Chapter 8: Los Vegas, an Old Friend, and a Game

It didn't take much for Sookie Stackhouse to realize something was wrong with Eric. Normally, nothing would faze him and even if it did he wouldn't show it, however, she could tell, just by the look in his eyes that something was up. They arrived in Los Vegas at ten p.m.; during the day flight Bill and Eric departed to a hidden sleeping area made specifically for them somewhere in the far back of the jet where no sunlight could get in at all. During that time Sookie took her time getting to know Celeste, no matter how much she didn't want to, she did so anyway. She started out with basic questions: what's your favorite color? How do you like Bon Temps? How did you and Eric meet? Those kinds of things, but when Sookie started to dig deeper, Celeste's answers became more vague.

"What about your parents?" Sookie had asked. She analyzed and watched Celeste intently as she waited for an answer. Celeste looked off into the distance and a look of dread consumed her, but quickly disappeared before Sookie could make anything significant out of it. Celeste cleared her throat and rolled her eyes before replying.

"They're dead." She said simply, but from how she acted before answering Sookie could tell that it was complicated and a delicate situation for her.

"I-I'm sorry." Sookie slightly stuttered. "I didn't know."

"You never asked. But it doesn't matter." Celeste stretched out her limbs in the soft seat. "That was a long time ago."

"What happened?" Sookie's skin felt cold and hard as Celeste shot her a hard and dangerous look that would make even the strongest man feel a tinge of fear claw its way down his spine. Sookie sank back in her seat. After a long second that seemed to last for hours, Celeste's gaze rose the ceiling, immediately softening. "If you don't want to talk about it than I understand. When my Gran died, I was absolutely heartbroken and terrified. When I found her body, lying in cold blood on the floor by the front door, it was the most horrendous and despairing moment of my life. I still can't get the image out of my head. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her."

"Well at least you weren't forced to watch her die." The sentence slipped out of Celeste's mouth before she could stop it. She glanced at Sookie then looked back at the ceiling.CShit, I've done it now.

"What do you mean?" Sookie leaned closer to Celeste. "You were forced to watch your parents be murdered?" She said in the high-pitched annoying voice that Celeste hated so much.

"Don't worry about it. It's none of your business."

***

Sookie glanced over at Celeste from the corner of her eye, remembering what happened on the jet just before they landed and just before Eric and Bill decided to get up. She pushed the thought away when Bill took her hand in his and guided her forward through the crowed of upbeat and drinking people. She looked back at Eric and Celeste, she could see that Eric was trying to do the same for her, however, there was something that was preventing him from doing so. Celeste quickened her step suddenly and caught up with Bill and Sookie, Eric right on her heels. They stopped at an intersection and waited for the flashing red hand that indicated "no walking" to turn into the glowing white person, giving them permission.

"Where exactly is your business Eric?" Bill asked, looking over his shoulder at him.

"No need to worry about that. Tonight we enjoy what the city has to offer and worry about business tomorrow." He said with a grin. He tried to take Celeste's hand in his again, but failed when she put her field back up. Celeste remembered Los Vegas very well. She had only been there a few times, but she made a lot of enemies on those occasions. She could constantly feel eyes on her and whispers with her name. She knew it had been a mistake to come, but she had convinced herself that it wouldn't bother her and that no one would go looking for her once word got out about her arrival. But she knew she was dead wrong. And that's exactly what she would be if she didn't leave the damned city soon. Celeste surrounded her entire body with her field, shielding herself from all possible angles. Her eyes darted across the streets and many faces of the people, not looking for anything in particular. When she stepped it was careful, as if not to set a hidden trap. She knew she was going to have a hell of a time there, whether it would be good or bad had yet to unfold.

"Are you alright?" Celeste was abruptly taken out of her trance. She looked around and noticed that Eric was no longer beside her; he was actually some ways ahead of them, turning their slow and leisurely walk into one of catch-up. She looked to her side to see Bill Compton, looking very concerned.

"Umm, yeah. I'm fine." Celeste smiled and pushed back a strand of hair, picking up her pace as she did. "It's just that I haven't been here in a while."

"You have been to Los Vegas before?" He asked with surprise and a tinge of admiration, from what she could tell. She glanced over at Sookie, who seemed to ignore the fact that her eternal partner and Celeste were talking at all and distracted herself by looking up at the neon signs and many sights that Los Vegas had to offer.

"Once, or twice." Two times to many, she thought in the back of her mind. "But it was all mostly business, like this."

"Do you regularly travel to far off vampire bars for business?" He said, which was suppose to be funny, but really wasn't. It was like one of those cheesy jokes on the wooden Popsicle sticks after you finish having one; it was stupid and tacky but you couldn't help but laugh at it.

