Chapter Two

Granny tucks me into bed, and I ask her if she'll read a story to me. My favourites at the moment are Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter. Though the words are a bit iffy to understand, I like to close my eyes and listen to Granny's voice as she reads. I like to pretend I am right there, in the tale, with the characters. They become real to me then. After a few pages, I got sleepy. But I try to stay awake, as much as possible. I want to hear the part in Lord Of The Rings where the big battle begins. Gran sees that I am getting tired too, because I hear her close-up the book. I reopen my eyes, making a cheeky face at her, and she laughs at me and touches my cheek.

"Granny, are fairies and vampire's real?"

"Well, I don't know about fairies, dear." She smiles at me nicely. "But as for vampire's, well, you know that they came out of the coffin two-years-ago. You were very young, at the time. But they did come out into the open admitting they existed, honey."

I remember seeing on the news the announcement they made for all vampires, though I can't really remember much of it. I didn't understand what was going on at the time, and why people were making a stink about it. The vampire I had met tonight, Eric, he seemed real friendly, and not scary at all, which I imagine vampire's were meant to be. I remember, one night, Granny got angry because Jason and I stayed up late watching a creepy film on a vampire, who did terrible things, like murdered children and he drank a pretty woman's blood. I couldn't sleep for weeks after that.

I sit up against my pillow slowly. Gran tucks the blanket underneath my chin. "Do you think vampire's are evil, Granny?" I ask her.

She seems to think very carefully on it for a few seconds. She gets a wrinkled look on her face, when she thinks so hard about things. It's how I can tell when she is being extra thoughtful with her vocal words. "Not exactly. I think, vampire's are exactly like us. They just have different... needs from us. I think we are all capable of evil, despite what we are."

"Do you think a vampire could be nice?" The vampire Eric seemed really, really nice to me tonight.

"I think they could be, if they wanted to, yes. Why do you ask, dear?"

Uh-oh. "No reason, Granny. I was just wondering..." I've never been a very good liar. I feel guilty when I do lie to my Granny, because I love her so much. She doesn't like me lying either. She wants me to be an honest girl with her, most of the time. She says that often whenever I do something wrong, and try to pin the blame on Jason. One day I spilled milk all over the floor by accident, I dropped the carton, it just slipped right from my fingers. Slushy milk had gone everywhere in the kitchen and I had tried to blame my older brother for it, because I heard Granny's thoughts that morning and she already didn't seem too pleased that day. I didn't want to make her any more angry than she already was, and poor Jason had to clean up all the milk even though it wasn't his doing. He got me later though for it by pulling my hair real hard that I almost cried. I had deserved it, though, I knew I had. "Granny, do you think I'm special?"

"Yes, and you know it, pet. You're one of the most special girl's in the world. You're almost more special than your brother, because of your little... ability."

"Did Mom and Dad think I was special because of my ability?" I've always believed not.

Mom and Daddy would fight all the time about it. My Mom once got so freaked-out, she took me to a lady doctor, whose office smelled like cats. I remember the lady had me drawing with crayons and she even gave me a lollipop while she asked me about my ability. I knew she hadn't believed me; She thought I was making it up. I've always wondered if there was something wrong with me, and at school, it's hard to fit in. Other kids think I'm weird, because sometimes I space out and can't concentrate on learning. The thoughts of children in class becomes so loud sometimes I have to go lie down in an empty room, because I get headaches. But my friend Tara is the only one who doesn't believe I'm weird. She thinks the weirdest person in the universe is her Momma, because sometimes her Momma falls asleep on the couch and snores real loudly, and grabs her too roughly when she's drunk. I've seen the bruises on Tara's arms. Her Momma drinks a lot, so Tara and I swore that when we got to her age, we wouldn't drink anything. We don't want to end up like her Momma.

"You know, your Mamma and Daddy loved you very, very much."

"But they argued over my ability a lot."

"I know they did, dear. It was just very hard for them to come to grips with. They could see it was very stressful for you." She smiles at me, in a sad way. "They were mostly concerned about their daughter. I am very concerned about you, as well. You know I always am. I feel somewhat sad because of what you must have to go through, pet. I know you get a lot of headaches and find school difficult."

