"He gave you flowers?" Sookie asked, staring at the bouquet like it was sent from the heavens. Lilith sat at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee and nodded. She was so dazed at the sheer beauty of them she was literally left speechless. "I can not believe he gave you flowers!" she said in awe.
"I can't believe he knew my address," Lilith finally replied.
"Well knowing Eric he might have looked you up online," Sookie replied sitting down with her. "Or hired people to follow you," Lilith nearly spitted out her coffee and looked at her. "You think I'm kidding I'm not," Sookie told her.
"It's not funny Sook," Lilith told her. "This whole him knowing where I live freaks me out."
"True, but you can't stop him. Once he sees something he likes he gets it and does whatever it takes to get it." Sookie explained. "Best thing to do is to just ignore it."
"Ignore it? Sookie, did you not hear me? He knows where I live. What if I do something that makes him mad? He'll kill us all in our sleep!" Sookie began laughing, almost snorting.
"Oh girl, you've watched way too much horror movies. They can't get in unless you invite them in! And as for him hurting you, you gotta piss him off really bad for him to do it. Vampires are more like us then you think…besides other things." Lilith sat there, sinking into her own thoughts.
"How did you meet Eric? Through Bill?" Lilith asked.
"Yeah, we had a murderer around here and Bill took me to Fangtasia. I had to deal with him ever since after he knew what I was," Sookie replied.
"What…exactly can you tell me about him?" she asked. Sookie looked at her, amused at her sudden curiosity. "So I can be prepared," Lilith quickly told her.
"Well, he's over a thousand years old. He's the vampire sheriff of area five, which is us. He's also a Viking, well use to be," Sookie explained. This caught Lilith's attention; this was getting way too weird for her.
"So…he's powerful," Lilith said.
"Oh yeah, extremely. Kind of an arrogant bastard too, but like I said there's more to him then meets the eye," Sookie replied.
"How did you come up to that conclusion?" Lilith asked but Sookie giggled getting up.
"That's not my problem, you gotta talk to him about that," she grinned, causing Lilith to stand up too.
"But Sookie I don't wanna talk to him!" Lilith almost yelled. "What if he just wants me as a blood bag or something?"
"Well Lil you have two options, either one you ignore him which I doubt you'll succeed on. Or you can just swallow your pride and just go to Fangtasia, that way everyone will be at peace," Sookie pulled her to a hug then walked out of her kitchen. "Who knows, this experience might just be good for you!" As she walked out Lilith sighed looking at the card again. Turning the card around she noticed that there was a phone number written on the back. 'Oh you gotta be kidding me,' she thought to herself. Did he honestly write his number on the card? What a typical thing to do. Folding the card in half she threw it away, but placing the flowers on top of the fireplace. What could she say they were nice flowers! Flopping on the couch she heard her phone ring, now what?
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hey Lilith? It's Sam from Merlotte's," the voice on the other end replied.
"Oh hey, um may I help you with something?" Lilith asked.
"Yeah, Sookie mentioned you wanting a job and you could cook. She even gave me a sample of that chicken bog you made. I was just wondering if you would like to come down for a job interview," Sam replied. Lilith sat straight up, almost knocking the pillows on the couch down.
"Yes! I mean, I sure will, thank you for this opportunity," she replied being as calm as possible.
"Great, is later this afternoon say 4:00 ok?" Sam asked.
"Sure! Four sounds great, thank you, bye," Lilith replied hanging up the phone and squealed in excitement.
"What's wrong?" Hero replied coming downstairs.
"I got a job interview at Merlotte's!" Lilith yelled. Hero smiled brightly at her and pulled her to her hug.
"Oh honey that's wonderful!" Hero replied. "I knew you would find a place to work! Plus you can work with Sook and have good pay! Oh sweetie this is wonderful news! This gives us a celebration!" Hero rushed to the kitchen to prepare cooking while Lilith sat back down, smiling from ear to ear. It looked like things were finally turning up! Lilith didn't have to worry about screwing up her job interview; in fact she did not quite remember what happened. All she knew was that she got the job and was in the back putting on her cooking apron in no time.
"So, you're the wild child Sookie has been talking about," a very flamboyant black man who she later on found out was Lafayette said with a smile. "I also hear you're a goddess in the kitchen."
"Now I wouldn't say that," Lilith replied with a small smile and blush. "I just come from a long line of excellent cooks, but I took it up a notch and got a degree on it."
"A degree? Well shit hooka why are you here then? You should be one of those top chefs on TV! Shit," he said fanning himself, causing Lilith to snicker. She had a feeling they were going to get along just fine. The rest of the night seemed like nothing, it was just like cooking at home but there were two guys involved and a redhead screeching at the serving window. Later on when crowds started dying down Lilith took a well deserved break and leaned against the bar.
"Oh honey child! The crowd loved your cooking, they were begging for more!" Lafayette said walking behind the bar.
