Chapter 5 The Fourth Man in the Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood in any way, shape, or form.

Okay, I decided to be nice and give you guys another chapter, but this is probably going to be the last one for a while until I find another way to write out the chapters.

The next morning, I woke up in my bed with a splitting headache. I groaned and looked at my bedside table, where a bottle of Excedrin pills and a glass of water sat. I groaned and sat up. I quickly shook out a pill and popped it in my mouth before I chased it down with the water. I grimaced at the taste of the water and slowly stood. I walked over to my dresser and grabbed my iHome, placing my iPod in the slot. I flipped through the playlists until I settled on my Three Days Grace playlist. Pain immediately blasted out of the speakers and I winced slightly before I walked over to my closet and pulled out a pair of blue jean shorts that cut off about half way down my thigh and a purple plaid button up shirt. I grabbed some underwear and headed towards the bathroom for a much needed shower.

When I got out, I went back to my hair and decided to let my hair air dry; it would still be straight as a pin anyway, so why bother with blow drying it? I then put some eyeliner on and walked downstairs and into the kitchen. I went to the fridge and saw a note from Sookie magnetized to it. I hummed along to the song from upstairs, 'Time of Dying', as I read the note.

'Hey, Trudy. I went over to Bill s house to wait for him. Call me when you wake up. Love, Sookie.'

I smiled lightly and ripped the note off of the fridge, crumbling it up and tossing it into the trashcan like a basketball player. I turned to a cabinet beside the fridge and pulled down a Cup of Noodles. I fixed it up with water, stuck it in a bowl, and placed it in the microwave before I walked back upstairs and grabbed my purple cell phone and flipped it open to see I had a missed call from Lafayette, a few texts from Lafayette and Sookie, and a new picture that Arlene had sent me of Coby and Lisa. I decided to reply to those after I called Sookie. I turned off my iHome and walked down the stairs, flipping through the contacts on my phone before I landed on Sookie and pushed the send button.

I walked into the kitchen just as the microwave dinged and pulled out my ramen. I held my phone between my ear and my shoulder as I poured the excess water that had spilled over into the bowl back into the Styrofoam cup of noodles as I waited for Sookie to pick up.

"Hello?" I heard her say while I was grabbing a fork.

"Hey, I'm awake." I greeted and twirled the ramen around to mix the seasoning.

"Oh, my God, Trudy! I'm on my way home now. I'll tell you all about what's happened when I get home." She promised and I nodded, slurping up some noodles nonchalantly.

"Okay. See you then. Bye." I said half heartedly and pushed the end button. I then slid my phone up to reveal my keypad and looked at Lafayette s text. I smirked when I realized it was just about him bragging about getting laid last night. I replied with a 'well, fuckin A., Lafayette. You keep this up and there ain't gonna be anybody else to fuck when I lose my virginity and spontaneously become a whore!' I sent it as I munched on a carrot from my chicken ramen.

When Sookie got home, she told me all about how there was a fire at the nesting vampires place and she had no clue if Bill was in there too, or not. She said there were four coffins and four bodies. Well, not bodies. As she had put it, it was like they exploded and was nothing but a pile of bubbling blood and guts now. I guess that's what happens when you kill a vampire. I was kinda wondering if they'd turn to dust, like in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or shrivel up, like in Vampire Diaries. Apparently, it's neither and they blow up like in Blade, but more gory. Maybe I should've asked Eric that question when I was digging for more answers.

After her story, she said she wanted to be alone, so I walked up to my room and turned my music on again, but kept it low. I flipped through the playlists and decided on Escape the Fate for a while. I collapsed on my bed and grabbed a random book from my floor. I picked it up and looked at it. Breaking Dawn. Nope, I decided and threw it back down. I reached for another one and picked it up. Lord of the Flies. Don't think so. Undead and Unwed. Now we're talking.

I read for about two hours until the sun set. I didn't have work tonight, so I sighed and put my book down. I sat there on my bed for a minute before I rolled off my bed and walked over to my dresser. I turned off my iHome and pushed my iPod and ear phones into my pocket. I looked at my camera and smiled softly. Gran had given it to me for my 21st birthday. She had always loved when I took pictures. She said that I breathed life into all of my photos, so she bought me my first digital camera. I haven't used it since my birthday.

I picked up my camera and pulled a pair of socks from my dresser. I pulled them on as I walked out of my room and grabbed my Converse. I slipped them on easily and tied them up before I headed downstairs. I took down my jacket from the hook beside the door and walked out. Sookie was sitting with a quilt over her shoulders on the porch and watching the rain. I pulled my hood over my head and closed the door behind me.

"Hey, I'm gonna go and check out my baby at the car shop. I'm gonna borrow your car, okay?"

"Okay. Don't be home too late, Trudy." She said and tossed me her car keys.

"Don't worry. I'll be back after I check out my car. Those mother fuckers have had it for the past five days and it's time to give it back to me." I said angrily and zipped up my jacket. "I'll be back later." I called over my shoulder and stepped out into the rain, heading over to Sookie's little yellow car. I unlocked the door and climbed in. I grimaced at the car in general most of the time. Sookie loved it and it loved her, but it hated me. This stupid car gives me troubles every time I have to drive it in general.

