TB3

Sookie had helped Eric with something. And now she was in trouble. How could a good deed lead to the death of loved ones?

"Eric will help Bill. Just as Bill helped him, Sookie." Irie tried to reassure her.

"I don't think he will. He acted like he didn't care if Longshadow ripped my guts out." Sookie shuddered.

"That doesn't make much sense. Wouldn't he want to protect an asset? You are an asset to him." Irie continued. Sookie shrugged in indecision.

"I'm a bit curious. How did you help him?" Irie asked sliding into the booth across from Sookie. The bar was fairly empty, it was the lull between the dinner and lunch rush.

"I found out that Longshadow was stealing from Eric." Sookie said.

Irie paused, tracing the shadow of a glass filled with water. "How would you know that?" She asked.

Sookie swallowed and looked away. It didn't look like she wanted to answer Irie. But after a moment, she said, "I… I can read minds."

Irie didn't respond. Sookie looked back, expecting to see disgust or disbelief. Instead Irie seemed to be considering something.

"Irie?"

Irie looked back at Sookie. "It seems like there is much more to the world than just vampires." She said.

"I'm not a freak." Sookie spat in anger.

"Neither are vampires." Irie smiled gently. " You're just more."

"More what?" Sookie asked.

"More than me." Irie finished softly.

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It was later that night when things were a little more clear to Irie. Bill entered Merlotte's followed closely by Pam, Eric and a stranger. Bill made a beeline for Sam's office, the stranger followed him while Pam and Eric stayed in the main part of the bar.

Pam spotted Irie and walked over to her. "Well hello." She said, confidence oozing with each word.

Irie was impressed. "Hello Pam. You look beautiful tonight." She complimented her with a smile.

"I look beautiful every night." Pam fired back.

Irie's smile stretched a little further. "That is very true."

"What are you doing in this hell hole?" Pam asked after a while.

"I work in this hell hole."

"Where are your shorts and tight shirt?" Pam asked.

"I don't think I'd do a very good job filling them out." Irie answered in embarrassment.

"I would disagree." Eric was standing in front of her, having moved from the other side of the room in a blink of an eye.

Irie felt her whole body get warm. She stuttered some sort of reply that wasn't anything at all.

When she had calmed herself, she asked, "What brings you here tonight?"

Eric smiled. It was an attractive smile, she was surprised. "Promotion." He held up a card with Fangtasia on it.

"Oh." Was her intelligent reply.

Bill walked in again.

"Shall we?" Eric asked addressing Bill.

"I want to talk to Sookie." Bill said moodily.

"Be quick about it." Eric motioned. Sookie and Bill exited the bar.

"Is everything okay?" Irie asked.

"Nothing that concerns you." Eric answered. And it wasn't anything to concern her, she was sure.

"I better get back to work." She smiled again, disappointed that she didn't know, yet chiding herself as well. The more she knew the more danger was sure to follow.

"Bill is going to trial tonight. For having killed Longshadow." Irie turned around to see Eric looking intently at her face.

"Oh. Okay." She turned back at went to get the people's orders. She didn't know how to feel about the admission. There was this lightness in her chest, that made a little smile form on her lips.

She didn't pay much attention to the confrontation between Eric and the human patron. But she did hear the threat before he left. The way he talked, it seemed almost as if he knew every person's secret.

She caught his eyes as he was leaving.

Did he know all her secrets?

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It was Arlene's engagement party. Irie was introduced to Renee was instantly charmed by his easy manner and his beautiful accent.

She congratulated the couple and set down at one of the tables. It wasn't soon before Sookie joined her.

"They did a really good job here." Sookie said looking sad.

"They did." Irie consented.

"You were right." Sookie professed abruptly.

"Was I?"

"They are many more things besides vampires." Irie turned to look at Sookie. She wore a worried expression.

"We do live in a diverse world." Irie confirmed.

"Sam lied to me." Sookie continued after a while.

"Something concerning you?" Irie asked.

"No." Sookie stopped. "Yes… I don't know. But he's my friend. He shouldn't keep things from me."

"Everyone had the right to a private life." Irie said.

Sookie turned to her in anger. "I tell people the important truths of my life."

"Some truths people want to hold onto." Irie argued.

"Are you lying about something as well?" Sookie asked.

Irie laughed. "I don't believe so. But neither am I revealing my whole life to you. My memories, my thought - they are for me to decide to share."

"He should have told me." Sookie continued stubbornly.

"I am a firm believer in free will, Sookie." Irie said kindly. Sookie continued to look stubborn, but Renee came over and swept her to the dance floor.

No one was entitled to her memories and thoughts, Irie resolved. They would be given freely or not at all.

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It was a hot night. Full of the heady scent of rotting flowers, too ripe and thirsty to live. She was drinking some sweet tea that Mrs. Hartman had made the day before. The liquid left a cool trail down her throat. She was on the porch. The chair she was sitting on was plump from disuse. She cuddled a little further into it and admired the darkness in front of her.

Everything was quiet and peaceful. The cicadas' song lulled her into a half dream state. It was beautiful here.

There was a shift in the air. A quick breeze that didn't seem natural. Irie turned her head. Eric was leaning against the railing, his eyes resting on her.

"Good evening." Irie offered for lack of anything else to say.

"Good evening." Eric supplied.

"Would you like to sit down?" She offered, inclining her head. Her head was resting on the back of the chair. A feeling of laziness was making it hard for her to be as hospitable she wanted to be. Or maybe it was sheer exhaustion.

Eric moved towards her, but made no motion to sit down. His blond hair gleamed like gold, even in the darkness. He leaned forward, over her resting form.

"Irie." His soft, cold voice trailed over her. His unscented breath wafted over her face.

"Yes?" She asked, her eyes closing slowly. She was dreaming, she was sure.

"There is something about you." His blue eyes were set on her face. She felt his cold touch on her warm arm. Her skin prickled in awareness. She couldn't remember the last time someone was this close to her. There had been once and that had been frightening and horrible, and nothing at all like this.

"Oh." There was nothing else she had to say. There was nothing she could say. Her body felt heavy, like it was underwater.

"Invite me in, Irie." His mouth was right next to her ear now. Tempting her with more than just words.

"Come in." She whispered. Darkness surrounded her. She slept, unaware of the feel of his arms carrying her to her room.

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