Chapter 2: Tarnished Night

I couldn't believe my eyes. Did Sookie just run up to a vampire and kissed him? What was this world coming to? I heard whispers sharing my same sentiment.

"Lurie what the heck is taking you . . ." Chevy stopped his ranting noticing why I wasn't outside yet. "Good evening Vampire Bill." Chevy nodded towards the vampire. What the hell Chevy!

The vampire did the same. "Chase it's good to see you again."

AGAIN?! I have to talk to my brother about his self provision. This was sheer ridiculousness.

"Hey Lurie come here a sec!" Chevy yells over to me.

I felt my blood freeze over. Are you kidding me? I was not coming over there. Chevy rolls his eyes at me and made his way over to me. I began moving back not wanting him to pull me to my new destination.

Chevy grabbed me and pulled me to the odd couple."Vampire Bill this is my sister Allura. Allura this is Bill Compton."

I looked at my brother like he lost his mind. I had half the mind to call the asylum and throw him in there with mom. This was so not okay.

I heard a sharp click that made me jump. I looked to Bill's mouth and seen two white points. My hand went straight to my neck.

Vampire Bill covered his mouth. "Please excuse me. I haven't had my meal yet." He said politely but that doesn't stop me from moving closer to my brother.

"It's okay Bill." It certainly was not! "This is the first time my sister seen a vampire." Chevy chuckles nervously.

"It's alright. I know we might come off frightening." You think? "But some of us are civilized." He said with a smile. His smile didn't look genuine to me. Red flags were pulling up everywhere in my head. I turned my focus to Sookie and she was looking like a love sick puppy. It was a lamb in a lion's den. Something was off . . . way off.

"Well I don't want to disturb you from your meal. My sister and I need to get going." Thank you Chevy, there are some cells left in that brain of yours.

"Yes of course, my apologies." He nods to Chevy then looks to me.

I felt the blood in my veins run cold. I didn't like the way he was looking at me. I grabbed Chevy's hand and squeezed. Without question he squeezes my hand back. I was thankful for my brother being beside me, because if he wasn't, I didn't think I would be conscious right now.

"It was also nice to meet you Allura." Vampire Bill held his hand out.

I stared at his hand. In moments like these I must have looked dumb through someone's eyes. I would have stood stock still if my brother didn't give me another squeeze. I pushed down my fear and placed my hand in his. I shivered from the cold from his hand. It dawns on me that I'm shaking a dead person hand. My fingers were clawing at Chevy hands. I would have felt bad but I was too frightened to care.

"I hope to see you soon." He said with a sly grin. I definitely have bad feelings about this vampire.

"It was a pleasure Mr. Compton." I pulled my hand away but he wouldn't let go. I could feel myself about to have a panic attack.

Before I had a conniption, Vampire Bill lets my hand go. He nodded to me then left with Sookie. I was still standing there looking after them until I felt Chevy pulling me out the door. I didn't know how he dragged me outside because I knew for a fact my feet weren't cooperating with me.

Chevy pulled me to my car then looked down at me with worry etched on his face. "Lurie, sis talk to me, are you alright?" I just stared at him. "Allura! Snap out of it." Chevy's hard shake did the trick because I began to pant. My frozen brain was now working overdrive. "Hey, hey, breathe." Chevy held me still motioning me to breathe slowly.

I followed his command breathing in and out the August air. When I felt my body calm down, Chevy rubbed the side of my arms. "Are you good?" I nodded my head.

"Can we go home Chevy? I don't think I'm ready to meet Sheriff Northman tonight." And I really wasn't. I was aggravated, I was spooked and most of all I'm tired from driving. I wanted to get to granddaddy's house and sleep. I didn't even care if it did smell like mothballs and cats. I just wanted to lie on a soft warm bed.

"Sure sis. Follow me behind my pick up." He went to move but stopped.

I corked my eyebrow up. "Chase what's wrong?"

Chevy held his hand out telling me to stay back. My heart picked up fast. "Chase . . . what's wrong?" Then something hit my nose that I never smelled before. I couldn't explain what it was. It smelled like something old mixed with dead flesh.

I looked over Chevy's shoulder to see three vampires standing a few feet away from us. They looked like they came straight from the seventies. Two were pale males, one bald and the other with this horrible slick back hairdo and a female with a cinnamon colored fro that matched her brown skin. The red flags were firing away in my head again. Clicks echoed through the parking lot causing me to jump. The vampires had their fangs out and they looked hungry and menacing.

