Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the books or True Blood. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Day Man

Chapter 10

When Dusty brought Russ in for his middle of the night meeting, the poker game was going on, and Stan was one of them playing. Was Stan a vampire too? He seemed so normal, for a person he only saw at night.

Even knowing what he did, he still thought Russ was a creep. Godric and Isabel didn't explain anything that this fellow said about sex, just the biting bit. Isabel was sexy. Any guy could see that, but she was never slutty or even flirtatious that Dusty had seen. She was quite professional.

Isabel requested, "Have a seat. The sheriff is out walking his dog and should be back shortly."

"Going to join us for a few hands, Dusty?" Rex asked.

"Thanks," Dusty replied, curious as to why Godric was walking Klaus. As far as he knew, no one walked Klaus. Klaus could take himself for a leak.

He had taken a seat, gotten a stack of chips and was already dealt in for the next hand when the fire door in the back clanged shut. His eyes swept the room due to Godric's normal way of entering, so fast he was rarely seen, but instead he was taking his time with a little, excited dog that was circling around him.

It looked like Toto, a dirty colored terrier. Dusty didn't think it was Klaus because he had no scars showing. What the hell was his boss wearing? Dungarees, rolled up at the hem, and a long-sleeved, blue plaid shirt with buttoned cuffs. Normally, Godric looked young to Dusty, trying to dress to look older. Now, he was dressed his apparent age, or even younger. There was something else. Godric looked healthy. His skin was not pale, and his eyes were not rimmed with red. There was even a little bit of pink on his still-pale cheeks, and his lips were not pale as in barely darker than his skin, but a normal shade of pinkish red.

The dog skittered to a stop, bared its teeth at Russ, and growled. When the little dog lunged, Godric caught him in midair, and held him squirming in his arms. "Shh, Fang."

Isabel performed the introduction, "Sheriff, this is Russ representing your fellow sheriff of Area 3."

Godric looked at Russ warily, then glanced down at his hostile dog. He gave Russ a brief nod.

Russ cleared his throat before saying, "Usually dogs love me."

Dusty tried not to laugh, and it got harder when Stan smirked briefly at him.

"Fang is discerning," Godric said calmly.

"I should have brought him something then. My sheriff was afraid of offending you by sending the wrong sort of tribute. Do you have any suggestions that I may make?"

After a pause, Godric replied, "Bridgette Bardot would be a tribute I would not soon forget."

"The actress?"

"Yes, I hear she is fond of animals. Unlike you."

The other woman here, Dusty thought her name might be Catherine, snickered, then covered her mouth. Stan elbowed her, since he was sitting next to her at the table, smiling himself.

Godric tilted his head towards his door, and said, "You might as well get your business concluded, Reese, and go into my office to tell me what Carlos sent you to me for that he couldn't ask for on the telephone."

"It's Russ, short for Russell."

"No, I think this is a Cairn Terrier, not a Jack Russell."

The dog's face was frozen in a grimacing growl, fangs exposed, lips drawn back.

"You're not a werewolf, are you? Fang hates werewolves."

"No, I'm not."

"I guess you have no excuse than."

Godric closed the door behind them after they went into his office.

Dusty noticed everyone around him started laughing.

"Is he doing that on purpose?"

"Yeah," Stan said. "He doesn't like Carlos much. Probably another idea of how Godric or Carlos can become the next King. No other reason to worry about sending Godric a gift."

"Why would he need Godric if he wants to be King?"

"Godric is under oath to the current King. He may retaliate."

"Would that be a problem?"

"Only if they enjoy being alive."

"Oh, come on."

"Godric's forgiving, but he's formidable. Another sheriff is playing with him now, so he doesn't have time for Carlos. This fiasco should send him back to his corner."

"It'll be a fiasco?"

"Yeah, his errand boy talked too much to you earlier. Are you in or out?"

"Uh, how much?"

"Forty."

"I'm out," Dusty replied, folding his cards. Was he really playing poker with vampires? He then asked, "That dog was Klaus, right?"

"Yeah," Stan agreed.

Isabel added, "Klaus is good when he feels like becoming something different. Godric does not want him endangering himself though."

"'Cause he's stupid as shit," Rex complained, throwing in his cards.

"That's not something he can help," Stan murmured. "Not everyone is born as smart as you think you are."