"Yeah, they're shocked a white gal knows how to cook like a black person," Tara chimed in while she cleaned the glasses.
"Now Tara, race has nothing to do with it, it's called talent. And this bad ass has natural talent. So tell us Ms. Lilith, what's your story?" Lafayette said as he poured a drink for all three of them.
"Well there's nothing much to tell," Lilith replied taking a sip.
"Lil, you, besides a rare few including me and Sook, passed high school without being knocked up or on drugs. Went to college and stayed there. Plus you're not dead somewhere or became a prostitute…"
"Watch it hooka," Lafayette interrupted.
"A cracked out prostitute," Tara corrected. "The point is you got everything going for you, and yet you came back to a bumfuck town. Now what's up?"
"Well I mean Mama has no one to help her with the house. I mean Maggie could but she's too busy about being popular and chasing boys…vampire boys…I think. The point is I gotta help her until Maggie has graduated from school and things have calmed down," Lilith said, she honestly felt like a broken record by this point.
"Well that's all well and good but don't you think there's something else that pulled you back here? An unknown call of fate?" Lafayette questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh give me a fucking break Lafayette there is no such thing as fate," Tara sneered at him.
"We didn't think vampires exist either yet here we are with blood in the freezer," Lafayette argued. Lilith was dazed off into her own thoughts, she did feel like there was another reason she came back…some unknown reason.
"There has been something that has been troubling me," Lilith finally spoke up, causing both Tara and Lafayette to look at what. "But it's stupid forget I said anything."
"No, no, no, you done let the cat out of the bag now spill," he said leaning against the bar.
"Well, lately I've been having these…dreams, but they feel so real! It's like they're flashbacks or something. I don't understand it because it looked like a long time ago," Lilith began.
"It's like déjà vu isn't it?" Lafayette asked, ignoring Tara's eye roll. Lilith nodded, maybe he could get it. "How long ago do you think it is?"
"Long ago, there's Amazons and Vikings involved," Lilith replied. "And what's really weird is the leader of these Amazons looks just like me! While the dude he looked…even named after…"
"Wait, are you telling me you've been having flashbacks about Eric? As in Eric Northman?" Tara asked, Lilith nodded, noticing Lafayette tensing. "Don't mind him; Eric chained him up in his basement once." Lilith looked back at him with widen eyes, this was just added to the pile of reasons not to see Eric.
"Enough about that," he said finally snapping out of it. "We gotta get to the bottom of these flashbacks…unless…"
"Unless what?" Lilith asked.
"It could be because these things you've been seeing…really did happen," he thought for a moment.
"What like? Past life stuff?" Lilith asked. "But Lafayette, that's not possible."
"Oh? Well explain why you keep having them? And a vampire an hour from here looks just like him as you said? Hmm?" he asked, causing Lilith to think again.
"I just think there's a logical explanation to this whole thing is all," Lilith said downing the whole drink. Logical, there just has to be something logical. Once Lilith got home she decided to not deal with it. This whole thing could be just a coincidence and not to worry about. Lilith opened the door, noticing Hero and Maggie sitting at the den.
"Hey mama," Lilith said before she went in the den.
"Hey dear, there's someone here to see you," Hero replied.
"Really? Who could it be…" she stopped, the color leaving her face as she looked at a familiar female wearing shades on top of her head and a zebra coat.
"Hello there," Pam said with a deadly smile. The sit together was by far the most awkward thing Lilith ever experienced. More awkward then the time she brought her first boyfriend home and Hero was holding a rifle the whole time.
"So…Now that Lilith is finally here would you like something? I always buy TruBlood just in case Maggie brings someone home," Hero finally spoke up.
"While I don't particularly like it I will take one for now thank you," Pam replied with a small smile. As Hero got up to the kitchen Maggie decided to speak.
"Um, I'm really sorry about sneaking in;" Maggie said to Pam. "I promise not to do it ever again."
"Well to be quite honest I could have persuaded Eric to allow you. That way Ms. Lilith would continue to come by," Pam replied with a grin. Lilith was getting uncomfortable again. Hero came back with her blood with a small smile.
"Here you go ," she said sitting back down. "Lilith, she was waiting here to speak to you."
"Yes, I came here in regards of my master Eric; it seems you have not replied to the flowers? I mean I can't imagine why they're lovely," Pam said pointing to the flowers at the fireplace. Lilith rolled her eyes and sighed, this was getting on her last nerve.
"Look, the flowers are nice yes. But I'm not going to grovel at his feet and be all 'Fiddle de de' that's not my style. Plus you can pay people for that type of thing," Lilith told her, not showing a hint of fear. Hero's eyes went wide while Maggie tried to bite back a snicker. Pam sat there for a while, before laughing softly and took a sip of the blood.
