A/N: In this chapter, I'm adding more elements from the book. For example, in the case of Rayne's attacker, it's Callisto, not Maryann. It's not going to be dragged out so don't get used to your favorite maenad. I do have to say though, I had a dream last night of how this story is going to play out. If you're an ancient history buff, you'll really enjoy the connection. If not, you'll still love the idea. I can't wait! =]

I was slipping in and out of consciousness. The pain radiated throughout my entire body. I didn't know where I was, or who I was with. Everything seemed to be a blur. I was trying to scream but could scarcely breathe. The muffled sounds that came out of me sounded more like gurgles. My heart palpitated furiously. I was going to die. This was the end for me. Then, suddenly, I could hear faint voices.

"She's been poisoned."

"By who or what?"

"You ever heard of Komodo dragons? Their mouths are teaming with bacteria, after one has bitten you it will track you for hours, days, just waiting for the toxins to slowly eat away at your nervous system 'til you're good and helpless. Then it will devour you alive. She was not attacked by a dragon, mind you. This poison is similar but way more efficient. I don't think I've seen it before but it's hard to tell without further testing and we don't have that kind of time."

In a matter of seconds the pain became more intense. I howled in agony when I felt an arm on my shoulder. I knew it was Eric by his touch. I opened my eyes slightly and looked up at him.

"Icke gör det låta jag dö Eric."
Don't let me die Eric.

"Du er inte går till dö , JAG löfte du så pass. Jag nöd du alltför mycket till tillåta så pass."
You are not going to die, I promise you that. I need you too much to allow it.

I knew it wasn't the most reassuring statement but for some reason I felt at ease. Well, the most at ease I was going to be considering I was having nails dug into my back. I shrieked again and Eric's grip tightened. After a few moments of excruciating pain, it began to recede. I attempted to steady my breathing. I looked up to see an ancient woman in scrubs getting up, a distasteful look playing across her face.

"You can give her blood now, her body should accept it. I'll expect my payment by the end of the week."

"It's always a pleasure doing business with you, Dr Ludwig."

"Fuck off," she muttered, walking away.

I looked up at Eric who was smiling as Dr. Ludwig walked out of the door. "It seems to me like the pleasure is one-sided"

"She's no fan of the fang. But she tolerates us as our blood is of such great value to healers." He looked down at me again and moved his eyes to his wrist. His fangs extended as he moved his wrist to his mouth. He cleaved his wrist and blood began pouring out. "Drink."

"No. I know what happens when humans drink from vampires. I'd rather you not know every emotion I have."

He scowled at me. "If you don't, you'll be in the pain you're in now for a lot longer than necessary. Drink and you'll heal faster. Be quick, I'd rather not have to open myself up again."

I sat and deliberated for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. I decided I don't like pain, and began moving his wrist towards my lips. As soon as the blood began to flow into my mouth, it was intoxicating. As I drank I felt a surge of memories that blurred past my mind. Every part of my body was beginning to feel like it had been shot with adrenaline. Pure ecstacy clouded my head. I squeezed my eyes closed, and heard Eric moan. I had done drugs before, but this was like nothing I'd ever felt before. Life itself was coursing through my veins. I moaned into his arm and realized my pain had completely subsided. He grunted and began pulling his arm away.

"That's enough," He said, removing his wrist from my lips. I whined and sat up, feeling lightheaded.

I then realized that the only thing covering my chest, was my hair.

I sighed. "Dammit, that was my favorite corset."

Eric was smiling at me. "Pam!" he called over his shoulder.

Pam came into the room from the back. I had finally taken in my surroundings. We were at Fangtasia. "Yeah?"

"Would you mind getting Rayne a shirt from the back? Even though I enjoy her without one."

"You're not the only one," Pam said as she walked toward the back again.

I had a knot in my stomach, not because I disliked Eric's statement, but because I wished I could be closer to him. Pam returned with a red Fangtasia shirt. She tossed it to me and I caught it, taking it with me to the bathroom. I opened up the door and stepped toward the mirror on top of the sink. I was stunned at my appearance. I had dried blood on my mouth, but that wasn't what shocked me. I was... beautiful. My hair had brightened considerably, and my skin glowed. I looked like one of those sirens in movies. The blood contributed to the 'beautiful but deadly' persona. I turned around and looked over my shoulder to view my back. The scratches were gone, but the scars remained. Dried blood stuck the ends of my hair to my back. Pam entered the bathroom and stared at me. "Would you like some help cleaning up?"

I still had no shirt on, but it didn't seem to phase me. I knew in order to properly get the blood off of my back, I would need help. I still didn't feel uncomfortable being topless, despite Pam's obvious delight in my naked torso. "Sure, if you don't mind."