"Hey," Rex warned.

"Do not argue," Isabel warned. "We are united in front of outsiders."

"Yes, ma'am," Stan agreed, then pursed his lips and made a kissing sound.

"I find you repulsive."

"Maybe I'll get interested in art. Please teach this ignorant barbarian, sweet Isabel."

"You are not old enough to be a real barbarian, simply uncouth."

Stan smiled, before sweeping the chips in the center of the table towards himself.

During the next hand, Russ emerged from Godric's office, red-faced and visibly sweating. Dusty threw in his cards and stood. Russ was limping as he exited because that 'damned dog' bit him.

He drove Russ back to the hotel. Dusty let Russ do the talking. Whatever he was supposed to accomplish failed, but he was blaming everyone but himself. No one warned him that Godric was such a nut case, even for one of them. Strange how he could allude to so much, like earlier, but never come out and say the word 'vampire'.

At least Russ said he'd grab a cab to the airport. Good.

Klaus was in a great mood the next day when Dusty brought in the day's library books, and followed him into the back of the laundromat. He could tell before Klaus even became human and started speaking German so fast that he forgot to add in enough English words for Dusty to make sense of him. The only things he could agree with was Bridgette Bardot was something special, and Klaus could look like the dog from the Wizard of Oz. He wasn't sure, but it may be that Klaus liked that movie. Why not Lassie and Rin Tin Tin too?

Dusty got roped into going out for beer again. This time though, he knew Godric and the rest were vampires.

"How long have you been with Godric?" Dusty asked.

Klaus counted something on his fingers before he said, "Zwan … twenty-three years."

"Did you realize what he was?"

"Oh ja. Godric throw werewolf about like they dolls. Ah … rip them?"

"He killed them?"

"Ja. Godric ist sehr alt. Very strong. They did not run when he told them to go. Dumm … eh, stupid."

"Does he usually kill anyone that doesn't agree with him?"

"Nein … no. Werewolves are bad. They hurt me, und I stupid bear in woods. I not do anything to them."

"So Godric saved your life?"

"Ja, I dying und drink blood … oh, no … I uh … not ..."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You have to drink people's blood like them?"

"No."

"What then?"

"I not say. They heal aber not normal. I dead without Godric."

"I don't understand."

"Good. I not say secret."

"So if I was dying, Godric could heal me?"

Klaus looked uncomfortable, then said, "People die. Sometimes they stop that, but I die later."

"Wait, you are alive, right?"

"Ja, for now. I live till old mit Godric. He will not make me like them."

"Do you want to be?"

"No, I not smart. Get killed too easy. They kill each other for fun."

"I've seen them playing cards."

"Ja, not these. Godric not allow."

"Wait, but someone tried to kill Rex, when I first came to meet Isabel?"

"Ja."

"But Godric was there watching?"

"Ja."

"Whatever became of that?"

Klaus shrugged, "I not understand everything they say."

"How's Stan fit in?"

"Stan lives in Dallas. He follows Godric."

"How did he become one?"

"I know not. He ist not young. Good actor. Learn to speak like you."

"I haven't seen him with a dog, or anyone like you."

"No, I or those like me do not nice with them. Godric save me und Godric not care that I not always human."

"Is it like the movies where they sleep in a coffin?"

Klaus sort of laughed, "He could but not. When we outside, he dig hole und sleep. Inside, he stay out of light und sleep. Sometimes under bed, und I sleep on it."

"Not as a dog?"

"No, as man. I say leave me alone und no one look for Godric."

"But you're at the laundromat during the day."

"No one follow me to Godric here."

"He's hidden while he's sleeping?"

"Ja. They more dead than sleep."

"What's it all mean, Klaus?"

"Was … what … I not understand you."

"Vampires."

"They do not choose it. Another vampire does it to them."

"Godric?"

"Godric say he not want to be vampire."

"Has he made anyone a vampire?"

"They not talk about it. There's a bond, like mother und child. Vampires cannot have weakness seen."

"I don't think Godric needs to worry about that. Haven't you said he's stronger and older?"

"Ja. Here, he ist. Many old ones do not want to leave Europe."

"Is Eric old?"

"Erick … ah, no, not as old as Godric."

"He is a vampire too?"

"Ja."

"And has a sheep farm?"

"Ja. Sheep don't care. Sheep are sheep."