It's Only Beginning

A/N: So were any of you guessing which vampire Sookie will meet first? I think most of you will be surprised ;)

Forgive me for the wait!

Again and again I blow kisses to my readers for their already faithful following (: I truly appreciate every alert and review. Thank you for your support!

A big HUGE heap of thanks to my beta Kelly! She rocks my socks off! & I went in afterwards to add a few things, so any mistakes are all mine.

Charlaine Harris is the boss. I'm only a wannabe.

Chapter 3

The first thing I noticed was his height, even sitting down his head towered above the other customers in the room. The perfect shade of golden hair, just brushing his shoulders, framing his masculine face perfectly as he tilted his head fractionally to the side. It was majestic looking against the smooth pallor of his white skin. He wore a simple and modern looking leather jacket over a plain black V-neck t-shirt, and dark washed jeans. The clothes looked very expensive.

His eyes were a searing glacier blue, like ice on fire. Their stare was superior and you could almost see how he was observing every single detail around him without his gaze straying even a little. There was a posture to his mouth and perfectly sculpted eyebrows that demanded respect.

Beautiful. That was the first word that came to mind as I tried not to choke on my attraction.

Why on earth was he here?

I wondered if all vampires were such jaw-dropping alluring creatures.

I thought I might spontaneously combust with joy from the peaceful thought-free mind paired with a stunning blonde vampire sitting in my section.

In my section.

How long had I been staring?

Not long enough for anyone's thoughts to be about me; that's for sure. I knew without even touching their brains that every pair of eyes in Merlotte's was trained on him.

He seemed not to notice though, or maybe he didn't care.

As I regained control over my motor functions, I walked over to his table, as cool and collected as Sookie Stackhouse ever was, meeting her first vampire.

Her first two vampires.

Apparently, I'd been so enveloped in every detail of the blonde vampire's appearance that I had failed to notice his companion.

A much shorter male vampire was sitting at the table with him. His back was to me but I could see his thick, brown, closely cropped hair. From my angle, he seemed to have a slight scowl on his undead face.

Just then, the blonde vampire's gaze flickered from his companion to me and back again just once, before seeming to studiously ignore me. Or maybe that was just my insecurity flaring up.

Insecurity? Was I trying to impress the vampire?

Before I could reach their table, which seemed to be taking eons, Sam filled up my vision with an auburn-haired and hard-faced flurry.

He placed his hand firmly on my elbow and led me backwards towards the bar.

"Uh, Sam? Are you paying me to walk away from the tables now?" I asked him jokingly. My voice was just a tad too high for normalcy.

"Maybe I should take this one, Sookie." He responded, sharply.

"Just because I grew up in a small town and don't have a college education does not mean that I am incapable of serving vampires. Do not treat me like a little girl, Sam. I can take care of myself." I bit back defiantly.

Perhaps that was a little too aggressive. But hey, I was excited!

"Besides, I've never met one before! And I am sure not gonna let you ruin my first experience. These are Merlotte's first! You should feel honored, or something…" I faltered there, wondering if my unfamiliarity with vampires would make me all the more ridiculous sounding. "Now get out of the way and let me do my job!"

I knew my eyes were simply dancing with delight at the prospect, but his eyes just narrowed as he moved from my side to the back of the bar, still looking at me intently. I wonder what bit him in the ass. Maybe he was one of them folks that are against vampires and whatnot. That seemed unlikely, though. I liked to think that I knew Sam well enough to know that he wasn't a prejudicing type of man. At least he had never revealed that kind of behavior to me before.

Quickly shaking off Sam's strange temper, I once again treaded across the wood floor over to the two vampires.

When I reached their table, I was immediately intimidated by the blonde god. However, I was strangely more uneasy about the brunette. I suppose I should have been very wary about the both of them… but there was something dark and suspicious about the way the brown-haired one looked at me…. Not like the other one wasn't all sketchy and blue seductive eyes.

"Hi, can I get your orders?" I was probably talkin' a little too brightly, but I couldn't help myself.

Speakin' of those very blue, very seductive eyes, it was kinda nice how, he was lookin' at me like he was interested, (though maybe that was cause I was super nervous and skittish) and he very pointedly looked me in the eyes… completely ignoring the assets my customers are usually enthralled with and drunkenly commenting on.

His cool gaze penetrated me like he was ready to take a bite out of me. Maybe he did feel that way… I shuddered outwardly and did a little awkward hop back on my feet to try and cover it up. It must not have slipped passed him though because he openly chuckled, and still kept looking right at me too! How rude!

But then again, even with his bad manners, his laugh caused nervous butterflies to flutter in my stomach for a moment.

I'd be willing to bet that he made every single person he'd ever laughed at feel nervous.