"Chase . . ." He didn't look back at me. His eyes were trained on the three Vampires.

"What do you want?" Chevy says coldly. I never heard him use that voice before.

"Oh nothing," The female vampire said stepping towards us. "We were on our way to meet up with a friend of ours until we caught this very delicious scent." I held on to Chevy's arm still behind him but Chevy gaze never wavered.

"We followed the trail and we ended up here." This time Mr. Clean spoke.

"Well good for you. You want a sticker for using your nose?" I said. I surprised myself I could even talk right now, let alone insult him, from all the fear I'm feeling.

In a blink Mr. Clean was in my face. I screamed and hastily move back but made myself trip over my own footing. Damn you uncoordinated weirdness! Of all the times to trip up. I scrambled back until I felt my back to She-Devil. Mr. Clean laughed with his other cronies. I gasped in horror seeing my brother struggling with the other two Vampires.

"Mmm Malcolm, you smell that?" The female smelled my brother's neck.

Malcolm took a deep whiff and moaned. "This must be our lucky day. Here we thought it was just the woman's blood we smelled. Now we know it's handsome face too." Malcolm grabbed my brother's face to him while laughing.

A burst of rage filled me. "Leave him alone!" I tried to stand but a force stopped me from moving. Mr. Clean had his hand over my throat. Survival instincts rose in me and I began kicking and clawing but it wasn't hurting him. They laughed at my futile attempt to get free.

"This here is a wild one. I like that." Mr. Clean said with a fanged smile. He yanked my head up so he could lick my neck. My rage had finally settled into fear. "You smell stronger than the male." He licked his pale lips. "I can't wait to sink my teeth in you."

"Don't touch her!" I hear Chevy bellowed then followed by a thump and groan. Chevy had fallen to the ground when the vampires hit him.

"Chase!" I turned to move but Mr. Clean had a firm grip on my head.

"Come on Liam. Let's go home to eat." So that was Mr. Clean name.

"You two go on and take that one home. I think I'm going to have a little fun with this little one." Liam smiles hungrily at me.

"Don't touch her! Let her go god damn it!" I heard Chevy muffled voice cry out.

"Oh will you shut the fuck up." Malcolm kicks my brother then turns back to Mr. Clean. "Fine. We'll meet you there." Malcolm stood Chevy up.

"Stop it!" I yelled as I started kicking and clawing again.

Mr. Clean ignores me and turns to the female vampire. "Make sure to save me some Diane."

Diane turns to him and actually look hurt. "What?"

"Oh come off it Diane! You know how you are in not sharing the men." Malcolm says while twisting Chevy's arm. He yells out in pain bringing tears to my eyes.

"Someone please help! Someone help us!" I yelled with all my might. Where the hell was everyone? Where are the police? Didn't people in the diner hear us yelling? The disco trio ignores my screams. I finally gave up but instantly felt hope in me. From the corner of my eye I could see a thick tree branch from under my car.

While Mr. Clean was talking to the disco queen, I stretched my hand to reach for the branch."Just make sure she doesn't drain the blood bag dry Malcolm. I may be horny but I'm hungry too."

Malcolm laughs and starts moving with Chevy. "Sure, sure whatever you say." He says sarcastically.

I turned to my reaching hand. Just a little bit more . . . "I mean it!" Got it! I took the branch and stabbed Liam in the shoulder. He roars in pain and let me go with a thump.

The other two vampires stood in shock seeing their partner screaming rolling around in the dirt in pain. While they were staring they didn't notice they dropped Chevy. Chevy scrambles to his feet to meet me. Before he could reach me, he was pushed to a nearby tree.

I didn't have a chance to scream when Diane lifts me from the ground with her hand around my neck."You little bitch!" She roared in my face.

"Get off of me! Help! Someone help!" She threw me to a car making a dent. I didn't hear any bones crack but I was sore. "Freaking F that hurts!"

I saw disco queen coming towards me with Malcolm and a very angry Liam with a hole as the size of a golf ball in his shoulders. Bile rose in my mouth but I held it down as I watched it heal.

Liam picks me up by my hair."I'm going to make you pay for what you did to me."

My heart was hammering and my ears were ringing. He yanks me over to let me look at Chevy's slumped body on the ground. "Get up Chase!" I try to run to him but Liam pulled me back to his chest. I struggled to get free but it was no use. He stilled my head with his cold dead hand to make me look at my broken brother. I felt Liam's cool breath fanning my face. The smell of blood and old flesh filled my nose.

