Throwing caution to the wind, I stepped forward. Thanks to my heels, my eyes rested at about his chin. I looked up into his baby blues and he looked down at mine. He thought he was glamouring me again. I leaned in and whispered into his ear, standing on tip toe on one foot to do so, "Fine, then we both pay." With that, I tossed down two $50's and walked away, smiling straight ahead and knowing I just did something very bad, and very good. Game On, Mr. Northman..

I walked slowly but with purpose. I would not shake my butt or my hips. He could deem me a prospective conquest all he wants, but I am not giving in to that satisfaction. I lowered my shield a bit, and.. yup... he's watching.

"Oh man, she just teased that vamp and left him!"

"Did you see that?"

"Bet he's mad."

"Bet he runs after her and bleeds her dry."

"Bet he looks good without that shirt on."

"He can't take his eyes off of her."

Shields up. Okay.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EPOV

I watched her walk away from me, still amazed. This human had no fear. Whatever other emotions she had, I couldn't make them out. Her facial expressions were neutral, her body language suggested awareness of her beauty, but her clever mouth was the wrench in the works. The things I'd like to do with that mouth. Fuck! I thought I saw her catch my eye earlier on, but then it was gone. I tried to glamour her and just when I thought it was working, it was gone as well. I would have to discuss this with Pam. Remembering her sense of humor and how she inflicted it upon me? Maybe not.

Realizing the patrons and staff were staring, apparently waiting on my reaction, I straightened myself to my full height. I couldn't let this human get the upper hand and pay for tonight. Not after my display of testosterone tonight. I'd look like an ass. But I couldn't imagine giving that silly girl a tip in excess of eight hundred percent on two gin and tonics and a fucking true blood when I had to glamour her to make her stay the fuck away. Remembering the stares, I did what I really did not want to do...

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SPOV

I walked around the corner out of the hotel lounge and into the lobby. As I approached the elevator, I could see him stride out of the lobby. He chose not to acknowledge me. Great. I lowered my shield to seek out that singular voice, where was she?"

"Oh my god! That vamp just threw down another $100!!! Holy crap! No one is going to believe this!"

There she is. Apparently this dead guy is a real piece of work. He simply couldn't let a woman pay the bill. Fucking testosterone. I laughed out loud to myself and stepped onto the elevator. I hit the floor button and rode up with the smirk still on my face.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EPOV

I casually threw down the $100 bill and strode out of the lounge. As I entered the lobby I could see her standing before the elevator. She could hear my foot steps, I knew it. I was willingly walking like a human and I could hear the echo of the soles of my shoes on the marble flooring. I thought I saw her catch me in her peripheral vision, but after tonight, I was beginning to think I was mistaken, not just about this but about everything that transpired. These humans, food even, had never acted this way around me. I am Sheriff. I am vampire. I wouldn't make this mistake again. Without a second thought in her direction, I strode out the automatic doors and waited on the valet to bring me my car.

As I slid into the interior, still amazed to this day that my frame fit into the little car, I took a deep breath to calm myself. It was not necessary to breathe, but the action still stimulated me to calm. I knew I should be angry, furious. I am Sheriff. I needed to evaluate my position, my surroundings, and I certainly needed to reconsider the human.. this human. She is beautiful, well kept, smart, clever and apparently fearless. I threw the car into gear and floored the gas. At lease these valet humans knew when to be startled or afraid. I smirked to myself and drove away, watching them flinch in the rear view mirror. I needed to clear my head. Perhaps some speeding along some of these back water roads would put my mind at ease. Maybe not, but it would be better than sulking in my office trying to shuffle papers around in an attempt to convince Pam that I wasn't in the mood that I really was in. Pam. She's going to make this painful. I drove to the outskirts of town, slammed into the next gear and watched the city fly by so quickly that a human would only observe a blur.

Almost two hours later I arrived at the bar only to be greeted by Pam at the door. The smug expression on her face was obnoxious as always. Almost as obnoxious as the Dear Abby collection she had acquired. As I walked up the door I grunted. This was usually the signal to get the fuck out of my way, but tonight she was in a saucy mood.

"So, Master, tell me, did you bed the reporter?" I ignored her and strode to my office. On the way I noticed that the staff were winding things down and escorting (shoving) left over patrons (blood bags) to the exit. Nice. I ignored them and strode right into my office. I slammed the door shut behind me and took my lap top computer off of screen saver. Someone knocked on the door. "What?!"

Without anouncing herself, Pam slammed the door open, strode in, put her hands on her hips and asked, "Well?"

"Well what, Pam?"

"Master, how did it go?" I grunted, pretending she did not exist and began clacking on my laptop. I put on my most interested face and pretended I was dealing with important business. Pam was not amused. "Eric, I thoroughly prepped you for this interview, even providing the woman's resume and achievements. You look pissed. Now either you banged the shit out of her and couldn't get her off, or she blew," and Pam chuckled at this, "you off. Now which is it?"

"Pam, I am busy. I have emails to reply to at this moment. What do you want?" My child laughed out loud, the sing-song soprano of her voice making me want to throw the entire laptop at her and discover web mail so that I wouldn't have to reinstall all of my settings again, as was the case any other time I chucked the damn thing at her head.

"Pam!"

Her smile fled, "Yes, Master?"

"Pam, I want a complete report on a Miss Sookie Stackhouse. I want property records, copies of diplomas, a complete review of her entire work, published or not. I want to know personal friends, siblings, public interests, the causes she supports. I want to know every time her radar blipped on a public record and even on those damned confidential records at the courthouse. I want to know what her shoe size is, what sport she prefers and I want it now. Is that understood?"

"So is this your way of saying she blew you off?" With that, I lost my cool. I grabbed the nearest thing, the lap top in my hands and threw it at her. Her fucking vampire speed resulted in my throwing my newest computer at a closed door where it shattered into pieces. Fuck! I could hear her laugh down the hall and this made me realize why animals, like me, ate their fucking young. I grabbed my cell phone, hit the speed dial and cringed. I hated this mother fucker more than anything else. He lacked style, he lacked tact and he was like a moping puppy constantly under my feet looking for a way to hump my leg.

He picked up on the first ring, "Master?"

"Compton, I want everything, and I mean everything you can get on a Miss Sookie Stackhouse. Understood?"

"Yes, Master," came his reply and I hung up the phone. Just then Pam emerged and I resisted the urge to piss away another $400.00 on a new i-phone by throwing that at her as well.

"Yes, Pam?"

"Master, did I just hear you hang up with Compton?"

"Yes, I did, why?"

She chortled, "Master, you asked for a preliminary file two weeks ago which I provided you. You assured me that this would be some anonymous interview with this reporter. What is the problem?"

"Pam, this human is no reporter, as you know, she is a journalist. She has some.. issues I did not anticipate and I would like to know her full background to better prepare." Pam snickered. "Pam, hold back the I-told-you-so's and just fucking obey for once!"

"Yes, Master."

"And, Pam?" She turned and raised an eyebrow. "I am going home. See to the rest of tonight and report to me at dawn via my phone."

She bowed out and snickered, "Yes, Master."

I heard the whack against the door, as opposed to against her body. There goes my fucking phone. She opened the door again.

"Pam?"

"Yes, Master?"

"Report to me via my gmail account. My phone has malfunctioned."

"Of course, Master," and she practically skipped down the hall cackling all the way. Fucking children.