I shoved the keys into the ignition and whined when it roared to life. I sighed and pulled out of the parking place, which was more like a patch of gravel. I drove down the road and into town. I combed my fingers through my now wet hair as I headed for the mechanics. If I'm lucky, the car will be ready for me to pick up.

I pulled into the parking spot and smiled when the rain stopped. I took off my jacket and left it in the car as I climbed out and locked the doors behind me. I walked into the shop and smiled at the sight of my baby being waxed. My car is a beautiful black 1967 Chevy Impala.

I snapped out of my revere when Joey, the man I hired to touch up my Impala, walked up to me, wiping his hands on a rag. "Yo, Joey, you ve had my car for five days. You done yet or what? What's takin' so long?"

"Easy, chere." He drawled and chewed on his gum noisily as he talked. "We've been busy a lot lately, so we just got around to it today. We touched up the paint and just finished with the waxing." He handed over my keys and I grinned.

"Thanks. So, am I good to take it or what?" I asked, snatching my keys.

"Yeah." He smiled at me before he turned and walked off. I smiled, rolling my eyes before I turned to come face to face with Trevor. I had gone to school with him and he's one of my good friends. Whenever I go to a bar or club with Lafayette and Tara, I beg him to come, too. He's my dancing partner and I use him when I want a guy to leave me alone and he uses me when he wants a chick to leave him alone. We are very believable couple and fooled numerous people, including Bill at one point when they first met.

"Trevor!" I grinned happily and threw my arms around his shoulders as he wrapped his around my waist and spun me around in a circle.

"Tru!" He mimicked me in his British accent and I giggled when he set me down again. I hadn't seen him a while because he went to England for his brother's wedding.

"Where've you been? I've missed you." I admitted as we walked towards my car.

"Yeah, I've missed you, too, love. I just got back earlier and I've been looking for you. I went by your place and Sookie told me you were here to get the Imp." He told me as I tossed my bag into the open window of my car. I smiled at the old nickname he had given the Impala.

"Well, I'm happy you showed up because I need you to drive Sookie's junker back to the house for me then you and I can go somewhere. I was gonna go off into the woods and take some pictures if you wanna come." I told him as I pulled the keys to Sookie s cars out of my pocket and held them out to him.

With a heavy sigh, he took the keys. "You know that I hate that thing as much as you do, right?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Too bad. I had to drive it, too, so it's not a big deal. Now get your ass into that car before my stalker shows up and asks me something I really don't want to answer right now." Of course, I was talking about Eric, but Trevor didn't know that and he raised both eyebrows and I shook my head. "Don't ask." I said and opened my door, sliding in.

"Okay..." Trevor said slowly before he walked out of the shop and I could see him grimace as he got into Sookie's car. I chuckled and put the keys in ignition, smiling in contentment as my beautiful Impala purred to life. I looked around my car and felt like it was brand new. I knew that it wasn't since it was a hand-me-down from my father, but it did and it felt nice. I smiled fondly at the thought of my father and pulled out of the shop, heading for mine and Sookie's house.

When I got there, Trevor parked Sookie's car beside mine and I left my car running, jumping out and took the keys he held out to me as he got into the passenger's seat. I walked into the house and looked around, expecting to see Sookie run out and give me the third degree about being late.

"Sook?" I called as I set the keys down at the kitchen table. I didn't hear an answer, but I just shrugged it off and walked outside again. I slid smoothly back into the Impala and backed out of the gravel drive way and noticed Trevor flipping through my CD case. "What are you looking for?"

"How long has it been since you updated this thing?" He asked, still flipping.

"Uh..." I thought about it and bit my lip. "Last year, I think."

"Ever heard of Snow White's Poison Bite?" He asked after a moment of silence and I glanced at him.

"No, why?"

"My brother's new wife introduced them to me while I was in England. They're a good band. They're not that big here since they're Finnish, but they've got a few videos. My favorite song of theirs is 'The End of Prom Night'." He then grabbed his back pack that he had thrown carelessly to the ground and rummaged through it for a moment before he pulled out a blank CD case. "She burned off some of their songs for me." He pushed the CD into the CD player and flipped through the songs until he reached the one he wanted. "It's the end, it's the end on prom night. It's the end, it's the end, it's the end. You're not going to be the Homecoming Queen tonight." He sang along and bobbed his head along. I grinned and bobbed my head along. The song was good and so was the band. I reached out a turned the volume down so I could talk to him when I reached a red light in town.

"So how was the wedding? Did you tell Rose and Stefan I said hi ?" I asked, smiling, which he returned with a grin.

"They said hi , too, and Rose told me to tell you that she finally got her wish." He had a confused look on his face, but I just grinned. "She said you would know what that meant?"

"Yeah, I know." I said and looked forward as the light turned green. See, Rose and I met when I had gone to England on a field trip from my college. I was the one who introduced her to Trevor and his older brother, Stefan. Yes, I see the irony in having a Trevor, Rose, and Stefan in my life when I watch Vampire Diaries, but if you don't understand what I mean, you should really watch the show; I recommend it. Anyway, Rose had told me once that she wanted to get married to the man she loved the most under the full moon in the middle of a fall full moon.

"Anyways, the wedding was great. I got wasted and met this adorable French friend of Stefan's." Trevor smirked mischievously and I groaned. "What?"