"Something like that." She said through small fits of laughter and quickly caught up with Eric. When she stepped beside him, he did not acknowledge her presence at all, instead he eyed the crowed; from what Celeste could infer was that he was looking for a nice meal that would satisfy him temporarily, most likely looking for the sleaziest woman on the street that didn't have Hep C. "That blonde over there looks delicious." Celeste said, pointing to a woman standing outside a stripper club. She was attractive, in that porn star "everyone rides me" kind of way. But Celeste never judged a person based off what they liked in other people, especially if it was a porn star in training.

Eric didn't even glance in the woman's direction at all or at any of the women Celeste pointed out. Soon she began to understand. Eric was the kind of man that needed contact . . . all the time. Whether it be holding a hand, brushing a cheek, kissing, or just having sex; overall, Eric was needy, even though he didn't come off that way to most. But Celeste believed she knew Eric fairly well.

"You know you're only getting what you deserve." She said with a smirk.

"And what exactly did I do to deserve this?" Celeste saw Eric glance back at Sookie and Bill from the corner of her eye. She knew exactly what he was trying to do.

"You know exactly what you did."

"I seem to have forgotten. Maybe if you gave me a hint than I could remember the deed I did that was so bad." He said with a faint grin. The group weaved their way through the growing crowed and stopped by a few street vendors to get something to drink, for Sookie and Celeste anyway.

Celeste sipped on freckled strawberry lemonade, her face scrunching up due to the intense sourness that was barely mitigated by the sweet strawberries at the bottom. "Maybe it is best that you don't remember. We wouldn't want you to repeat the same act again now would we?"

"On the contrary, my memory is perfect. I remember every detail from that evening." Eric stepped closer to Celeste, and would have touched her if not for her field that stood out a few inches away from her body. Instead, he slightly opened the bond, as if cracking open a large metal gate just enough to let the slightest breeze roll in. He could immediately feel and see the effects it had on her. Celeste stood more erect and her thighs squeezed together lightly. Her breathing turned irregular only to those that could hear as clearly as vampires. Her hands that held the lemonade clutched it, causing the plastic cup to make cracking and popping noises.

Eric lowered his head closer to Celeste's ear, his cheek slightly rubbing against the field. "I remember you." He began in a sexy and seductive voice that made Celeste's thighs tighten more. "I remember the clothes you wore. The look in your eyes. How angry and mad you were at me. But most importantly, the sounds you made and how you clung to me, silently begging for more . . ." Both were immediately drawn back to the night; Eric's body pressed against Celeste's on the wall, their kisses feverish and urgent, his erection rubbing against her inner thigh, the way Celeste moaned once Eric plunged his fingers into her and made her scream in delight. "How your walls gripped my-"

Celeste suddenly pushed her field out further, causing Eric to take a few steps back. "Don't." Was all she said before she walked off, the others following behind in unison. Eric smirked inwardly as he watched her saunter away from him. He looked at the clothes she was wearing again; the black boots that went up to her knees and the jean skirt that grazed the skin of her mid-thigh, The white shirt that hugged her body, squeezing to every inch of her skin, while the Cardigan was loose and fitting. At that moment he knew how simple it would be to simply slip his hand up her taunting skirt and either grasp her ass in his large hand, or easily slip his fingers past her panties and finger her, even if it was for the briefest second. Eric started to imagine himself doing so; pretending to stand in a line, his body pressed close against her back, surprising her when his fingers found her womanhood and began to work their magic. He could imagine Celeste biting on her fingers, her face flustering, her thighs rubbing together at the sudden pleasure, her hand tugging at the hem of her skirt.

Eric laughed at himself for concocting such erotic scenarios. It was one of many fantasies that he had created since his first meeting with Celeste, and decided that he would make at least three of them come true if not all of them. He followed briskly behind her while Sookie and Bill looked in awe at the great buildings and the many spectacles Los Vegas had to offer. He looked back at them for the briefest moment, and when he looked back to Celeste, she was nowhere to be seen. His calm and collected expression changed into anger immediately. Eric scanned past the bobbing heads, looking everywhere for hers in particular. With his vampire speed, he made his way through the people, hearing shouts of protest from Bill in the background. He sped past through the crowed, and in the corner of his eye he picked up the image of something green moving to his right. Eric registered it at Celeste's green cardigan and quickly followed, only to stop short at the entrance of a burlesque club called the Boom Boom Room. Eric looked at the sign, then at the entrance. What is she doing here?