The brunette was still eyeing me speculatively, then glanced nonchalantly back at his friend, and said to me,

"I'll have a bottle of O Negative, Eric?"

Oh, so Mr. Eyes and Mockery had a name after all.

Instead of giving me his order, Eric looked back at the other vampire with a reprimanding glare. Was that because he had wanted to introduce himself? His expression was one that exerted authority and I wondered what the relationship was between the two vampires.

"I still do not see why I drove from Shreveport for this, Compton," gesturing to the general vicinity of the bar while saying "this." Eric's voice was deep, commanding, and very, very confident. He knew his words would be listened to.

Well that comment was insulting; even if he wasn't particularly talking about me…It was insulting to Merlotte's. A jab like that I took personally.

"We could have easily discussed the matters at Fangtasia," his sentence ended with an invisible question mark; although, he still said it as if he were speaking a statement not a question.

Then all of the sudden I was bombarded with Dawn's brainwave frequency, blasting through the wall of beautiful silence like a train at full speed. I mentally jumped up and dashed to my thought barriers, reinforcing them so I wouldn't get the rest of the room in my head too. I could not deal with that right now, especially when I was just getting used to the mesmerizing silence.

Unable to conceal my slight physical reaction from her intrusion, I stepped back a little (for the second time while with the vampires) in surprise.

While I was still moving, both vampires flicked their eyes to me. Boy their senses must be real keen. Before I had even regained my footing, they were staring at me like I was the only human in a vampire bar rather than the other way around.

I felt a not so subtle blush rise up on my cheeks, wishing like Jason had in my kitchen earlier, that the floor of Merlotte's could swallow me up.

Then I felt Dawn's hips deliberately swinging by me. Her body brushed past me while as her thoughts brushed my mind.

Fangtasia? Oh my God, is that Eric?

Apparently I wasn't the only one who was overhearing the vampires' conversation…

Don't stare. What in the hell is he doing here? At the bar I work at!

Oh shit, don't trip.

Chest out. Give him a show girls.

I wrinkled my nose at Dawn's obvious display of sexual attention-whoring. Not that Eric or Compton noticed her anyway. The both of them were still lookin' at me expectantly, as if I was about to put on a show. Maybe I already had? Lord knows the humans here think I'm the best freak show around. And vampires probably always thought of humans as entertainment anyway.

Just when I thought I was done with Dawn's mental overtness, I received at least ten different visuals of what I could only assume to be Fangtasia; since that was the only thing she was thinking about, other than Eric, and many unrepeatable sexual terms. Ew. Dawn needed to evaluate her level of self-respect, if you asked me.

I saw a black and red themed bar, with very strange looking clientele. It was almost as if I was experiencing the memories with my own eyes. There seemed to be many vampires there, considering all the fangs, and a lot of desperate looking "fangbangers" as well. I couldn't spot a single person not wearing black, even if there was hardly any "wearing" involved at all, ugh. The images flew by so quickly it was hard to differentiate anything other than a swirl of dark colors and blood. Fake makeup blood, bottled blood, blood painted on the walls. Jeez.

Well it's good to know that Fangtasia is keeping to the traditional sinister look for the vampire bar.

There was one distinct picture that kept on repeating itself, vividly, inside my mind.

It was of the very blonde vampire in front of me… except he wasn't sitting on any ordinary wooden chair like the ones available at Merlotte's. He was casually lounging on a throne. A golden throne. Have I mentioned he was on a throne? Was this normal procedure for vampires?

He was keeping a careful eye on the crowd, and looking positively wicked (in a sexy way?) while doing so.

I gathered that he probably owned the place, judging from this very strange behavior. Unless he was seriously worshipped by whoever did own it. Somehow, I thought that he would be worshipped either way.

Pulling myself together, I snatched back the silent barrier like a blanket and pulling it over my mental head.

Good Lord! It had been less than three minutes ago when I first walked up to these daunting guests.

I needed to get my usual game face on.

"Sophie-Anne's work requires me to stay close to my working location." Compton answered Eric quickly, without looking away from me (creepy!), and then hand gesturing back to me.

And that's when it finally struck me that Eric still had not placed his order, and I should be thoroughly irritated that he continued to disrespectfully neglect to.

"Yes, about that work…" Eric began coolly, just as I stamped my foot down and gave an expectant AHEM.

Well I sure as heck was not going to stand there all night and wait for his order. I had tables to attend to.

Then he raised two blonde eyebrows and had the gall to laugh at me again!

I was gathering my grit to give him an earful of my current attitude when, luckily for him, he spoke up.

"A True Blood," he said, clearly entertained at my irritation.

Right when I was about to spit out, "What flavor?" he spoke again.