"Why is it that everyone around me is getting some while I remain a virgin?" I asked irritably and he laughed, leaning his elbow against his door and propped his cheek in his palm. "I'm serious! Am I the only pure one in the world that's older than 20?"

"Hmm..." He thought it over in his head for a moment before he grinned, nodding. "Yeah, I think so."

"Well, shit..." I mumbled and parked the car beside the nature walk through the woods entrance. "I really need to get laid then, don t I?" I asked and he bit his lip, looking over at me.

"Just a bit. Hey, maybe if you do, you won't be as irritable?" He said cheerfully and we climbed out of the Impala. I scowled and grabbed my leather jacket, pulling it on.

"Bitch." I said as I grabbed my camera from my bag and walked towards the entrance, Trevor on my heels.

"See? Right there, you just proved my point in a nut shell." He said confidently and I chuckled, shaking my head as I shouldered him when he caught up with me and we walked through the woods. I smiled softly at the sight of the freshly watered flowers we passed and had to take a few pictures along the way.

We spent the whole time talking and joking as we walked through the forest nature walk pathway that looped back around to where I had parked the Impala. He told me more about the wedding and I told him all about what he had missed. He didn't say sorry about Gran's death either but I didn't question it. He hated it when people apologized for a death like that much like I did. He did, however, interrogate me on Eric.

"I thought you said you weren't getting any?" He questioned as we walked back over to the Impala and I scowled.

"Oh, pardon me while I vomit." I said in a detested tone and he smiled, climbing into the passenger's side. I got into the driver s seat. "Seriously, me and Eric? Never gonna happen." I said determinedly and started up the car. I paused and looked over at him. "I mean, he wants me... like bad." I stated and his smile turned into a toothy grin.

"Well, in your opinion, is he smexy?" He asked and I gaped, but smiled none the less. I hit him in the arm and he laughed. "No, I m serious. Do you like him?"

"No." I shook my head and scowled as I pulled onto the road again. "Eric Northman is a selfish, conceited, seductive asshole who just wants to add another notch onto his belt." I stated blandly and Trevor smirked.

"So, you think he's seductive?"

"Trevor, you're as straight as you could get and you would think he was seductive." I said bluntly and looked at him when we reached a stop sign.

He paused and opened his mouth to retaliate, then closed it, and then opened it again. He kinda looked like a gaping fish. He pondered it for a moment and I raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay, I gotta meet him now."

I grinned. "Next time I go to Fangtasia, you can come, too." I promised and bit my lip. "So are you coming over for the night to catch up with me or do you wanna go home?" I asked.

"I guess I could come over." He bit his lip as he talked slowly and then nodded. "Yeah, sure." I mocked him and headed for my house.

"Hmm, was Sookie home when you went by?"

"Uh, yeah, but she was on the way out. She had a bunch of flowers with her."

I frowned. 'She must've gone to Bill's grave...' I thought and Trevor looked at me.

"What's wrong? You're all sad." He stated. Oh, yeah, Trevor's an Empath. He feels emotions like I do, but he's better at it and it's more concentrated while mine rarely happens.

I sighed and told him about Bill and Sookie and what just happened to Bill. At the end he frowned deeply.

"So you both got vampires after you guys?" He asked and I glared at him. He smiled innocently and I parked the car in the gravel driveway outside the house I shared with Sookie.

"Yes, you little pervert." I slapped the back of his head, grabbed my bag, and climbed out.

He laughed and got out, too. "Oh, come on, you know you love me." He said as we walked towards my house and I smirked.

"Actually I hate you." I stated and he grinned.

"I love you, too, Tru." He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek just as we stepped over the threshold into the house. I closed the door behind me and slipped off my shoes which Trevor did, too. He then went into the kitchen and before I could follow, there was a loud knock on the door. "You get it. I'm raiding the fridge!" Trevor called from the kitchen and I rolled my eyes, smiling, and opened the door. The smile immediately fell when I saw who was there and turned into a grimace. I sighed, crossed my arms over my chest, and leaned against the door frame and looked up at his tall frame.

"What the fuck do you want, Northman?" I sneering and I heard a growl from him.

"Who was with you?" He asked menacingly and I blinked before I gave an easy smile.

"Oh, that was Trevor." I said nonchalantly and said boy looked around the entrance to the kitchen, a cookie in his mouth. His eyes widened when he saw the vampire before me.

"Uh, Tru..." He said nervously and I looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. "He can't come in, right?"

"No, not unless I invite him in." I said, smirking and he nodded, going back into the kitchen. I turned back to Eric and smiled innocently when I saw his angry face. "What's up?"

"Trudy... what is he to you?" He asked slowly and I blinked a few times in thought before I realized what he was asking.

'He thinks I'm with Trevor...' I stared at him with a straight face and deadpanned, "He's my porn star." The look on his face was comical and I couldn't keep a serious facade for long before I burst out laughing and had to keep myself standing by using the door.

"What?" Eric asked slowly and Trevor came out of the kitchen, this time with a beer.

"Hey, you're Eric Northman, right?" My friend asked, standing next to me as I tried to calm down. "She's just messing with you. I'm her best friend, Trevor Kingston." Trevor told him before heading into the living room.