***

Celeste sat down at a table in the car corner of the club, completely hidden in darkness. The clouds of gray smoke from prime cigars, the sound of platform heels clanking against hardwood floor, and the distinct image of not knowing the identity of customers there; some were the regular tourists that came for a good time, while some were the prestigious lawyers, the married construction worker, and every now and then a psychologist. She remembered the club very clearly; it was where a lot of deals went down and where a lot of people got hurt. She looked across the table at her old friend, Steadman Kemp. He hadn't changed much since she last saw him, which was about three or four years ago. He still had the jet black hair with the green eyes, the toned, athletic body. His pointed nose he got from a fight and chiseled jaw with a five o' clock shadow with a large scar that ran down from right cheek bone to the corner of his lip were still there.

Steadman slumped back in the plush seat and looked at Celeste. "When I heard you were here I got concerned." He said simply.

"I don't see why." Celeste rolled her eyes. "How did you know I was here anyway?"

"One of my buddies works at the airport. He keeps records of who comes and goes; when your name popped up on a list he gave me a call. At first I didn't believe him but when he started given me information about you . . . well you can figure out the rest."

"So what do you want?" Her voice was cold to her old friend; Celeste hadn't forgotten how he betrayed her.

"I want to know what you're doing here." He leaned forward on the table, his hands clasped together.

"What does it matter to you? You're the one that wanted me gone. It's because of you I had to leave in the first place."

"Celeste there are a lot of people looking for you. Bennie's looking for you, Andrew, Philistia, and even Malcolm."

"Why? They still haven't gotten over what I did to them? Or didn't do rather?" Celeste asked.

"Celeste when you left, you left a lot of people pissed off. You did things you weren't supposed to and people died."

"It wasn't my fault that the deal was dirty." She said as an explanation.

"Yes it was. You couldn't carry out the orders given to you. You got emotionally involved and it clouded your judgment. You fucked up. Period. "Steadman said.

There was a long moment of silence. Celeste tried not to be angry with him, she knew he was right. She had been given an order that she couldn't carry out, but as a result some else, Steadman, did the job for her. Celeste chewed on the corner of her mouth.

"You said Malcolm's looking for me." She said suddenly.

"He is." Steadman replied with a heavy breath.

"Do you know who he's sending?"

"No. But I did get word he sent out five people tonight. All of them are supposed to be looking for you."

"Do you know what orders he gave them?" Celeste dropped her head in her hands. She knew it was a mistake to ask, but she had to know for sure. Steadman didn't reply right away. Instead he took a deep breath and closed his eyes before replying:

"Close the deal."

Celeste took a moment to take in all of the new information. People were looking for her, and they planned on killing her. Whether or not she would give them the chance was not the question; whether or not she knew who they were was the real question. If she knew who was looking for her, than she would know how to evade and survive. She was very familiar with a lot of people, since they all did the same job. Celeste needed to know who Malcolm sent to finish her off before it was too late.

"I need you to do a favor for me." She said.

"I'll find out who they are, don't worry." Steadman said with a smile before she could request it from him.

"Okay; find out by tomorrow night and meet me at the burlesque club twenty-one blocks from here as soon as the sun goes down."

"Alright." Steadman was the first to leave. It was just like old times for Celeste; quick meetings that lasted less than ten minutes, fast and strait to the point. She missed those times every now and then, but she started to remember how dangerous that life she had used to be. There was a high chance she could die on any job given to her, and they were usually the hard ones. She got up from the booth five minutes later and exited the Boom Boom Room.

***

"Eric?" Celeste said as she bumped into him at the entrance of the Burlesque club. "What are you doing here?" She became slightly nervous at the idea that he might have been inside while she talked to Steadman. The last thing she needed with him interrogating her on everything. She waited for him to reply as he scanned the area behind her, looking through the fog of smoke and the flashing lights.

"What were you doing in there?" He asked sternly.

"I ran into a friend." Celeste replied. "She's one of the workers here so I though I would drop by." She lied. Eric analyzed her with a critical eye.

"It would be best not to stray from the group." Eric turned on his heel, expecting Celeste to follow immediately.

***

After a few hours of discovering and playing in Los Vegas, everyone retired to the hotel: Hotel Allegra. It was one of many vampire hotels internationally, but it was one of the first that Celeste had actually been to. Bill, Sookie, and Celeste waited in the lobby as Eric checked them in. Celeste watched as the woman at the front desk immediately recognized him and began cajoling him. Celeste looked over at Sookie and Bill and momentarily felt like a chaperon. Both were easily fascinated with their surroundings and Celeste was annoyed by it. Before Celeste could bear it no more, Eric returned with the room keys.

"You shall be staying in room 952. I hope you will not get lost finding it." He said, handing the white and gold plastic card to Bill. "We will meet tomorrow at ten tomorrow night; here. Don't be late."

"I assume that you have a separate room for Celeste?" Sookie said suddenly, looking from Celeste to Eric. Eric glanced down at Celeste and grinned.