"It isn't so bad, Granny," I tell her, attempting to smile. I know when my Granny needs me to lie, and this was one of those moments. At least once the day of school is finished, I can come straight home. I find it easier to concentrate and get my work done when I sit in my room all by myself. It helps me to think straight. I've heard thoughts ever since I can remember. You never get used to it, and I'm not sure if I ever will. In some ways, I know it'll make me into more of a grown-up. I can pick up words faster, and it makes me more of a bigger, smarter girl.

"Uncle B is coming over next weekend. I was thinking of making a special meringue pie for the occasion." Gran knows how much I love the fancy, yummy deserts she makes. But I can't help frowning and groaning at the mention of Uncle B. I know it is mean, because he is my relative and I must love him, but I don't love him, really. He makes me feel funny, like invisible monsters are crawling on me whenever he looks at me. He's always looking at me funny. Sometimes he tells me to sit on his lap so he can read to me - which I do to be nice- but I don't really hear the words because he is always thinking about my skin, or my hair, or my nose.

"I know it's very bad of me, Granny, but I don't think I like Uncle B. He's funny."

"Funny in what way, dear?" She puts on her softer, concerned voice for me.

"I don't know. He just is." I can't find the words for it. "I hear him, with my ability. Some of the things I hear, it makes me feel funny. He makes me feel weird."

"Well, what do you hear?"

"He thinks about how baby-smooth my skin is, and how puckered and knobby my knees are. He thinks I wear pretty dresses, and that his hands feel nice on my skin."

Now Granny is looking at me funny. I feel scared, because she must think I'm disgusting or weird.

"Sookie, pet. Does he touch you?" she asks it in her no-nonsense voice, one that tells me I better not lie to her now or else I'll get into trouble.

"He does. When he came over, he got me to sit up on his lap. He was reading to me, but one of his hands wasn't holding the book."

I get bad feelings when Granny gets to her feet. She puts on a fake face, and kisses me goodnight. Next weekend, she makes her meringue pie, but I notice Uncle B doesn't come over for his visit.

I'm at school, doodling in my book. The teacher has set out bright crayons and pencils, and we're all drawing. I'm sitting next to Tara at the desk, and she looks extra pretty today, because her dark, black hair is up in a braid. It makes her face look browner and her black eyes more sparkly. She gives me a bright smile and comments on my drawing, telling me how great it is.

I'm trying to draw fairies. Really, it looks like stick-figures with big wings. I am trying to draw the fairy man I met, who says he is my fairy grandfather. He didn't have wings on him, but I draw his funny ears and his walking stick.

My teacher, Mr. Melotte, moves over to our table and leans over my shoulder. He pats me on the back. "That's an excellent drawing, Sookie. Very imaginative."

Mr. Merlotte is my absolute favourite teacher at school. He is very friendly, and I told him about my ability. He is the only one of my teacher's that believes me and doesn't think I'm a liar. Sometimes when he notices I'm near to getting headaches, he will take me out of class and help me breathe. Mr. Merlotte is really funny. He always makes real sounding dog barks in class, which puts everyone into giggles. One day, during nap time, he fell asleep on his desk and started making all these funny animal noises. He's very good at them.

"Thanks, Mister M, sir. I am trying to draw my grandfather. He's a real fairy."

Mr. M gives me a funny look. "Is he, now?"

"Yes, he is. He has pointy ears and a walking cane. But he doesn't have wings, though. How do I draw vampire's like Mister Eric?"

"Mr. Eric?" Mr. Merlotte sounds confused.

"Yes, like Mister Eric. He is a real vampire. My great-great Grandfather says I'm a real fairy, and Mister Eric is a vampire to protect me. He's immoral."

"Immoral?" Mr. Merlotte laughs, in a nervous way. "I believe the word you mean is immortal, Sookie."

"Immortal," I chirp, like a parrot. "Yes. Immortal."

He pats me on the shoulder again. "You keep drawing now." He moves away from our table. He thinks I'm being weird. As he walks further away from us, I hear him say a bad word underneath his breath. He takes the Lord's name in vain; Something that my Granny would send me up into my room for hours for doing. She says it isn't very Christian. Once I've completed my drawing, I tear it out of my book. Maybe I can give it to the vampire as a gift?

I eat my dinner, very quickly. I can't sit still, I am very excited to see Mister Eric, the vampire again.