By this time, I was only giggling and Eric was glaring at me. I smiled as he asked the question he asks every time he comes over.

"Let me in." Well, it was more of an order...

"No. Eric, you haven't given me a reason to let you in. Honestly, I have a feeling that if I let you in, you'll attack Trevor on the spot."

"I can control myself."

"Why don't I believe that?"

"Because you're stubborn." He responded with a light smile and I raised an eyebrow. "Let me in."

"Nope."

"Why?" He almost, I repeat almost, whined with a desperate look on his face.

"Because I don't trust you." I said simply and he growled a little.

"I've never hurt you before. Why don't you trust me?" Eric asked angrily.

I pretended to think about it. "Hmm, well, you always pop up out of nowhere, you seem to know where I am almost always, you visit me every night, and you always ask me to let you in." I said the last one with a cheeky smile. "You, Mr. Northman, are a stalker."

"I am not. If I can't come in then you come out." He suggested looking defeated and I thought over it for a minute.

"Hold on." I said before I turned and walked into the living room to see Trevor spread out on the couch, watching Cold Case. "Hey, you got your gun that shoots silver?" I asked and he nodded, standing.

"Why?" He asked as he pulled it from the back of his jeans. He carries it around with him, especially at night. He's trigger happy and has been since he shot his first gun in the ninth grade, when he was 14. We're both the same age, in case you were wondering.

"Just in case." I mumbled as he handed it to me.

"In case of what?" He asked slowly and followed me as I walked back to the front door. Eric was there still, leaning against the door frame boredly. I put on my shoes and noticed that Eric was wearing a black tee-shirt with interesting designs on it, jeans, and a leather jacket. I didn't pay attention to his shoes because I answered Trevor.

"I'm gonna go out and talk to him and I would like some protection."

"How'd you know about the silver?" Eric asked curiously and Trevor and I looked up at him.

"Sookie." We both said and he nodded in understanding before I looked back at Trevor.

"Why would you go out there?" He asked and I blinked.

"Because I have a death wish. I don't know, you idiot, I want to know what he wants and he won't tell me unless I'm near him for some stupid ridiculous reason." I mumbled the last part but Eric still heard because he smirked. I stood and held up the gun. "I'll be fine, Trevor. I have the gun and I've been shooting just as long as you have."

"Okay, but please be careful. I don't want to lose my best friend because she's reckless around a vampire." He smirked when I scoffed and punched him in the arm hard. "Ow! That hurt, Tru!" He said, but continued to smile.

"Deal with it." I said and walked out the door. Eric smirked as I closed the door behind me and looked up at him. "Now what is so important that you had to drag me out of my nice warm house?" I asked impatiently and put the gun in the back of my shorts, making sure the safety was on first. I looked up at Eric and he smiled, walking towards me. When he was getting too close, I stepped back and he kept coming, so I kept walking backwards until I hit the wall by the door and even then he still kept coming. He didn't stop until we were an inch apart and my heart was beating faster. I looked up at him. "Eric, w-what are you doing ?"

"What else would I do but be seductive?" He smirked, placing a hand on my hip and the other by my head, boxing me in.

"What? Wait, were you listening to me and Trevor earlier?" I asked slowly and glared up at him. He grinned toothily and I growled and hit him weakly in the chest. "Asshole, stop being a stalker!"

"I am not a stalker." He rolled his eyes and I scowled. "I was on my way here when I came upon you and little Trevor. I must say, he smells as good as you and Sookie." He tilted his head in curiosity. "Is he like you and your sister?"

"No." I answered, too fast. The main reason that I became friends with Trevor when we were kids is because of his powers. I remember the day it happened, too. I was sad because my father was afraid of me and my powers and he felt my sorrow, so he cheered me up and eventually told me about his abilities.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why don't I believe that?" He repeated my words and pushed my hair out of my face.

"Because you're stubborn. Now, get off me." I said and tried to push him away, but he stayed put.

"No, I don't think so. I really like you in this position." He smirked and looked down at my semi-tan legs. "Love the shorts, by the way."

"Get a lot of compliments on these shorts." I nodded in agreement and he hummed. "Can you get off me now? I have catching up to do." I said, remembering why Trevor was over in the first place.

"I have a favor to ask of you first."

"A favor or an order?"

"Depends on how you look at it." He smirked, looking down at me. "I am requesting your presence, as well as your sister's, at Fangtasia in a few days to help me find who stole money from Fangtasia."

"You got robbed?" I asked slowly, not believing a word of it. Vampires are supposed to have excellent hearing, right? Then how the hell did they get robbed?

"Yes and, since we didn't catch it until last night, we suspect it was somebody who works with us." He seemed distracted so I looked up at him to see him still looking at my legs.

"Hey, Northman, face is up here." I stated, snapping my fingers in his face. He looked up at me and smirked. "Honestly is sex the only thing you think about?"

"Well... yes." He nodded and I smiled, giggling slightly and he smiled. "No, actually, most of my kind only thinks about blood, sex, and money."

"Hmm, a sinful bunch you are, aren't you?" I asked sarcastically and he nodded truthful. "Well, at least you're honest most of the time."

"Yes, I find it a good quality around humans..." He said seriously before he stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. "That's all I needed."

"I didn't even agree." I stated.

