_Chapter 21_
_Beautiful lie_
Melite climbed into the shower and turned the knob, allowing the release of the just-too-hot water. She turned her face up into the water, sighing as it relaxed her muscles.
The thunderous sound of the water drowned out his approach. He stepped into the shower behind her, carefully watching her curved figure. She was only made aware of his company when his fingers danced over her shoulder blades.
With a gasp she span around
"Eric!" she exclaimed, taking a half-step back.
He stepped towards her
"Shh, shh, shh." he soothed as his arms encircled her waist.
"Eric you shouldn't." she protested quietly, pushing him away in vain
"But you want me to." he whispered against her skin, pulling closer.
His fingers trailed along her flesh sending shivers throughout her body. His lips pressed hungrily to her, leaving little red marks in his wake. His rough hands picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He caressed her fiercely, his lust building and his touch feeding hers. Desire veiled her thoughts and consumed her senses as he roughly thrust into her. Their bodies connected and writhed together, moving fluidly as one, again and again until pleasure screamed throughout her body and flashes of white bloomed behind her eyelids.
Eric growled primaly, carnal needs having taken over. His jaws opened wide around her throat. He bit down forcefully and his fangs tore into her flesh savagely. The pain shattered through the pleasure and she screamed frantically, trying to free herself. The pain overcame everything and all became dark.
Panting furiously, Melite shook of the remnants of the dream. Within a few seconds she had caught her breath.
In the past few nights, she had been haunted with Eric's form seducing her in her dreams, always they ended in the same way as he plunged his fangs into her flesh.
She turned slightly and glared uneasily at Eric's corpse-like slumbering state
"Someday, I am going to shave your head for this." she promised him as she climbed to her feet and walked from the room.
She ambled around the house aimlessly. She was hesitant to return to sleep but in the middle of the day she had nothing to do. She thought about getting in touch with some of her employee's to maybe do some work but if she did it would never end.
She thought of the Bar and Eric's finances. Some leverage would be nice, and he was sure to have committed some kind of fraud or tax evasion. Of course, declaring himself dead wouldn't cut it anymore. She went to his desk where she had come across a drawer full of receipts and picked up the drawer. She held it to her chest as she eyed the papers
"Taxes. The one thing from antiquity that we just couldn't shake off." she complained reminiscently.
Melite sat at the kitchen table in silence. She had sorted through the cheques, bills and receipts and was extremely surprised to find no tax fraud. Even she had dabbled in it from time to time, ever since taxes were first imposed.
Eric stood in the doorway, staring at her, uncharacteristically unsure of himself. She had become accustomed to him and her attitude was less hostile, they were almost amicable in their interactions, but last night, if he had a heart that beat, he was sure it would have stopped. The allure of the Sirens enamouring nature was getting to him. He cast off the thoughts roughly and stepped forward.
"Here you are." he spoke casually as he ambled through the kitchen.
"Here I am." she responded, staring down at the collective mess of receipts and bills that had been sorted into some strange chaotic order. She picked up a certain receipt which had been set aside "Hey, who'd you buy a Burberry coat for?" she asked, finally glancing at him. It was dated to the last few days and upon its discovery she had grown strangely curious over the owner of the purchased item.
"Sookie. She was in need of one and it was owed to her for taking care of me for 9 days."
"I was trapped in a net for seven days!" she protested, offended that she had been the one to suffer and yet she received no gifts.
"Which is why," he paused reaching onto the top of a tall cabinet "I purchased this for you." he smiled victoriously, placing a box on the table in front of her "And I also bought some Tru Blood to appease your ridiculous demands." he finished, nodding towards the fridge. Melite eyed him curiously as she slowly opened the box. She smiled as she lifted off the lid and saw the cases contents
"A silver necklace." she laughed musically, pulling the long shimmering chain from it's case.
"With a double-long chain. And matching earrings. I thought they might make your employment at Fangtasia and near constant company of Vampires a little more bearable." he explained plainly.
"Thank you. And I promise not to use them on you." she happily pushed the earrings into her lobes."Unless I really want to." she smiled wryly at him.
Eric grinned at her conspiratorially. If she would have her fun, he would have his.
He walked behind her, making his way out of the room. He stopped behind her, brushing her dark hair aside and holding his lips millimetres from her skin
"By the by," he whispered huskily "the blood is AB negative."
Goosebumps rose on her skin. Eric chuckled at her deer in the headlights reaction to him selecting her blood-type, and continued laughing to himself as he walked from the room.