He placed his lips near my ear."Not only I'm going to have fun with you but I'm going let you watch your little friend over there be tortured then drained."

I shook my head as I felt hot tears fall from my eyes. "Please don't . . . don't hurt him." A hand contacted with my face hard. I felt the sting soon as the fall air hit it.

"Shut the fuck up! Stop your whining." Diane yelled. "You're lucky you're still alive. You would be drained bone dry for that little stunt you pulled. But since we are in a forgiving mood, we are you going to let you breathe for a little while longer." Diane leaned closer to my face. "But next time you get cute, there is nothing that will stop me from ripping your throat out." she hissed.

"Diane relax." Liam moved me away from her. "You two get him. I got the girl." he instructed.

Malcolm smiled evilly at Liam. "Are you sure? I mean you did get bested by a human."

Liam growled making Malcolm and Diane laugh. "Don't worry. I won't let you feel left out. I'm going to drain you myself." Liam whispers to me then licking my ear.

I shivered with disgust. If I'm going to die, I mind as well go out blazing. "Oh is that suppose be your little revenge on me? Don't tell me you're mad from that little splinter I gave you." My voice was raw from yelling and I was aching all over but I won't let this freak shut me up.

I heard Chevy snickering from afar as the two vamps pick him up from the ground. "You sure did get him good sis. If I were you, I would have shoved it up his a-." Malcolm punched him square in the jaw before he could finish his sentence. Chevy broke out in laughter but was stopped when Malcolm punched him again.

Chevy spits out blood but he still had his million watt smile. I smiled also. My brother knew what I was doing. The good old Gracie humor never fails. We might be outnumbered and weak but every step of the way, we are going to make them work for their meal.

"Next time I'll make sure I do that." I looked back at Liam then back to my brother. "Then again I don't think I will." I snickered. "I think he'll like it." A full laugh came out of me but silenced with a back handed slap. I spit blood out but I still laughed along with my brother. I didn't know if I was going crazy or I was just scared but laughter was the only thing keeping me from crying.

"Not done yet?" I said hotly.

Liam pulled me up again."Why you little. . ."

"That's enough Liam." We all turned to see Bill Compton standing with his fangs down.

Diane saunter towards Bill. "Bill sweetie-"

"Be quiet." Bill spoke harshly to Diane. Instead of looking creepy, Vampire Bill actually looked scary. His dark eyes and dark hair and chalky skin made him look more threatening. "Put them down now and leave." He spoke softly.

"Oh come on Bill! This is horse shit! Look what they did to Liam." Malcolm yelled.

"I don't care!" Bill bellowed. "I deal with you three later. Get out of here now."

Without argument they dropped my brother and I to the ground. I crawled to my brother with all the strength,I had left. He opened his arms wide to me and I fell into his embrace. I cried. I cried like a baby. My violently sobbing body sagged deeper in Chevy chest while he whispers comforting words. "I got you Lurie. I got you." I cried harder and he squeezed me to him until I was melded to his chest.

"Chase, are you and your sister alright?" Bill asks.

Chevy still held me but I could feel him nodding his head. "What took you so long?" He yelled. "I can understand the humans but you are suppose to have fucking bat ears. Isn't your hearing suppose to be super or something!"

That got me to look up at the vampire. "What?" I picked myself up to my feet ignoring the stabbing pain in my body. "You could hear us? All this time? You could hear me and my brother yelling but you just stayed in the bar while those . . . those disco triplets beat us to a pulp!" I said this while pushing hard in the chest.

I felt victory rise inside me that I actually made a vampire stumble back. My anguish was long gone and replaced with pure hate for the vampire. I wanted to stake this good for nothing. What a waste of immortality. I was about to yell again but my brother grabbed me to him. I looked up to Chevy with an accusing glare but he was still looking at Bill. I turned back and stepped back from the vampire.

Bill fangs were out again. I could tell by his face he didn't take kindly to me yelling and pushing him. He stepped close to us then a weird sensation pressed against my eyes."You will not remember this night. You both had a good time at the diner and came out here to go home." Bill says chillingly.

I was about to say something but my brother felt it and squeeze my hand to shut me up, so I did. "We enjoyed tonight." My brother said in monotone voice.