"Yes, well, you don't have a choice. I'm going to talk to Bill about it and he physically cannot say 'no'." He informed me and I nodded, heading towards the door. "Oh, and Miss Stackhouse?" I turned back as I was opening my door to see him only an inch from my face. "Love the new shampoo." And with that, he pecked my cheek near my mouth and disappeared. I blinked and touched my cheek where I could still feel his lips. They were so cold, but soft at the same time. I looked up to see Trevor with his mouth agape. I blushed when I realized he was there when Eric did that.

"Don't even!" I snapped and headed into the kitchen, setting his gun down in his hand as I passed.

"But-" I cut him off.

"Don't." I repeated and pulled a chair over to a high cabinet that I couldn't reach. "I don't even know what he meant be new shampoo..." I mumbled as I opened the cabinet after climbing onto the chair. "I mean, yeah, I got new shampoo, but did I use it today?" I asked in wonder, remembering taking a shower earlier, but did I use the new strawberry and cream shampoo I got? Maybe. I shook it off and grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels from the cabinet and two shot glasses. I then jumped down and walked back to the living room, where Trevor was gaping on the couch. I rolled my eyes and slapped the back of his head. "Snap out of it and let's drink."

"Okay." He said whole heartedly and took the liberty of pouring the drinks.


Sookie and I quickly ran into Merlotte's the next day. She had spent the night with Bill, who is still alive, and I had gotten wasted with Trevor. He's still sleeping off his hangover back at our house.

"We're sorry, we're sorry, we're sorry. We know we're late." Sookie apologized for us both because I had hair clip in my mouth. I was currently wrestling with my hair, trying to get it pulled back into a half ponytail.

Sam turned to look at us. "Hey, Tru, you think you can work the bar tonight?"

"Ooh, drinks." I grinned and then groaned. "Sookie, can you help me with this please?" I asked desperately and she smiled, coming over to help me with my hair.

"Sookie, listen..." Sam started. "...I heard about the fire. I'm real, real sorry. How you holdin' up?"

"He's alive!" Sookie grinned and I nodded in agreement when she let me go.

"What?" Sam asked warily and I smirked, hiding my frown.

"Bill's alive. There were four bodies." I stated.

"And I thought for sure Bill was one of 'em." Sookie grinned.

"He wasn't?"

"Nah, he's fine." I stated and ruffled through my bag for my phone, which was going off. I stepped away from them and pushed the send button on my dark purple Blackberry. "Hello?" I said, curious as to who it could be.

"Hey, Tru where's the aspirin?" I heard the familiar sound of a hungover Trevor.

I smiled. "It's on the kitchen counter. I left it there for you for when you wake up."

"Okay, well, when I'm done here, I'm coming over to Merlotte's so I'll see you there."

"Okay, bye." I hung up the phone and threw it into my bag as I turned to face an upset Sam.

"Bill's really alive?" He asked slowly and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Sam. Bill Compton is alive." I said icily before I turned and stalked off to help a customer down the bar. It really pissed me off that he kept on going after Sookie, despite that he knew she was too held up by Bill, when I was right in front of him, free of any man. I mean, I'm not a petty person by nature, but this is getting ridiculous. It also pisses me off that he only sees me as a child, when I'm nothing of the sort anymore. Except for the fact that I'm still a virgin, and no doubt that Sookie's experienced by now. She's most likely had a lot of sex with Bill already and they obviously had some sorta blood blond.


"What's wrong, Sook?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow as I leaned against the bar. She was staring at this chick that was serving some tables.

Before she could answer, Jason walked over to us, smiling proudly.

"Isn't she something?" He asked, looking at the new girl.

"She's with you?" Sookie asked.

"I know you're pissed at me, but I really want you two to like her." Jason told us and I frowned, looking over towards the new girl as she walked towards us and spoke to Sookie.

"Sorry about that. You looked really swamped and the natives were gettin' restless so..." She shrugged and I nodded towards her in understanding when she looked over at me. "You're Jason's sisters, right? It's... I've heard so much about both of you." She told us and Sookie was even unhappier. I was, too. It felt like Jason was replacing Dawn already and she only died a few days ago. It makes me feel bad just talking to her. Dawn was a good friend of mine and I definitely didn't approve of her relationship with Jason. I knew he was a man-whore and I didn't want any girl to have to deal with that.

"Who are you?" Arlene asked as she walked over to us.

"My name's Amy. Amy Burley. I'm with Jason." She told us and Jason smiled.

"With me." He repeated, as if to himself, and wrapped his arm around Amy's shoulders.

"And you must be Arlene with the beautiful red hair. It's so nice to meet you." I had a feeling she was sucking up to us and I narrowed my eyes.

"How'd you know all the table numbers?" Arlene asked.

"Well, I waited tables in college, so I just assumed clockwise. You know," she turned and pointed towards the tables while I stood straight and grabbed a shot glass and a bottle of tequila, "table one, two, three, four, five. I think the guys at table five like you cause they left you a really nice tip." Amy said and held the money out to Arlene, who took it and turned to Sam who had appeared beside me behind the bar as I was pouring myself a shot. I downed it quickly and slammed the glass down on the counter as Arlene said the one sentence I didn't want to hear.

"Sam, I think we might have found a replacement for Dawn."