She stepped out for a moment, returning with a clean rag. She drenched the rag in warm water, wringing the excess afterward. She carefully pressed it against my back and began cleaning, soaking the blood-stained rag in warm water again before squeezing the water out again and repeating.

"I'm glad someone has finally gotten Eric over that Sookie girl. I'm not sure I like the idea of this being done by another human, but just the same, you're cuter than she is." Pam said, using the rag to soak the ends of my hair to get the blood out.

"Thank you for the compliment but I'm sure Eric's interest in me is strictly business."

She ushered me to turn around. I did so and she began wiping the blood from my mouth. "I'm not so sure about that. What was it you said to him outside of that awful bar?" Disgust radiated through her face at the thought of Merlotte's. "He walked back in as if he'd been staked. I've never seen him like that before." Pam was lost in her own head, really wondering what it was I said to Eric.

"Nothing really. He told me to meet him here, and I refused before he so courteously threatened me. Then I accepted and we came back in." I had purposefully left out the part where I asked him about my vision. I shouldn't have even talked to Eric about it. It wasn't very wise for vampires to know you have visions of their past. Some might get very angered at not being completely unreadable. Pam knew I was hiding something but she didn't say anything about it. She removed the rag from my mouth and set it down.

"There, you're all clean. You can put your shirt on now." She turned her back and walked out, leaving me to dress. I grabbed the shirt from it's place on the wall hook and slid it over my body. I looked in the mirror and marveled at my appearance again. My red locks were like fire, cascading over my shoulders in a deluge of waves. My normally seafoam green eyes were tinted with silver as if they had captured stars in their depths. I looked absolutely mystifying. When I was finished gawking at my reflection, I stepped out of the bathroom. When I walked into the main part of the bar, I noticed Pam and Eric speaking quietly to each other before looking up at me. I sat on the chair, put my head down, and sighed.

"We need to know what it was that attacked you. If something foreign is hunting in my area, I need to know what and why," Eric asked, leaning back with his fingertips pressed together, index fingers resting on his chin.

"It was a female. She looked human for the most part. She had long black hair and black eyes, and she was with a razorback. She looked normal at first sans the pig. Then out of nowhere her arms grew twice their size. They looked like monster's arms, and then she attacked me." I cringed at the memory of the night's earlier events. "She attacked me as a message to you. Why? I don't know."

Eric looked concerned, something I didn't expect from a vampire clearly as old as he was. "It was a maenad. An creature of ancient times. They are followers of Dionysus, the god of wine. They relish in the drunkenness and lust of humans, the work of Dionysus. Maenads scour the world, letting themselves be known so they may be offered tribute. She must have attacked you to show me what she's capable of if she's not satisfied. She wasn't trying to kill you, but to warn me. I will give her the offering she desires so that she'll leave, looking for tribute from another area. I'm sorry this happened."

I sighed, "A maenad huh? Never thought I'd see one of those. Then again, a few years ago I would've been admitted for speaking about conversations with vampires.." I shook my head, taking all of this in. It was the vampires that 'came out of the coffin' but it seems as if every supernatural creature is crawling out from the proverbial 'hole in the ground'. "What next? Sirens, mermaids, and cyclops?"

Pam snickered and Eric smiled. "Now Sirens are real, though the other two I'm afraid are myths."

I looked up, wide-eyed. Eric found this humorous and chuckled. He looked up for a moment and then to me. "Dawn's approaching. Pam, we must retire for the night. You're welcome to stay here if you please Rayne. I will inform Sookie of the arrangement at dusk. You may accompany me or leave tonight. We have a bed in the back for our more frequent customers. You're welcome to use it." He smirked at me.

I yawned and contemplated. I decided I was too tired to make the drive back to Bon Temps. I would stay the night. "Thank you. I don't think I'd be able to make the drive home without passing out at the wheel. I appreciate everything you've done for me tonight, and thank you for helping me clean up Pam."

They both nodded at me before heading toward the door. Eric stopped at the doorway and turned toward me.

"Till i morgon ung en."
Until tomorrow young one

I smiled at him and said, "God natt död en."
Goodnight dead one.

He smiled and continued out of the door, disappearing before the door closed softly. I yawned and headed toward the back of the bar. Sure enough, there was a room with a bed in it. It was spotless, the red velvet sheets completely clean. I walked over and sat down, softly stroking the scars on my back. I removed my heels and pants and parted the sheets from the top of the bed. I slid in and recalled the events in the past few hours. I had just realized something that I hadn't thought of before. When I was on the side of the road, dying, I called out for Eric. And he heard me! I smiled and closed my eyes, drifting into a deep slumber.