I didn't have a clue what was going on but I wasn't stupid enough to not go along with it. "We had fun." I said in the same voice as Chevy's.

"Good." Bill nodded. "Now I'm going to give you my blood. You will not remember me doing so. All you remember of me is when we were in the bar greeting each other. Clear?"

"Crystal." I said putting the final nail in the coffin.

I watched Bill bite his wrist with a crunch. I swear if I wasn't so scared I would have hurled on his pointy shoes. He placed his wrist to my brother's mouth and I could hear my brother swallow the red liquid. I think I was going to be sick.

Bill took his wrist away and stepped even closer to me. He leaned in close to me and sniffed me. I watched his eyes roll to back of his head. If I wasn't before I was absolutely revolted now.

"You smell so good." Bill moved closer to my neck fanning his garbage breath on me. The dead flesh smell came back with vengeance but this time it had a twist of something. I didn't know what it was but It smelled . . . sneaky and conniving, if that even makes sense.

After Bill was done with his creep show, he bit his wrist again creating the same disgusting crunch sound again. Air got caught in my throat. Everything felt like time was going slow. I felt Chevy squeeze my hand again but this time for comfort. I squeezed back letting him know I was okay.

Bill placed his wrist to my mouth and began to suck. It tasted like pennies. It oozed in my mouth coating my tongue then throat. It was so hard not to spit it back in his face. I watched in disgust as Creeper Bill started moaning as I suck his blood. I felt my hand being squeezed again tightly. My brother was on the verge of staking the vamp and he will not find me protesting to ending the gorilla face undead life.

What seemed like forever but probably a few minutes longer than Chevy, Creeper Bill pulled his wrist away. He straightens his self up and readjusts his . . . stuff (gag!) in his khaki pants. Seriously . . . Khaki pants? Whoever turned him should be staked along with him. I was sure the vampire community would not miss them.

"You will go to your car and drive home." Creeper Bill finally says giving us a pointed glare.

Chevy turns and smiles at me but it wasn't his million watt smile. This smile was strained and I could see the anger hiding behind it. "Are you ready to go home sis?"

I smiled back hoping I looked convincing. "Yes. Boy I'm tired."

I saw my bag on the ground next to She-Devil. I grabbed it and fished for my keys. After I unlocked it, my brother went to the passenger side and me to the driver side. I put the key in the ignition and zoomed out of there like I was running for my life. In a way I guess I am. Who knows what else Creeper Bill would have done to us (well mostly me) if we stayed longer.

We drove for a while in silence. I didn't know what to say. Everything that happened today from start to finish replayed in my head. How could this night turn out so badly? I can still feel both Bill and Liam breathing on me. I couldn't wait to go home to take a shower. I felt so grimy and dirty.

I turned to my brother silent stature. His smooth features were etched in anger. I never seen my brother this way and I would be a fool to say him being this way didn't scare me. I wanted to speak to him but I knew now was not the time. Besides who knows if Creeper Bill was following us or not. I turned back to the familiar road to my granddaddy's house.

-OOOoooOOoooOOO-

It didn't take long to find the house. I drove up the driveway and parked right beside the shed. I took the keys out the ignition and heard the She-Devil purr lightly, then silence grace the space. Since my brother still wasn't talking, I looked out the windshield.

I remember playing in this front yard with my brothers. Everything was so easy back then . . . well if you take out our spazz case mother and father leaving us, we had some good times. I certainly didn't have to worry about getting beaten and almost drained by vampires. This made our childhood look like child's play.

The image in front of me turned to my Aunt Clara's front porch. I wished I could have stayed in Pittsburgh where I knew I was safe. But I knew I couldn't abandon my brother when he needed help. That would be absolutely selfish of me.

My mother wasn't a normal mother but she was a wise woman in some ways. When she was alright and being slightly okay, she would play with us and cook for us and do other motherly things. It would feel so nice on those days. We knew it wouldn't last long, so we enjoyed whenever she was in a good mood. But I remember always when she was "normal" she would tell us to stick together no matter what. We might fight or get on each other's nerves but we're family. So I knew regardless of what happened tonight, I was supposed to be here for my brother.

My train of thought left me when I heard the car door slam shut. I turned to the passenger side and no one was there. I watched Chevy broad back making his way up the slight hill to the porch. I let out a puff of air. "Here goes nothing." I grabbed my purse and got out the car. I went to the trunk and got out my luggage and hiked to the front porch.

