"No, absolutely not."
That had been the seventh dress Pam had tried coaxing Aurea into buying. They had been shopping all evening for a gown, but all Pam managed to do was try and coax Aurea into buying things she didn't need, all because they had Eric's credit card.
"No." stated Aurea.
"Sourpuss." pouted Pam.
Aurea just laughed before walking towards the more formal area of the store. It was the third store they had been to, and Aurea still hadn't found something to wear. Pam had found a beautiful dark eggplant gown that was strapless with a thin ribbon that went across the waist. She had also found the perfect shoe.
Aurea had yet to find anything that she felt comfortable in. Everything was either to tight, didn't flatter her curves at all, or was just plain ugly. She was getting tired and fed up with shopping, only because she wasn't finding anything. Pam had disappeared leaving Aurea to pout by herself. She was shuffling through a rack of dresses when her eyes fell onto a gown heavily decorated in a flower pattern, the top of the dress attaching around the neck as the waist stopped just beneath the chest, leaving the fabric to fall to the floor. The fabric felt heavenly against her fingers as she pulled it off the rack, immediately falling in love with it.
"Pam." she said, feeling her hair blow as Pam came to a halt next to her, her own eyes growing in love.
"You have got to try that on." said Pam, pushing Aurea into the changing rooms.
Pam helped her undress and into the gown, helping zip up the back and making sure the scarves of silk that were attached to the neck hung down the back, making sure the zipper was hidden. Aurea stepped out to look in the full length mirror, her smile growing wide.
"Ring it up, baby." said Aurea, smiling.
"Now we need shoes." said Pam, placing her hand on her hips.
"Those are easy." said Aurea, walking back into the changing room.
The two girls finished their shopping, Pam finally convincing Aurea to buy something they both didn't need, 3 extra pairs of shoes each. They made it back to the house with 4 hours to spare before dawn. Pam decided to keep her dress at the house, telling Aurea she'd get ready there tomorrow night.
Aurea walked Pam out and kissed her goodnight before going in search of Eric. The house had been quiet when they had arrived, leaving Aurea to wonder where he was. She focused her ears to listen for anything minute, but she didn't catch anything.
She pulled out her phone and called Fangtasia, knowing Eric wouldn't pick up his cell phone. Ginger answered the phone, giving Aurea cause to flinch at the bimbo's loud screechy voice. Ginger told her that Eric was there, but she hadn't seen him all night. Aurea thanked her and hung up, but not without Ginger telling her he may be in the basement.
Aurea hung up the phone and thought back to what Ginger said. The basement. She couldn't remember ever seeing that room. It finally clicked in Aurea's mind as to why Eric would be in the basement.
"Christian." she mumbled.
She rushed out of the house and towards Fangtasia, throwing the door open as she walked in. Club members bowed to her as she walked by, making a beeline for the Employee's Only door. Ginger saw her walk past the bathrooms and grabbed her before she could go into the basement.
"What'cha doin?" asked Ginger.
"What's it look like?" asked Aurea.
"Like you're about to go into the basement." said Ginger.
"Excellent observational skills." said Aurea, walking past her.
"I wasn't supposed to say nothing." said Ginger. "If he knows I told you than-"
Ginger paused as Aurea walked up to her. Aurea placed her hand on Ginger's cheek and smiled. Ginger smiled back but it slowly slid from her face as her eyes focused on Aurea's.
"Go back to the bar and stay there the rest of the night. If Eric asks, no one called the bar, especially me. If anyone asks, Eric is not here this evening." said Aurea, glamouring Ginger.
"Yes, ma'am." smiled Ginger.
"Good girl." said Aurea, stepping away from her. "Now run along."
Aurea watched Ginger sweep past her and out to the bar. Aurea took a deep breath and resumed her way to the basement. Ginger was a sweet women, but dumber than mud. Must have been glamoured one too many times. Aurea stopped outside the basement and froze, taking a deep breath before opening the door.
The smell that wafted over her made her want to gag as the dark steps beneath loomed into the dangerous and unknown. She heard someone scream and instantly stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
"What is your purpose here?"
She heard Eric speak to who she assumed to be Christian. She took the stairs one at a time at a snail's pace. She wasn't sure what she was going to find, and to be honest she was scared at the thought. She came to the landing where the entire basement came to view. She saw Christian shackled up to chains hanging from the top of the ceiling, his body pale and thin, as if he had been starved for a few days.
Longshadow stood to the side as Eric stood in front, his head bent down as if trying to look Christian in the eye.