I scowled and looked up at Jason. "Looks like Jason did, too." I snapped and went to help a person down the bar.


"Hey, you okay?" Sam asked me later on as I was restocking the liquor.

I sighed. "What do you mean, boss?" I asked and looked up as Trevor walked into the bar and I smiled at him while he sat down at the bar and waved at me. I turned towards Sam as he looked over my shoulder over at Trevor. He frowned before he looked back to me and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"When Amy showed up, you got pissed. What's up?" He asked and threw his bar towel over his shoulder.

I sighed and shook my head. "It just feels like... everyone's tryin' to replace Dawn and she's only been gone for a week, tops." I explained and stood straight, wiping my hands on my shorts. "Jason has and now we have by hiring her as a waitress." I said to Sam honestly and he frowned.

"Hey, you know that we all miss Dawn. The only thing is, though, that she's not comin' back." He said and placed his hands on my shoulders. "We may not want it to be true, but it is."

I bit my lip and looked down. "I know. I gotta go serve the customers." I quickly slipped out of his hold and went over to Trevor. "Hey." I faked a smile and he frowned.

"What's wrong?" He looked around and must've noticed Amy working with Sookie. "And who's the new girl?"

"Jason's new Dawn." I said with a glare towards Amy as I grabbed a beer for Trevor, his favorite type and everything. He looked at me questioningly as he took a sip of his beer and I rolled my eyes. "I'll fill you in later."


I watched Tara as she was clearing a table and walked over to where Hoyt was sitting with Trevor. Sam put the bottle of Tru Blood he had been pouring into the drain at the sink down and came to look beside me.

"You look mighty pretty tonight, Tara." Hoyt complemented and Trevor leaned back in the booth, taking a sip of his beer. "That's a nice color on you."

"Fuck you." Tara snapped back before she walked towards me and Sam.

"I m sorry. W-was that sexist?" Hoyt asked, looking at Trevor, who was trying not to laugh.

"May I have a word with you?" Sam asked Tara when she wiped the bar and I raised an eyebrow at her. "In my office?" He continued and she rolled her eyes but followed him anyways. I rolled my eyes and wiped down the bar top. Then a thought occurred to me... Sam and Tara have been spending an awful lot of time together.


I yawned as I opened the front door and ran a hand through my hair. I had been reading a book in the dark in my room when the doorbell rang. I looked up to see Arlene, Rene, Lisa, and Coby. Coby was playing a Game Boy and Rene and Arlene were dressed nicely. I narrowed my eyes slightly at this. "Hi." I said slowly as Sookie came downstairs in a pink nightie. Trevor came down after her, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He had decided to stay the night over night and was playing on my computer. "Sookie..." I said slowly as I turned to face her. "What's up?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that we're watching Coby and Lisa tonight." Sookie replied and walked to stand with me at the door.

"Should I go?" Trevor asked me and I smiled.

"Nah, you're good." I reassured him and he nodded, heading into the kitchen.

"Sookie. What's wrong? What took you so long?" Arlene asked Sookie.

"I was out back in the yard." Sookie explained and I raised an eyebrow at her. No, she wasn't... she was upstairs with- Ooooh, okay.

"In your nightie?" Coby asked.

"The cat got out." Bill said as he walked over to us. He must've snuck down stairs while we weren't paying attention. "Made friends with a squirrel." I smiled at this.

"Mommy, look, it's a vampire!" Lisa said excitedly as she and her brother smiled and tried to run to Bill. Arlene quickly stopped them.

"Uh, Sookie, you didn't mention that you and Trudy had company." Arlene accused, pointing out that Trevor was here, too. She didn't really like Trevor either because he didn't mind vampires at all and has a few vampire friends. Not to mention his purple, black, and bleach blonde hair with snake bites...

"I didn't think I had to." Sookie snapped back.

"Well, I got a right to know who's lookin' after my children."

"Well, Arlene, this is what you get." I said in finality, fed up with her prodigious ways. "If you can't handle Trevor and Bill being here, you can go find different baby sitters." I snapped at her before I walked off and into the kitchen.

"Tru, calm down." Trevor soothed as he closed the fridge and looked at me. I just rolled my eyes in reply. "I know Arlene's gettin' on your last nerve, but-"

"There is no 'but', Trevor." I interrupted him. "Arlene has to have everything her way or it's the high way. It pisses me off and it makes me want to throw her off a cliff. I swear that she needs to be a blonde and not a redhead." I said as I opened the fridge and pulled out the box of pizza that we had for leftovers from earlier.

"You don't mean that. She's just annoying you." He replied and I scoffed.

"She's been like this from the minute I met her. I wish she'd just get off her high goddamn horse already." I said as Coby, Lisa, Sookie, and Bill came into the kitchen. "Pizza?" I questioned and Sookie nodded as she helped the kids into chairs at the table and Bill went to get plates.

"Pizza." She nodded. I smiled and brought the pizza over to the table and sat it down.

"Trevor and I are gonna go back upstairs, okay? You guys think you can handle it?" I asked tauntingly as I grabbed Trevor's hand and started to tug him out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

"I think we'll be fine." Bill drawled with a smile that I returned and pulled Trevor out and up the stairs. I then pulled him into my room when we got there and closed the door behind him.