By the time I got to the steps Chevy had the door already open. He turned towards me without looking at me and grabbed my two bags and went straight inside without a word. I watched him disappear up the stairs to the second floor. Before I stepped in the house, I wanted to fully have my mental faculties in order. I made sure every crevice of my mind was encased in a hard shell. I did not want to fall apart again.

After a few minutes I finally got myself together. I walked up the steps, into the threshold of the house and walked upstairs. I didn't care for how the house looked. I wasn't at least a bit interested. If everything that happened didn't happened I was pretty sure my brother would have given me a grand tour of his bachelor pad, but I knew he wasn't for it. Even if he was I wouldn't be. I could hear the shower calling my name and the bed beckoning to feel my warm embrace.

When I made it up the stairs I went to the room that I always stayed in when I use to come here as a child. When I walked in the room it was dark and completely transformed into an adult bed room. The walls were still a dark cream color and the dark oak floor still looked the same but my twin bed was replaced with a full size one with matching drawers and shelves. I saw my bags lying on the floor next to my bathroom door. I came in contact with my brother looking out the window. I took a step closer making an awful creak on the floor.

Chevy turns to me a little startled. His face softens a little but I could see the angry crease on his forehead. "Sorry I couldn't show you around but I'll make sure I'll do that tomorrow."

"Chevy . . ."

"I made sure I changed everything in the room." He smiles and walk pass me. "I got you a flat screen TV because I know you probably like to watch girly shows."

"Chevy . . ."

"If you're hungry food is downstairs in the kitchen, it's not a lot, I mostly order out."

"Chevy . . ."

" But I brought those cheese Chex mix things I know you like so much too."

"Chevy . . ."

"I got your key in my room so-"

"Chase!"

Chase looked at me and his smiling facade fell. We stood there looking at each other for who knows how long until he abruptly left out my room and I assumed he went to his own. I heard the door slam then silence. Then I heard things being thrown around, glass breaking, things smashing and angry roars and curses echoes throughout the house.

I have no idea how long I was stand there listening but it felt like forever until he stopped. I didn't notice he was finished until I heard his footsteps to my room and his big frame covered my whole door space. "If you want to take a shower there's towels and cloths in the linen closet. All your bathroom necessities are in their too just in case you didn't bring soap or whatever."I nodded my head. "Well . . . goodnight Lurie." I heard his footsteps leading to his room. I waited to see if I would hear more commotion but I didn't. I took that as him going to sleep.

I went over to my luggage and took out some pajamas. I didn't feel like unpacking today. I would have to do that tomorrow. After I got what I needed, I entered my bathroom and turned the shower on to scolding hot. Most people are sensitive to the burning water but not me. I welcomed the burn, especially now.

I wanted to rinse every trace of dirt, Liam, Diane and Bill off me. I scrubbed myself until I was painfully raw. My body was sore all over but I was determined to scrub everything off. I guess it was me trying to scrub the memory from my brain but I knew I would always remember. There was no changing what had happened.

I rinse off the suds then cut the water off. I grabbed a towel from the linen closet and dried myself. As I did that, I inhaled the steam in the bathroom. The heat and the smell of coconut water from my body wash soothed me for the moment. I knew when I leave this bathroom everything would come crashing back to me.

I stilled my hand on the golden door knob preparing myself for the ache. I let the heat from the bathroom caress me like a warm blanket once more. Before I got too comfortable I opened the door. I looked down at the dark oak floor and the bright yellow tile floors of the bathroom. I touched my foot on the wooden floor and felt the cold swallow up my leg. It clung to me like a wet blanket. I bit back a scream from the ache in my chest. Without faltering, I stepped all the way out of my warm cocoon.

The biting cold grasped me along with memories of tonight. I didn't waste time on putting on pajamas. I raced to my bed, towel and all, and bundled myself under the covers fighting off whatever was on me. I shivered under the covers and felt my teeth chatter. I knew this wasn't the cold of the night that was chilling me, it was something more. It was dark, damp, and weighed heavy on me. I've known this familiar cold since I was a child and it never went away.

The cold was too unbearable, even the warmth of my quilt couldn't keep the painful chill away. Once I settled in completely, only then I let my hard shell around my brain peel off exposing its gentle flesh. Only then I let myself cry.

A/N: I know this was a downer but I did say this story is a romance AND drama. Chapter 3 later on this week and we might meet a certain 1,000 year old Viking.