Chapter Eight

She was there the next day when I awoke, responding quickly to the rustle I made in the closet. "You awake?" she asked.

"Mostly." Another hour wouldn't be amiss but I was sure a little of Sookie's blood would wake me up just fine. Damned if I didn't miss coffee in the morning too though. Maybe I could get her to drink a cup or three before I drank from her so I could absorb the caffeine indirectly.

"It's 2:15 and my shift starts at three today. If you hurry you can come with me. If you want to, that is."

"Sure, I'm in." If I got left home without a ride it would be very difficult to make it to Merlotte's when the sun went down to protect her. Besides, some time in the sun might do me good, keep the part of me that was human alive. Not directly in the sun of course, I didn't want to fry like an egg on the sidewalk.

"Awesome. I got some sunblock for you. Umm, here, close your eyes." I did so, though the light was still quite bright through my eyelids when she briefly opened the closet door a crack and pushed the sunblock in. "It's SPF 50, I hope that's enough."

"Should help." Higher would've been better, but SPF 50 was supposed to let humans spend fifty times longer in the sun without getting burned. At least by some forms of radiation anyways. But even a small multiplier that allowed me to spend a few minutes in indirect sunlight could be handy if I lost a glove or something.

It was tricky but I slowly applied the sunblock to just about every part of me without getting my bed or Sookie's hanging clothes dirty. "Oh, are these clothes for me?" There was a small pile of clothes in the corner that I must've missed when I was going to bed.

"Yep, should be everything you need."

Black tights rather than pantyhose formed the base layer, while a long-sleeved turtleneck shirt took care of my torso. A long, sleeved dress went over that, providing a second layer of protection to nearly my entire body. Another sunhat, an actual black veil, and black gloves completed the ensemble. Plus the sunglasses, of course. I was still missing a bra but I was almost getting used to letting things swing free. It seemed like it might even be the custom in this town, judging by the number of braless women I'd seen at the bar. It did make some practical sense considering how humid and hot this place was compared to New England.

I stepped out of the closet with only mild trepidation. I was up earlier today and the sun was brighter as a result but I was far better protected, I hoped.

Save for a few sunspots in my eyes when I looked towards the window it seemed I was right. No burning feeling at all, and the whole outfit was much cooler than the one I'd patched together yesterday. Airflow was important. "How do I look?" I asked, giving a small twirl.

"Not bad," she said, smiling. "Much better than yesterday. You could blend right in, if you wanted to. Veil's a little tacky though."

I frowned a little but I couldn't stay mad at her, not after the work she'd done putting together the outfit. It was definitely a ton better than the previous one. I wasn't normally a huge fan of dresses, particularly ones that made me look like I was going to church, but under the circumstances it wasn't a bad choice. High neckline and all.

I slipped into the flip-flops again. Ideally I wanted footwear that would give me some sorely needed inches but they were the best option for as long as I kept having to borrow everything. Poorly fitting heels were a recipe for a broken ankle.

"Umm, before we go, could I just have a little, umm, you-know-what?"

She stared at me, hands on hips. "Fine, but just a little. I really want to be on time for once this week. I'll feed you again after work, I promise."

I pulled her into the closet. This time instead of having to reach she leaned down to let me get a good bite angle. Wary of overdoing it like yesterday I pulled away almost as soon as I began drinking. Cheekily I only gave her my finger to suck this time instead of my whole wrist. If all I got a little snack then it was only fair that she got the same. I could tell she was disappointed at how little of my blood she got before my finger healed but she was too polite to say so.

I looked at her as she released my finger and grew increasingly anxious. We were both in a small closet, and it occurred to me from pre-apocalypse movies I'd seen that all sorts of naughty things happened in closets. Had I accidentally stumbled into some sort of pre-apocalypse mating ritual? I hoped not, but I did feel an urge to cuddle again. That wasn't all. Not for the first time there was a spicy-sweet smell in the air urging me to do… something. It was a shame my vampiric sense of smell didn't come with a guidebook.