I push all my peas into my mouth, and cram in all my scrambled eggs in two goes. Then Granny says I must have worked up a big appetite at school today. I wash up my plate and cutlery, put them away. Then I race up to my room and fold up my drawing in half to give it to the vampire. I look outside my bedroom window for him. It's dark and hard to see outside now. I find it funny that vampires only come out at dark. I know it's because they don't like the sun, but I wonder what could really happen to them if they did come out during the day. Would they burn? Something tells me probably, they would. The vampire appears out of nowhere, stepping near the long tree out in the yard. I grin so hard my face hurts. I put on my woollen hat that has bells on it, tuck my hair behind my ears, and run downstairs and out the front door with the bells jingling after me.

I like this vampire. He seems interesting, and he doesn't seem mean at all. I especially like the color of his eyes, and his chin. His silence, too. His silence is the best thing in the world after a day stuck in school.

He is sitting down on the grass when I approach him. He is wearing one of his funny black suits again. He reminds me of a man at a funeral, for some reason. His hair is combed back, and he looks my way the instance I hop to him. I think it's the bells on my woollen hat he hears.

"Good evening," he greets me, unsmiling. I hold out my drawing nervously to him. He looks up at my face, still not smiling, then takes it from my hand. He opens it and inspects it very quietly for a moment, his bright eyes scanning down the picture I drew. I'm almost holding my breath, wriggling for praise on it. He nods, and then folds it back up. The drawing is shoved swiftly into the pocket of his suit.

I feel a bit crushed, like someone had torn the head off my favourite doll. "Don't you like my drawing?" I ask uncertainly. I don't think he does very much. Perhaps it was wrong giving a drawing to somebody I don't know. I've only met him once before; the night the fairy told me he would come. "You don't, do you?"

"Well, I am keeping it, aren't I?" He pats the pocket he put it in with a white hand flat against it.

I can't really tell whether he likes it for real or not. Boy, I wish I knew his thoughts on it. "I did it today at school." I sit down near him, crossing my legs. He has very long legs, legs that seem as though they go on for miles and miles in his dark trousers. He seems to always be wearing black. I guess vampire's like the color. "Why do you always wear black?"

"How do you know whether I always wear black or not? You've only seen me twice." It's a very good point.

"That's true. Do you like black or something? You look like you've only just come from a funeral!"

Something in me saying that makes him chuckle quietly. I feel a bit nervous and shy. He must think I'm funny, and probably not in the way I'm wanting.

"Are we starting my learning today?" He still hasn't explained to me what it is he will be teaching me. I've wondered all the time.

His lips curl into a faint smile. "Eager, as ever."

I am, no doubt about it. I sit up straighter and pluck grass off the ground with my fingers. "Are you good friend's with my fairy Grandfather?"

"Not quite. But I am considered a trustworthy ally in his eyes."

"What's ally mean?"

"Why is there bells on your hat?" He looks my hat over.

"I don't know." I shrug, confused myself. "There just is. Are you a friendly vampire?"

I can tell I'm starting to bug him. He gets an annoyed look across his face. "Do you have to constantly ask questions?"

"Sorry," I whisper, thoroughly chided. I can't help it.

"Can you hear me?" Now he's the one asking all the questions.

"Nope. Why is that? I couldn't hear fairies, either. Don't you think at all?"

"Of course, I do. And that answer to the question as to why you are unable to hear me, I do not know myself."

Silence. "So, are you gonna teach me something today?"

He sighs loudly. I know I'm annoying him again. He shifts a bit on the grass to face me head-on. "All right, I will feed your curiosity, only because I find it extremely irritating how eager you are. How do you kill a vampire?"

That question has me drowning at sea. "I don't know. How?"

"There are various ways. Tell me them."

"Is that what I'm learning from you? Why are you teaching me this?"

"Just answer me," he says, raising his voice a notch in a scary, cold way.

"Um, all right." I think fast. "Sunlight?"

"Close, but very wrong. Vampire's who intend to harm you would most likely be coming during the night hours, when you're least expecting it. What will you do, when there is no sunlight on your side?"

I don't like this question much. It's far too hard. "I don't know. I really don't. I can't say I've ever thought about killing a vampire before."

He sighs again and runs his fingers through his hair. "All right. I want you to do something for me, right now." I sit up straighter, listening carefully. I am excited; I don't know why I am at all. "I want for you to go inside, and find something silver."

"Something silver?"

"Yes."

"Like a bracelet or something?" Granny gave me a butterfly bracelet. I'm pretty sure that's silver.

"Yes, anything like that even. I want you to fetch something silver, and return to me with it."