"That's just creepy." she called out to him, rubbing her arms furiously. Thanks to his blood inside her, his presence was affecting her more and more.
Hours later, at Fangtasia, the Siren was, as per usual, resting on her laurels at the bar instead of serving the undead and their counterparts.
She was joined by Chelle, grinning widely. She looped a finger around Melite's necklace
"Wow, nice bling." Chelle smirked, using the word she picked up from her kids God-knows how long ago.
"Thanks."
"Who got you those?"
"Oh Eri-" Melite stopped in her tracks noticing the smirk on Chelle's face growing wider. "A friend." she answered, pouting.
Chelle nodded solemnly, her face serious
"Ohh, a 'friend'." she repeated, in an exaggerated tone. The smirk then returned to her face.
Melite frowned at her and opened her mouth to say something but as the words rose in her throat Pam materialized in between them. Instantly, she spoke, her voice cold and demanding
"Back to work. No dillydallying."
Chelle grabbed her tray with almost inhuman speed and rushed off to her tables. Pam's lips curled into a smile. She looked back at the Siren who still lingered at the bar "I see Eric apologised." she noted the jewelery now adorned by the brunette.
"In his way." she smiled back.
Pam pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow
"Good." she decreed, crossing her arms "It was difficult last night with you two in the same room. It was... awkward."
Melite smiled at the significantly younger woman. She patted her shoulder as she stepped to the side of the Vampire
"You have no idea."
For the rest of the night, Melite served drinks, brushed off chat up lines and refrained from staking the more... vivacious undead customers.
At the lull in the night, she took a few seconds to herself, standing in the hallway out of view of customers. She fingered the silver chain, hanging around her neck admiringly. Compared to some items Melite had collected in her time, the necklace and earrings were like cockle shells on string, but they held a level of intimacy that contested the gaudy items into a clean draw; the delicate stones in the earrings and the larger pendant on the chain matched the colour of her eyes perfectly. Her admiring was interrupted by Zara
"Mel!" Zara was one of the younger and more... self-involved of the girls working at Fangtasia. She had a wild look in her eyes and her whole body was tense with worry. Melite sighed slowly
"Meli." she corrected tiredly.
Zara rolled her eyes and waved her hands wildly
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen, you gotta help me. I can't find my phone. I had it one second and now it's gone. I've asked Caitlin, Natalie and Chelle. I've checked the bathrooms, the storeroom, changing room, behind the bar, in the club, everywhere except Eric's office, you gotta get me in."
Slowly, she shook her head
"I can't get you in his office, I don't have a key. Besides, Eric's office has been locked all night. What about the basement? Have you been down there?"
Zara threw an absurd look at Melite
"What basement?"
"The one under the building." Melite spoke condescendingly.
"We don't have a basement." she scoffed snobbishly "Whatever, I'll go look some more." she turned on her heels and flounced off, in her own little kingdom.
Melite watched her go but her eyes weren't focused on her, they were staring beyond the retreating waitress, at the basement door.
The door to the basement was clear to see. It was right there. Why couldn't Zara see it? ...Why couldn't humans see it?
Melite went to the basement door. It was there, clear as day. The brunette held her hand to the heavy door and felt the distinct but slight tingle of a deterrence incantation on it.
She tried the handle of the door. It was locked tight. She crouched so her lips were level with the heavy lock. She began humming, the frequency building until she opened her lips and the sound waves shot out, slamming into the mechanism in the door, and smashing the lock open. She stood and looked about herself cautiously, as she slowly crept into the dark room. The sight stilled her. The cold dingy room, the chains, the stench, the oppressive feeling of terror and pain.
She had just walked into Fangtasia's very own dungeon.
Uh-oh, spaghetti-O! The bubble is burst, people. What will Melite do know that she has seen the true horror of her macabre workplace? Find out next time in Hate the sin, love the sinner~
Also- I got accepted into Uni so I'm gonna be verrry busy. Unfortunately, I think I'm beginning to hate this story. I'm soo close to starting the proper romance too. I'll keep going though. And I have something else taking up my time... met a boy on holiday. Yikes. Yahoo. Yum. You know what I mean ;P Lucky for you he lives right at the other side of England. And what makes things worse is that about 6 of my future plot lines have already been taken by the books and the show! Damn you clairvoyance! And damn you Charlaine Harris for being so utterly brilliant! DX
xx KissMeQuack