"Of course. It's a special room I think she will rather enjoy." Sookie nodded her head in response and took Bill's hand, ushering him towards the elevator.

"A special room?" Celeste said, shifter her weight on her left leg and crossing her arms over her chest once Bill and Sookie were out of sight. "What exactly makes it so special?" Eric licked his bottom lip and smirked.

"You soon shall see."

Eric opened the suit door and gestured for Celeste to enter first. The first thing she laid her eyes upon was the giant bedroom. The walls were a light bronze color that glowed in the florescent lights that hung slightly from the ceiling. Along the right wall were two large windows with bronze and light peach curtain striped patterns on them, complementing the walls. A small cheery oak desk with to whicker seats stood out from the wall. On the far left wall were two shutters that covered a large walk in closet and a hallway that lead to the bathroom and small kitchen area. And at the farthest end of the room was a king sized bed with crème sheets and a large thick blanket. Four plush pillows rested against the head board and two night stands, one on either side, made the bed stand out. It was possibly one of the most immaculate rooms Celeste had ever been in, or would ever be in. The wonderful room made Celeste feel warm and calm inside, which was a very good thing.

Celeste entered the room and looked around it. She ran her hands across the cheery oak desk and lightly smiled. Eric was right, it was a special room, but not for the reasons he believed.

"You like it I assume." He said as he entered and closed the door behind him.

"Very much. Is Bill and Sookie's room like this?"

"To an extent." He said with a grin. Eric watched her intently as she sat down on the bed and ran her hands across the blanket. He imagined taking her then and there, since it was the perfect setting and she looked mouth watering in front of him, but held back. Eric glanced down at his watch, it was three in the morning, he had two hours to spend with her until he had to rest, which he did not find appealing whatsoever. He watched her as she laid back on the bed, her thighs slightly opening, revealing sexy black booty shorts that hugged her ass in a way that made Eric want to bite her. His hand clenched into a fist at his side as he struggled to control himself.

Celeste was in his bed, lying like a defenseless animal about to be sacrificed. She had no idea what the mere image was doing to him, and he loved it so.

"You enjoy teasing me." He stated. Celeste lifted herself up on her elbows and looked at him.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." She said innocently.

"Of course you don't." he replied with a smirk. Celeste shifted her weight back and forth on her elbows, contemplating something.

"Besides, if I was it wouldn't be in such trivial ways." She said with a smirk.

"What are you trying to imply?" Eric sat down in one of the whicker seats.

"I'm implying that, If I am going to tease a man, I wouldn't do it with just my presence."

"I am not just any man." Eric replied. Which was true, Eric was more than a man. However, he still took offense to the idea that Celeste would pursue and taught any man but him. Celeste took a moment before replying. She had an idea of what she wanted to do, but whether or not she should do it was the question. She knew Eric had less self-control than her, but that is what made it so appealing. She could drive him on the verge in just the first night.

"Eric," Celeste sat up, tucking her legs under her buttocks. "I want to play a game with you."

"And what would that be?"

"I want to see how much you can control yourself." She said simply. Celeste brought down her field and slowly began to undress herself in front of Eric, her dark eyes locked on his.

"What are you doing?" Eric said with arousing alarm. His erection which had been pulsing behind his jeans since they entered the room strained at the idea of Celeste finally giving herself to him.

"I'm going to have a little fun with myself." She replied with a wicked smile. "But like I said, it's a game. If you can be a good boy, and stay there while I play. Then I can give you a reward. The longer you stay there, the longer the reward." Celeste dropped the cardigan by her side and pulled the white shirt over her head, exposing her plush breasts incased in a low simple black bra. It had been a while since Eric had seen her breasts and he nearly jumped at them and the sight of her half nude.

"And what exactly would these rewards be?" He said while watching her. Celeste bit her bottom lip and slowly began to unzip her boots.

"What you enjoy doing most: touching me." She slipped one boot off, a loud thunk reverberating through the room as it dropped to the ground.

"It sounds easy enough." He said, accepting the challenge.

"At the beginning it does." She slipped the other boot off and carefully unbuttoned her jean skirt with such an agonizing slowness that Eric wanted to rip it off. "But once you get ahead, it becomes more difficult." Celeste stood up and dropped her skirt down, leaving only her matching bra and booty shorts on. She crept down to all fours, her eyes locked on his, and tossed her hair over one side of her shoulder, giving him the perfect view of her breasts. "I am going to have my guard down the entire time Eric." She said in a seductive voice as she began moving her hips in a small circular motion.

"Really." His hands found the armrests and slightly gripped them as he watched her hips.

"Mmhm. But if you do something you're not suppose to, then the games over. Do you understand?"

"Completely. Shall we begin?"

"We already have."