I can't say I understand why he wants me to, but I just do. I climb to my feet, and go back inside. I head up the stairs to my bedroom, look through my jewellery box. I find the bracelet with all the pretty butterflies on it, and rush back downstairs. I peek into the living room to check and see what Granny and my brother are doing; They're watching the T.V. When I return back outside, I discover he is still sitting in his position on the grass. It's a little weird. He reminds me of a statue.

"Got it," I tell him proudly. I dangle it in the air near his face.

"Very good, little girl." He pulls up one of his sleeves to his elbow, then holds his hand out to me. I eye him, feeling scared and a bit freaked. "I want you to lay the silver on my skin. I want you to watch and listen very carefully to my reaction to it."

"Okeydokey." I do as he says, dangling the butterfly thread near the crook of his pale elbow. I am concentrating very hardly, and my face feels scrunched. The instance one silver butterfly touches his skin, something funny happens. Smoke begins to waft near me, and I gasp. I remove it away, startled.

"Do not be frightened," he says gently. "I will heal very quickly. Do it again, only for longer this time."

So I just do. I lay three butterflies on his arm, and wisps of light grey smoke start curling around me. The vampire gives out a very funny reaction to it; He makes a strange grunting noise, and his fangs dart out menacingly with an audible click. And then, he removes his arm, and slowly holds it out to me. His skin looks bubbling, as though it's simmering away. Then, without warning, the flesh closes back up, until his skin looks clear again.

"Whoa," I breathe.

"Now you know one of our weaknesses. And that is something silver. I suggest you carry silver on you, at all times. Also, what is a way to hurt a fairy?"

How to hurt a fairy? That's even a bigger pickle for me to answer. "I don't know. How?"

"Lemon juice. I suggest, if you can, to use it if you need it." I nod, very seriously, hoping to please him. "Now, I want you do something else for me this time..."

I stare at him anxiously. I hope it isn't something else that will hurt him. "What?"

"Your Grandfather recommends we do this. I'm not entirely sure I would like to do it, but then again, I take this very seriously." He holds out his hand to me, his long fingers spread and eager.

"What?"

"Take my hand."

Nervously, I slide my fingers through his. His skin feels so much cooler than mine, and hard. It's weird. His fingers are far thicker than mine, bigger. He makes my hands feel like tiny hands.

"I will tell you what I am going to do to you, so you won't get scared and scream. Do you understand?" I nod, swallowing nervously. He climbs up onto his knees, and gently turns my hand around with his fingers. "I am going to take in some of your blood. It won't be a very big amount, I assure you. But when you feel my fangs go into your skin, it may hurt a little bit. The pain will not get all that unbearable that you will cry, all right?"

"Why, though?"

"Your Grandfather wishes us to exchange blood. It also means that you will need to take in some of mine, in return. It may be strange, but Niall takes your protection extremely seriously. He believes it is necessary. If we share blood, I will be able to sense you, at all times. This means I will understand how you are feeling, little girl. If anything frightens you, I will know of it. I will also be able to find you more easily. This means I will also be able to protect you easier."

His expression is very grim; His bright grey eyes search mine deeply for my permission.

"All right, then," I give in. I'm very nervous. I don't like pain very much.

"Thank you for your drawing," he says suddenly, and I have a feeling he is only just saying that. "I liked it; very much so. I will keep it with me, always. You are extremely talented for a young fairy-human."

I feel happy as a clam over that. I grin brightly. I hardly register what he is doing, when he takes the tip of my forefinger and guides it towards his left fang. He pinches into my skin, and I try my very hardest not to make a sound. His eyes remain on mine, as he pushes my finger deeper into his mouth, curling his lips over it. His tongue is cool, and wet. He starts sucking gently, pushing his tongue around the tip of my finger, left-right, left-right. It tickles and gives off a funny pulling, tight sensation on my skin, as he sucks and pulls in his cheeks to draw blood out. I can see his Adam's apple on his throat bob and the muscles twitch in his neck, as he swallows. Then after a bit, he release my finger and a string of saliva breaks from his mouth, attached to my finger. He licks his lips slowly, and makes a deep noise, like the noise somebody makes to let people know they're enjoying the food they've been served. Jason makes that noise all the time at dinner.

"Very good," he breathes, sounding very winded. "Now, it is your turn."

I want to thank you all so much for your lovely response and alerts I have received on this. Do you find it weird, eight-year-old Sookie with Eric exchanging blood? Haha. Feel free to let me know your thoughts, as I did love reading them.