"You and your spunk I swear," she said with a smile. "I can see the interest…besides the obvious." Lilith gave her a sharp look, her annoyance rising. It was as if there was something people were not telling her. "But I do wish you stop this childish games, it's cute. However…"
"Okay stop, seriously," Lilith said getting up and took the bouquet. She handed it to her. "You tell him to take the flowers and shove it up his ass and just leave me alone!" Lilith turned and went upstairs, she was not about to deal with this anymore. Lilith could not sleep for a long time; all of this was just too much. Sitting up from her bed, she felt this pull to look out the window. Standing up, she walked toward the window, looking out to see what she thought was Eric standing outside her window. She rubbed her eyes for a moment before opening her eyes and saw nothing.
"I need sleep," she mumbled to herself and crawled to bed, she will deal with things tomorrow. All night she tossed and turned, images of battle and fire, screaming and weapons clashing. Then she felt it, a pain that stung beyond belief. A pain both in the pit of her stomach and her heart. The pain was too much! Finally waking up to the morning sun she sighed in relief. Just a dream…or was it? The talk with Lafayette kept her thinking, but she shook the thought, she had work today.
"Reincarnation," Lafayette bursted out in the middle of cooking Merlotte's lunch menu to the masses.
"What?" Lilith asked, looking away from chopping lettuce, even Terry looked confused.
"The flashbacks hon, seeing someone from far far away look just like you. That is your logical explanation," he replied.
"Laffy, that's not logical, that's supernatural mumbo jumbo," Lilith explained.
"Well you explain it then," he turned to her. Not getting a reply he turned back to what he was doing. "I rest my case." Lilith kept quiet through out the rest of the day, during her day off she sat outside in the back to get some fresh air. Sookie walked to sit next to her, both not uttering a word.
"Pam came to visit your house?" Sookie finally spoke, Lilith looked at her confused. "Bill tells me everything, He noticed her driving by." Lilith turned back and sighed.
"Something is going on, Eric is after me for something," Lilith replied. "What I honestly don't know. I mean I can guess but it can't be true."
"What the reincarnation thing Lafayette was talking about? Com on Lil, you've been around unnatural things all your life. I know it's scary, there are some things that just can't be explained, but it is what it is. You gotta take it with a grain of salt. As for what Eric wants with you…it won't hurt to ask," Sookie explained and nudged her. Lilith looked back at her and smiled softly.
"I told Pam to take the flowers back," Lilith replied.
"Aw but they were nice flowers!" Sookie argued.
"True as it may be, I don't want to be part of what he has in mind," she replied, Sookie did not argue.
"You know my brother likes you right?" Sookie asked, causing Lilith to finally laugh.
"He likes the thought of me," Lilith replied. "He truly doesn't have a snow ball's chance."
"Hmph, don't have to tell me twice," Sookie giggled then got up. "Come on, we better get in or Sam will yell at us." The rest of the night seemed normal, except the redneck frat boys who kept whistling every time the saw Lilith through the serving window. Lilith growled in frustration, she even wanted to throw something.
"Ignore them baby, they're just hicks," Lafayette told her as Sam came in the kitchen
"Hey Lil, can you bartend?" he asked.
"Sure I can make some drinks why?" she replied.
"Tara took the night off and I need some extra hands, looked like you needed to take a break from the kitchen," he smiled. Lilith took off her apron to take charge of the bar, entertaining a drunk who proclaimed love to her all night. Brushing it aside she noticed Sookie on the phone and in panic.
"Hey Sook what's wrong?" Lilith asked.
"It's Jessica, Bill hasn't heard from her for a long time and is freaking out. Something's wrong I can feel it," Sookie said. Jessica was a teenager Bill had to turn as his punishment for killing a vampire, so far she seemed to go on a fighting streak like Maggie and sounded like she went missing. Lilith told Sam she had to go and grabbed her things.
"Come on I'll help," Lilith jumped to the chance and drove her to Bill's house. Lilith watched her run to him and gave him a big hug, then she had to walk to the house with her heard down by their public display.
"Oh Bill this is Lilith, Lilith, Bill," Sookie introduced them both.
"Heard a lot about you," Lilith smiled at him.
"Likewise," He replied in his thick Southern accent, oh Maggie would love to talk to him.
"Have you heard from Jessica at all?" Sookie asked him.
"No, and I can not feel her presence anywhere, she's too far," Bill explained. "We're gonna need extra help."
"Extra help? What extra help?" Sookie asked. "You mean…"
"As much as I don't want to, he's the only one that could help in these situations," Bill replied. Sookie looked at Lilith with some worry.
"Thanks for driving me here," she began.
"Whoa wait, I'm gonna help y'all," Lilith told her.
"Lil, I don't think…"
"Sook, you're my best friend and I help friends right? Bill is part of you so I'm going to help. Now when is the extra help getting here?" Lilith asked. She noticed a red Corvette speeding to the front of the house, stopping just in inch from her truck. Who came out of the car made her heart sink. Eric. "Oh Jesus."
"You can leave now if you want," Sookie whispered but Lilith waved her away.
"I'll be civil," she mumbled. This was going to be a long night.
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