I cleared my throat and laughed nervously. "Umm, we should get going, yes?"

"Right." Sookie was suddenly so eager to get going that I barely rehooked my veil before she barreled out the door. I hurried behind her, worried that if I wasn't quick she might leave for work without me.

It was when I stepped out off the front porch that I really started having problems. Even through all the clothes and sunscreen lotion I was wearing my skin felt hot under the direct sunlight. Worse than that though was my sudden blindness. I stumbled off the steps and fell straight in the dirt. Technically I could still see but I couldn't make out anything useful. It was like fire surrounded me, plumes of heat and sunlit dust covering up everything around me. I couldn't run back to safety either. The fall, heat and blindness had me so confused that I didn't know which was was which.

"Sookie, help!"

"Oh!" She ran back and lifted me up in a princess carry with ease and ran with me back into the house. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have just left you like that. Are you okay?"

I clung to her as I regained my equilibrium. Thanks to her to the strength my blood gave her she didn't seem bothered by holding me up as long as I needed. "I'm, I'm okay. But, umm, can you carry me to the car?" It was clear now that while I could handle the shade just fine with my precautions in place, direct sunlight was still beyond me. The cheap sunglasses just weren't enough protection.

"Of course I will."

I shut my eyes and soon enough I was placed in the back seat of the car. The top and the glass windows relieved the heat from my skin and allowed me to see again. Inside the car at least, the outside was still pretty much a glare-filled blur. It didn't look like I'd be driving a car during the daytime anytime soon but I was still excited. I was a vamp on the move, the sun no barrier to my passage. Nothing could stop me now.


Sookie had to carry me again when we got to Merlotte's.

I wasn't sure whether what freaked out Tara more when she recognized me, the fact that I was out during the day or that Sookie was carrying me like it was nothing. Tara really didn't handle strangeness well. She needed to work on her stress, the rapid pounding of her heart was making me nervous, among other things.

"So she's just coming out during the day now? Shouldn't she be in a coffin? This is not the way the world is supposed to work."

"Tara, be nice," said Sookie. "It was really hard for Angela to make it here, you should make her welcome."

Hard indeed. All that sunlight had me feeling woozy and I wasn't quite ready to stand on my own just yet. Thankfully Sookie didn't seem to mind me holding on to her even after she set me down.

"How is she even awake?" asked Sam.

I was a little annoyed at the way people liked to speak past me like I was a dog. It wasn't like vampires couldn't understand English. "I'm just weird that way," I said, voice more steady than my legs.

My non-explanation seemed to end the argument. That and my weakness. Some customers still looked put out that a vampire could walk around during the day but a weak, dizzy vampire in a dress and sun hat was a lot less threatening than a supernaturally fast one hunting them in the night. I did wonder at the strange plastic rectangles so many of them were pointing at me. When I was less dizzy I'd have to investigate what they were. That, and this 'UTube' thing so many of them were talking about.


It was so busy that I "bussed tables" again and came home with fifteen dollars in tips. More money than I had before, but far from an overwhelming amount. It wouldn't go very far if I actually started having expenses. Certainly nothing like the amount I might have gained if I agreed to sell my blood - not that I'd ever do so such a creepy thing. Still, I felt like something had to change. I didn't want to be dependent on Sookie forever. Her blood, maybe, but not her money, or Eric's for that matter.

'I need a job.' And not just for the money. It had been a while now since I had real work to do and I was swiftly reaching peak boredom. I wasn't a very sedentary person and Sookie's blood made it even harder to sit still. There was a limit to how long I could read, watch TV, or hang around aimlessly at Merlotte's before I went crazy. I just didn't know what job yet. Being allergic to sunlight limited my options somewhat. Bussing tables wasn't my ideal job but I didn't want something that would take me so far away that I couldn't get a snack from Sookie when I needed it and help her when she needed assistance.

"I'm ready," called Sookie. She was on the bed in a nightgown, hair pulled back to expose her neck. I couldn't imagine how she could look any more delectable. Choosing a job could wait, now it was time to eat.