"What's the rush, Tru?" Trevor asked as he sat down on my bed and yawned. This made me yawn as I crawled onto my bed and lay down, pushing the book I had finished only minutes before the kids showed up off the bed.

"Tired... long day... need sleep..." I simply answered and yawned again. I haven't felt this tired sense I was in college.


I groaned in annoyance from my spot beside Trevor in the back seat of Bill's car with Sookie and Bill in the front. Trevor and I wanted to go out to the movies, so we asked them to drop us off on the way to their date. Somehow, though, we got roped into going to Fangtasia. Sookie was about as annoyed as I was, but Trevor didn t really see the point in our anger. I couldn't figure out how Bill felt about it.

"You said you wanted to go out tonight." Bill said to Sookie as we pulled up to Fangtasia, which was closed tonight. I looked in frustration to the front of the car and towards Sookie, who was holding red and white roses.

"I did not mean Fangtasia! I mean, really, all those pathetic people who come here looking for sex with vampires?" Sookie retorted and Bill turned and looked at her with a straight face.

"I know. It's despicable." He said sarcastically and I let out a small giggle before I bit my lip and looked up towards Fangtasia while Trevor played on his black neon green Blackberry.

"You know what I mean!" Sookie snapped, flustered. "So, what, five, ten minutes?"

"As long as Eric requires us."

"You mean as long as he requires me and Trudy. Didn't even have the decency to ask us himself."

"Um, actually, Sookie? Eric did ask me." I told her and she turned to raise an eyebrow at me. "I didn't agree, but apparently, it didn't matter. Just like Eric said, Bill caved under the rule of the vampire." I said with a pointed glare at the back of Bill s head.

Bill rolled his eyes before he turned to Sookie again. "You are mine. He didn t need to ask your permission. He only asked Trudy because she is not claimed by a vampire."

"He cannot check me out like a library book!" Sookie snapped as I merely growled.

"Yeah, and he shouldn't get what he wants by a simple snap of the fingers and either you, Longshadow, or Pam comes running to do his bidding!" I put in my two cents.

"Unfortunately, girls, he can." Bill retorted, looking upset with what I said. I mean, I did kinda make him sound like a lap dog but that's exactly how it seems to me. "Eric is Sheriff of Area Five."

"Wait, Sheriff?" I asked slowly and confusedly and Trevor looked up from his phone, interested.

"It's a position of great power among our kind. We do not want to anger him!" Bill answered, looking at me and Sookie pointedly. "As long as the requests are reasonable, we should accede to his wishes."

At this, I groaned and rolled my eyes in annoyance and threw my door open. I climbed out and adjusted my black Escape the Fate tank top and pulled my black skinny jeans up a little more. The one night we're gonna be around vampires and I don't have my silver skull belt on. Fantastic oh, I'm sorry. Fangtastic.

I walked around the car and went to meet Trevor, who seemed to be bored out of his skull. He had his earphones in and I could hear 'End of Prom Night' blasting in his ears, making me smile lightly.


I sighed in irritation from where I stood with Trevor, my arms crossed over my chest, as I listened to Eric tell us why we were here, though I already knew why. I still couldn't believe that a human of all things could still from a vampire bar.

"Pam, Longshadow, Annabelle, and I are partners in this club." He stated and I glanced up at Trevor to see him staring at Annabelle, a half a century old vampire that looked only three years older than us. She was pretty and pale, as most female vampires are, with long dark brown, almost black, hair. She was leaning against the bar beside Pam with a pair of bug eye glasses on her face and a deep set frown on. I already knew that she was unhappy about having money disappear from where she worked. I simply rolled my eyes and elbowed Trevor, who shook his head like he was coming out of a daze.

Eric circled Sookie as he spoke from where she sat at a cocktail table. "And we recently noticed that sixty-thousand dollars has gone missing from our books. And Bruce..." As he said this, I looked at the man sitting across from my sister, who seemed to be really afraid for his life. "...is our accountant. Perhaps you can start by listening to him." As he said this I could feel Bruce's fear rolling off of him in waves and Eric looked up at me. "Trudy, I need you, too."

"Why?" I asked in annoyance and slightly whiney.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Eric's face as he merely motioned for me to sit beside Sookie. I huffed as I trudged over, purposefully stomping my Converse clad feet like a teenager that just got sent up to her room by her father. I slumped down in the seat beside Sookie as I looked at Bruce.

"This is ridiculous, you know. He's not saying anything to us." I said, looking up at Eric.

"Don't be coy." Eric replied and I raised a challenging eyebrow at him. "It's humbling enough to turn to humans for assistance. We know what you both can do."

I smirked at this. "You know nothing."

"Oh?" He lifted and eyebrow at me and I continued to smirk. "Empath and telekinesis." He said simply and I quickly frowned at him and looked at Sookie.

She glanced at me before looking back at Eric. "And we know what you can do, too. Why don't you just glamour him?"

"Now, don't you think we might have tried everything before summoning you?" Eric retorted and we just stared at him. "So it would be a great favor to me and to Mr. Compton if you help us."

"Question. Uh, I have no, and don't want, relationship with either you or Mr. Compton." I stated, narrowing my eyes at him. "Why am I here?"

