Chapter 2

Banners were hung up on the walls and balloons were scattered around. Sam came up and hugged me. "Happy Birthday Sookie Hun!" I examined the transformation of Merlotte's and realised it was a birthday party. my birthday party. Excitement washed over me and i grinned a smile even bigger than the one i gave claude.

"Thanks Sam and what's all this?" I asked pulling out of the hug. His hair was done my favourite way, a wavy halo around his head.

"We thought we better throw you a party since you work so hard!" he said. I scanned the tables and spotted a few of my friends: Holly, Sam (obviously), Alcide Herveux, Calvin, Halleigh, Claude, Dermot, Tara and JB were here again and to my surprise, my ex-roommate Amelia was her.

She knew I'd spotted her and came running to me. "SOOKIE!" she ran and dived into me! I hadn't seen her in so long. If I'd thought she blamed me for her boyfriend Tray Dawson's death, she'd gotten over it. She followed me around a bit as I wandered through the people whilst they greeted me and told me happy birthday. At one point, a group of fellowship members, the anti-vampire group, walked in to the bar. Everyone turned to look at them to see their reaction to the vampires in the bar. They looked at me with nothing but utter disgust. I tried to pretend I didn't notice them but when Eric and Pam walked in, well, oh dear. I knew they'd seen them but my vampire friends pretended not to notice the FotS people.

Pam ran towards me hugged me and said: "Happy birthday my favourite breather! I have you a gift!" she teased and rummaged in her bag until she gave me a red box. I unwrapped the tissue paper and found a clutch bag. "What do you think?" she begged.

"Pam…CLAUDE LOOK!" I yelled. He came running over. He clapped his hands. I couldn't believe it. It was almost exactly the same colour of my dress.

"Well vampire you seem to have read my mind. It matches perfectly." Said Claude. Pam looked confused.

"Oh Pam, Claude and Dermot bought me a dress the same colour! Oh thank you Pam it's beautiful!" She grinned and hugged me again. She looked genuinely pleased that I liked it. Eric grabbed my waist from behind and tickled me playfully. One of the FotS members made a disgusted noise. Just as Sam walked up to them.

"This is a Birthday party for one of my employees. If you have any problem with being here I think you should just leave." Sam told the man sternly. His thoughts turned from disgust to shock that he was being kicked out of a bar in favour of a 'blood sucking demon'.

"Excuse me, but I have as much right to be here as anyone else. I have not caused any problems; and anyway, the fact that you have the nerve with what you are!" the man spat. Sam made a motion that said 'out'. The man refused to move and started reading his menu. He muttered something and Sam tensed and smile spread on Eric's face. All went silent what did he say? Suddenly Pam slammed both hands on the table, fangs out. I'd never seen her look so scary.

"Say that again and I shall end your miserable life! Now, I believe Sam here asked you to leave nicely. Unless you want me to make you leave I suggest you take his advice." Pam stared him down. I noticed she didn't glamour him, she wanted him scared.

"Only the owner of this bar can ask me to leave." The man told us matter of factly. Sam laughed.

"I am he so get out now!" he shouted. The man realised this was true and looked around at the other people in the bar. Everyone looked angry with him.

"I cannot believe this! All you people sit and eat and drink in the presence of a blood sucking killer, a mutant, and a man who changes into an animal! It is just plain revolting!" He shrieked throwing his menu on the table. People looked confused. I dipped into his mind a little.

"Wait a minute, who's the mutant?" Asked Catfish Hennessey, my brother's boss. There was a series of 'Yeahs' and repeats of the question. But I already knew and my eyes brimmed with tears. Jason noticed and walked up to the man. The man looked more frightened of Jason than Sam.

"Don't even dare." He muttered. Alcide stood next to Jason and Calvin stood ready to assist. Though I was upset I was slightly pleased this many people were willing to stand up for me.

"The 'mutant' here is her." He jabbed a finger in my direction. "Come on people, you all know what she is. She's not even human!" A cool tear ran down my face. Jason saw this and pulled his arm up and hit him straight in the nose full force. He drew a little blood. Everyone was completely silent, staring down at the man to see what he did. A few people looked at my vampires as if they would be like, driven crazy but the blood. Stereotypes were awful.

"Now then, I believe the owner asked you to leave. Go now or I believe I'll have some help from these lovely vampires and the other men here to make you go." Jason yelled whilst gesturing to Alcide, Sam and Calvin. The man was frozen in fear. He looked me in the eyes. Jason looked like he would hit him again. I grabbed his arm and shook my head. Jason stepped back. The man scrambled to his feet and ran out of the bar. His companion just watched him leave. Eric shot him a glance and he too got up and walked out. Jason hugged me and I laughed.

"I'm fine Jason." I muttered into his chest. He was bigger than me and older. After making sure he went to sit at the table where Hoyt and catfish were sitting. People gradually got back to their seats. Eric wiped the tear off my face and, like Jason, checked I was okay. Sam turned up the music and people started to dance. There wasn't a dance floor but Sam had moved a few tables to clear a space. Eric put out his hand and whisked me on to the dance floor. I did a few rounds with him before Amelia stole me away and Sam put on 'my kind of music'. Holly and Tara came and joined us and even Pam came later. Strangely, the others didn't mind Pam being there. We danced for about an hour before we needed a drink. We sat at a table and talked about a lot of things, how Amelia was doing in New Orleans, how Holly's marriage was going, Tara's pregnancy and the shock she got when she found out (well Claude told her) what she was having.

"So you get one of each Tara that's great. Aren't you, you know, scared about the labour?" asked Holly.

"Oh hell yeah! But I just want 'em out of me cause they're driving me crazy!" she laughed. We talked for hours before I was whisked back on the dance floor, this time by my brother. He twirled me around. I could feel through the bond that Eric was delighted I was having such a good time. I was happy with Sam too for inviting Eric and Pam even though I knew he hated the vampires. I danced with Sam too. I was having the most fun I'd had in my life. Sam turned down the music and I thanked everyone for coming.

"…and thank you to my family too for coming, Jason Claude, uncle Dermot! And thank you Sam for doing this for me." I hugged my boss. Sam was not only a boss; he was one of my best friends.

A woman wearing a tight black pencil skirt and a white and grey stripy shirt walked into the bar. She had skin almost as pale as a Vampire and her chestnut hair was pulled back into a tight chignon. Her black heals clopped on the Merlotte's floor towards me. Everyone in the bar went silent for the third time tonight and watched the woman. She glanced around her self-consciously and stared at the guests; but her main focus, was me.

"Are you Sookie Stackhouse?" she asked me. I nodded my head for her to continue. "I'm Viviane Carter. I have some bad news, you may want to sit down... My colleagues and I were sent to inform you that Mr Remy Savoy, along with his son Hunter Savoy, were in a car accident on their way home yesterday."