"I will ask again." said Eric, his tone a false play of patience. "What is your purpose here?"
"I have no purpose." cried Christian. "I just hoped to live in the shadows, I, I didn't want to bother anyone!"
Aurea found herself scoffing at his words, his performance in Merlotte's flashing through her mind. She instantly regretted the noise as she saw three pairs of eyes staring at her, a set of blue ones practically glaring. Eric was not happy, but he lowered his eyes from her before turning back to Christian.
"And why, did you not make yourself present to me?" asked Eric, clasping his hands behind his back and circling Christian.
"I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do." he cried. "I'm only new vampire; I'm not privy to the rules and regulations."
"You lie." snarled Longshadow. "I can still smell the decrepit earth you crawled from, centuries ago."
"I will ask again." said Eric, calmly. "Why, are you here?"
"I caught word of something sweet tasting living in the area." said Christian, his eyes raising to where Aurea stood. "I just wasn't sure what it was."
Aurea noticed Eric stop walking as he watched Christian stare at Aurea. He saw her eyebrows frown in confusion as she looked deeply at Christian before turning her eyes to him.
"And where did you hear such rumors?" asked Eric.
"Some stupid rednecks." said Christian. "Said they were here one night when something sweet and spicy almost ripped their throats out. Figured I'd come and check it out."
Aurea's mind washed back to that night when she had thrown one of the vampires through the window, while the other laid clamped to the floor by her hand. She knew she shouldn't have used her powers, but unless she wanted to be gloop, she had to do it.
"They described her to me." said Christian, grazing his eyes up and down Aurea.
"How did you find her?" asked Longshadow.
"I didn't." said Christian. "The little freak found me."
"You shut your-"
"Aurea!" yelled Eric, stopping Aurea in her footsteps.
Eric walked slowly up to Aurea, watching as her eyes filled with rage towards Christian. He calmly lowered his head to hers, whispering into her ear.
"He does us no good dead." he said, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Well, when he's no longer useful, please let me know." she said, still fuming.
"With pleasure." smiled Eric, turning back to Christian.
"Who else knows?" asked Eric.
"Not sure." smiled Christian.
Aurea stepped closer to Christian until she was face to face with him. She saw his eyes close, savoring her smell. She saw Eric step closer in case something happened, but for the moment, he was curious as to what she would do.
"Here's the deal. You tell us what we want to know," she said, trailing her fingernail across his face and lips, "and I'll let your little fangs touch the sweet and spicy blood you crave."
"Aurea." warned Eric.
Christian new it was a trap, but something about the way she spoke to him calmed him, made him want to bow to every order she gave him. Eric noticed the serene look come over Christian's face as she talked to him, making him very curious.
"Promise?" asked Christian, suddenly feeling like he had just snapped out of a daydream.
Aurea smiled and ran her nail across her wrist, letting the scent of her blood waft into Christian's senses, making him crave her. She let a small pool of her blood form at the base of his feet before letting it heal.
"Not many know." informed Christian. "The two rednecks, me, and a nest of vampires living south of Shreveport. Damien is the leader."
"Good boy." she smiled, patting Christian on the cheek before turning.
"Wait!" he yelled. "You promised."
Aurea stopped and looked over her shoulder to him. She saw Eric tense as she turned around, her eyes focusing on Christian intently.
"So I did." she said.
"Aurea-" warned Eric, but she silenced him with a look and a very seducing smile.
Aurea turned back to Christian, her eyes suddenly focusing on his mouth, the image of his fangs coming to her mind. Christian began to scream as he felt a searing pain shoot through his mouth. Eric's eyes turned to Christian to see his fangs growing further and further out of his mouth. He looked back to see Aurea standing stock still, her eyes unfocused to the area around her. Her eyes glowed with fire as Christian's fangs grew to the length of a saber tooth before being ripped out completely from his mouth, falling to the floor into the small pool of her blood.
"Like I said," she said, coming back to the present, noticing Christian looking down to his fangs. "I keep my promises."
Christian screamed as the pain that ripped through his body became too much to bear. Aurea stepped back as Longshadow dragged Christian towards the back of the room, locking him into a metal cage. He came back and bent down, collecting Christian's fangs before nodding to both Aurea and Eric.
Aurea watched him leave as she was left alone with Eric. To be honest, she wasn't sure that any of what she did would work, but imagining it gave her the power to follow it through. Eric came to a halt right in front of her, his eyes looking deep into her own.
"We need to talk."
Dun Dun Dun! Here's a new one for ya'll! Hope you enjoy!