"Surprise me," with a wink.

Well what in the hell!

I gathered my good Southern waitress manners and strode away from their table baffled, but not before

I saw Compton roll his eyes at Eric. Was that for the wink?

What the hell is wrong with vampires?

Attempting to contain my annoyance and curiosity with the whole thing, I dashed to my waiting tables, replenishing ketchup, bringing fries and pickles, refilling drinks, keeping my hands and my head busy.

I only checked on their table once, and from what I heard and what I saw on their faces I decided to leave them alone.

I approached their table and very politely asked if there was anything else. That is when I overheard Compton saying "… Across the cemetery". He then looked up at me crossly. Eric ignored me.

Ilived across from the cemetery, and Iwas the only person who did unless someone moved into the old Compton house…

Oh no. No. Absolutely no way. Please sweet Jesus Christ Shepherd of Judah, don't let this be some descendant (or ancestor?) of old Jesse Compton. He had left the house vacant when he died, and I had never given any thought to someone else taking up residence there.

After my recent interactions, I did not want to be across the town, let alone across the cemetery from this "Compton" fellow.

You can be sure I skittered away after that. Eric's face was stony and entirely impassive so I didn't think he would have any more snide remarks for me.

Jane Bodehouse yelled out to me for another beer, Andy Bellefleur was complaining about his burger even though he continued to order the same one every week, and LaFayette was singing in the kitchen.

Successful distractions! I became fully occupied with them, immersing myself into my job as much as humanly possible, for a barmaid, in a small town, with the same customers every night. Except, I had two new customers tonight. NO! I am doing my job. I am NOT gonna think about them.

I, unintentionally, traveled my train of thought with my eyes and noticed that their table was in fact in need of my job. I scurried over to produce the check.

Eric handed me a shiny black credit card, with a bored look on his face, not looking at me.

I rang up his transaction at the cash register as fast as possible.

Upon returning the receipt, Compton stood and began, I guess, speaking into his cell phone? I couldn't hear a word he said but his lips were moving constantly in a small movement. He strode out without a second look, and I know the crowd was staring at Eric and me once they finished taking in Compton's exit.

Still holding the receipt in my feeble hands, I reached my arm out further to hand it to him. But he didn't grace me with accepting it. Instead, he stood. And I was amazed in a whole new way at how tall he was in front of me.

Eric must have noticed my reaction too, because he allowed a little smirk to creep at the edge of his perfect mouth before reverting back to the cold expression he was wearing before. He stepped closer to me, ignoring my hand, and forcing me to bring my arm down to make space for him.

"What is your name?" Eric said as calm as could be.

A far cry from my emotions which were in shambles.

"Sookie… Sookie Stackhouse," I managed to utter, feeling stupid.

I thought it would be hard to concentrate when speaking to him, but it was surprisingly easy.

His eyes were especially captivating, though. It was all I could do to stop myself from leaning in as close as possible and gazing into the glittering blue flecks.

"Sookie…" He repeated to me, saying my name slowly on his tongue, like you would when tasting a new exotic food.

He implored me with those eyes, but for what I didn't know. My confusion only furthered when he leaned closer and gave me a perplexed look.

Now Ericwas looking perplexed? At me?

I looked back at him dumbly.

Immediately setting his facial features into resolve, he said lowly, "I do hope you make the trip to Shreveport soon."

Was that an invitation to Fangtasia?

That was all I got from his interesting self before he walked out the door.

What an odd way to publicize your bar.

What an even odder thing to say to your waitress, who you scrutinized and perpetually ignored the whole time!

All that, and I still had the damn receipt in my hand.

Aw hell, I thought before crumpling it as small as possible and throwing it into the trash can.

On my way to serve an elderly couple (who refused to drink their water cause there was too much ice…), I saw my tip laying on the vampire table. Oh no, I'll probably never be able to look at that table the same again. I sighed.

I'd thought it was a ten dollar bill, which isn't too bad considering I didn't even know if vampires tipped at all to begin with. But, I was wrong. At closer inspection, next to the mustard, it was a crisp hundred dollar bill that awaited me.

Good Lord!

Eric must be rollin' in it!

Why on earth would he be so generous with me?

Despite the bizarre nature of the two customers who previously occupied the (vampire) table, I picked up my tip with a smile on my face; thinking of the kitchen repairs I could catch up on with this sweet little bonus.

Even if he had acted very strange the entire time, a vampire had successfully breached my highest tipper scoreboard. Maybe they weren't so bad after all.

I needed a long shower and probably a quick slap in the face to recover from tonight. To think I thought Merlotte's on New Year's was a crazy shift. Ha.

A/N: Thoughts, questions? Reviews rev up my engine ;)