"You wish to keep the human safe, yeah?" Annabelle spoke up and I caught a British accent as I noticed her nodding in Trevor's direction. I frowned and glared at the vampire as she smirked. "I'm betting anything that Eric would overlook having a teensy fatality tonight."

"Annabelle." Eric reprimanded lightly with a glance at her from the corner of his eyes and she huffed but kept her mouth shut.

"If we find out who did it, then what?" Sookie asked.

"We'll turn that person over to police and let the authorities handle it from there." Longshadow answered, barely looking up from the flame from the lighter he was passing his hand over in boredom.

"Oh, that's such a reassurance." I said sarcastically. "Hundreds of years to perfect it and you're still a terrible liar. You seriously expect us to believe that shit?" I then looked up at Eric, who was watching me in slight amusement. "We'll make you a deal. We help you figure out who took your damn money if you promise to hand 'im over to the police and let them handle it."

"Alright." He agreed. "Why not?" I rolled my eyes as I faced Bruce again and read his emotions as Sookie grabbed his hand. I could feel annoyance, fear for his life, obviously, and frustration. I knew it wasn't because he stole the money, though. Just frustrated that he's being blamed for the money being taken by somebody else.

"Bruce, calm down." I said in a calming voice as I continued to feel nervousness from him.

"Take a deep breath. Did you steal their money?" Sookie asked.

"No, no. You gotta believe me. I didn't do it. I swear to-"

"Bruce, do you know who did?" I cut him off softly.

"No." He answered immediately. I felt his annoyance and panic slowly turn to lust and I furrowed my eyes in confusion. I couldn't get any read of distrust or lying from him so I cut off the connection with him and looked at Eric.

"He's telling the truth." I told him as Sookie took her hand away from him and nodded in agreement.

"You trust the skinny humans to clear the fat one?" Longshadow asked Eric incredulously and I scowled at him. Before I could snap at him, though, Eric spoke up.

"Bring the next one in." He ordered as Bruce suddenly felt relieved and started to cry happily. I then noticed a wedding band on his left ring finger and knew instantly that his lusting thoughts weren't about his wife. I was kinda wondering who they were for, though. Part of me also didn't want to know who this guy was lusting for because it kinda disturbed me.


I leaned my head against my palm with a tired yawn is Pam lead a trashy fangbanger looking woman over to where Sookie have sat for the past hour, reading human after human. This blonde human, though, looked to be the oldest of them all with short curly blonde hair that was close to my hair color and had a lit cigarette in her hand. I'm betting that her hair color isn't natural like mine, though. I took a peak at the top of here head and smirked mentally when I saw faint dark roots.

"This is the last of our humans." Pam told us as the woman sat down and Annabelle came to stand behind her, for a reason unknown.

"Hmm..." The human hummed as she looked at me and Sookie. "Yummy." She said sarcastically before Pam took her cigarette and put it out on the table.

"Ginger." Eric said in slight warning, letting us know her name. "These women have some questions for you. Now, be a good girl and answer them, will you?"

"Aye, aye, master." Ginger said as she sunk back in her seat and placed her hands on the table. Sookie reached for one of her hands, but she quickly slid them away. "Don't you touch me."

"Hold her still." Eric ordered Annabelle and she nodded in understanding, lifting her bug eye glasses to rest on top of her head to reveal bright green eyes. She moved forward and placed her hands on Ginger's shoulders, forcing her not to move. This made it possible for Sookie to grab her hand without any struggle from the other blonde woman.

"Alright, Ginger, someone's stealing money from Fangtasia." I informed her boredly as I formed a connection with her, though it was the last thing I wanted to do. She seemed to be a very pathetic woman and I didn t really appreciate the way she was glaring at me in hatred. I knew it wasn't kind because of the way she noticed how Eric kept looking at me and I could feel the jealousy rolling off of her, but I ignored it for the most part.

"Really?" Ginger retorted sarcastically and I blinked back and sat straighter as I felt rage coming from her. "Huh." The rage was then mixed with desperation and a need for us to understand that she didn't do it. I could tell that she knew who did though.

I looked up at Eric and Pam, who stood close by to us. "She didn't do it."

"But she knows who did." Sookie added, also looking at them.

"What?" Ginger snapped and we looked back to her. "Fuck you. Fuck you both." I felt a sudden rush of fear and narrowed my eyes.

"Who?" Sookie asked gently, but urgently. "Who's gonna kill you?"

"Ginger what's his name?" I asked her, but I couldn't get an emotional reading off of her, so I couldn't tell who it could be.

"It's blank, like her memory's been erased." Sookie informed the vampires.

Ginger looked up at Pam, Eric, and Annabelle. Annabelle had let go of her shoulders and was now standing with the other two. "I don't know anything, I swear."

"She's been glamoured." Pam realized.

"Gotta be a vampire." I stated in determination.
Suddenly, Longshadow jumped over the bar and towards me and Sookie, his fangs out and ready for the kill.


Ok, there's chapter five. As I said before, I probably won't get anymore chapters out for a while, but I'm gonna try to find another way to write them. Oh, and I'd love to know what you guys think about Trevor and Annabelle. I thought them up randomly when my brother was reading this story before I wrote this chapter. I based Trevor off of him and I based Annabelle off of my best friend. Give some feedback on them, please.

Review Please!