horrible. No offence."
"None taken." He laughed. Jake had a human woman, but she never looked like a leper like Ruby does sometimes. He must bite her where no one could see. The idea turned Samara on slightly, but she brought herself round to change the subject.
"Did you see this new Rolling Stones limited edition press?"
"Oh yeah, I did. I can't believe they're only two hundred bucks, they're pretty much priceless."
"I don't think it's as cool as the Jimi Hendrix one though."
"Yeah, but that's Hendrix, you can't compare anything to him, he'd always win that."
"I wish I'd gotten to see him in concert before he died."
"I did. I have one of those original tour shirts. In fact, I have two. I'll bring you the other one in."
"Aw you rule man."
---
Samara opened the apartment door when she went home that night and was immediately bombarded by Eden and Ruby running down the hall to greet her.
"Hey Sam." Ruby winked.
"Hello Miss Bishop." Eden said too. They both started giggling.
"Okay, as much as I appreciate the enthusiastic welcome home, how about you tell me what's up?" Samara took her jacket off and hung it on the coat stand next to the door.
"Earlier this evening, Eden and I were doing the usual tasks." Ruby said.
"Ironing, washing up, you know, the usual."
"How exciting for you." Samara rolled her eyes.
"Then something happened." Ruby said melodramatically. "The doorbell rang!"
"Oh, God… please stop, this story is far too exhilarating for me."
"When we opened the door, there was a gift for you." Eden took a small black gift bag out from behind her back and thrust it at Samara.
"What?" She asked uncertainly.
"Go on, take it!" Samara took the bag and looked at the tag on it.
"Samara, in this bag there is something that I believe you will find beneficial."
"It doesn't say who it's from?"
"Who cares? Just open it." Ruby said impatiently.
"Okay, okay." Samara took a hard package out of the box. It was covered in plain black paper. She put the bag down and pulled the paper off of the item. She knew from holding it that it was probably a book, and she was right. She pulled out a book, read the title and burst out laughing.
"What is it?" Eden asked. Instead of replying, Samara held the book up to reveal the title: Etiquette for Girls, by Fleur Britten.
"An etiquette book? Who the hell would buy you an etiquette book?" Ruby asked.
"Someone who she's possibly been rude to?" Eden asked, and Samara knew they were both thinking of the same person.
"Oh God, what a dick." Samara laughed again. "Excuse me ladies, I'm tired." Samara moved past the girls towards her bedroom. She put the book down on her bedside table, looking at it as she changed from her jeans and black tank top into a fresh white tank top and white shorts. She put her dirty clothes at the door, with the full intention of taking them to the laundry later. Right now, she just wanted to spend some chill time in her room. Her room was probably not like what you would imagine. Looking at someone like Samara, you would imagine it was dark and filled with music posters. Instead the walls were actually a light blue colour, and the carpet was dark blue. She had blue silk sheets on her bed, and blue curtains to match. Her room was just really peaceful. She used to have lots of posters of bands and the like, but instead she took them down to the record store and put them up there. She felt like her room needed to be peaceful colours in order to aid a better sleep.
'What an ass' Samara thought as she picked up the book from where it was sitting. She lay back on her bed, reading the card again. It was beautifully written, so he had good hand-writing. That was one positive thing she could think about him. Before she knew it she had fallen asleep holding the book in her arms.