"For the best really, it's not too healthy." Adriane practically jumped out of her skin, Stan was standing right behind her. "I didn't even hear you, though I guess I wouldn't have…I mean...well." Adriane just let her sentence float in the air. She was feeling incredibly uncomfortable, he was having such a strange affect on her. "Is it ok for me to be here?" Adriane considered the possibility that she had offended him. It was hardly appropriate for a guest to wonder around as they pleased. Stan was watching her with an odd expression on his face, as if he didn't know what to make of her.
He could smell her fear, but uncharacteristically choose not to act upon it. "I guess it really doesn't matter, its Devil by the way." Stan saw the confusion on her face and slowly lifted his hand to point at the black horse. "Oh, Devil doesn't seem to fit...he seems to be rather gentle"; "If he is a he I mean…I thought you had left?" Adriane's eyes grew large and she realized that was none of her business. Stan only scratched his beard and raised an eyebrow at her. "I like to ride when I'm in a sore mood." Adriane thought he meant by this, she should leave. "I understand, I'll go…sorry for being in here without an invitation." She nervously began to walk away, but between the times she had moved and turned her back on him he had suddenly appeared in front of her. "I don't mind, if you stay…or go." Stan was baffled at himself; the words left his mouth uncontrolled.
Adriane was just as surprised by this. She had only known this man just a little while but everything before suggested he was not tolerable of humans. After this was said, a strange silence fell between them. "My name is Adriane…um...you probably already knew that though?" She waited with some trepidation for his reply. "I'm Stan, last names Davis." Stan realized that it had been a long time since he had behaved in this manner with a human. It was something he couldn't understand. It really was not like him at all, how in just a couple of hours she had affected this change was beyond him. Adriane wasn't sure what to say next, his response had been short. Although she knew there hadn't been much in the way of conversation before, on her end as well. "I've never gone horse-back riding before, what is it like?" Adriane wondered if she sounded silly, it was like she had gone dumb.
It was at that moment that Adriane became aware of someone behind her. "Having fun?" Eric was not looking at her or Stan when this was said. He had a kind of bored expression on his face. "Yes, actually…time to go I suppose?" Adriane discovered she felt disappointed by their departure. Had Eric showed up only a little while ago, she would have been glad. She was surprised when Eric attempted to place his hand on the small of her back and lead her away. She stopped there progress towards the door, however. Adriane turned and looked at Stan, she looked down and by all accounts muttered a silent farewell; "Goodbye Stan." She wasn't sure if he heard her as he didn't say it back to her.
Stan watched her leave; he had almost returned her goodbye. It had been on the very tip of his tongue, had Eric not been present he might have said it. The way that the Viking had touched her had given Stan pause. It was entirely possible she was more than a tool, perhaps she was his mate? Stan decided it was for the best, his strange behavior every time she was around was getting to him. He made his way to the lower basements of their nest. He despised being second lieutenant, but it did hold some perks. One such perk happened to be his right to deal with those being held for crimes against their kind.
Stan loved to torture, maim, and eat the prisoners. He always found it funny when it was a V user's turn to be 'trialed'. Such was his first prisoner of the night. "You know, I hope that you enjoyed the high from our blood…because I'm sure going to enjoy the one I get from yours." Stan bit into just another nameless human, there was no remorse with his actions. The sounds of the screams in his ears only increased his aggression and bloodlust. It wasn't long before it went quiet, the fun was over. Stan carelessly looked at the remains, he held a smirk on his face that would have sent shivers down anyone's back; human or vampire alike. "Who wants to be next?" Stan wiped the blood off his face and began again.
Meanwhile:
Adriane really did enjoy the hotel they were staying at, more importantly she liked the bathtub. It was huge, and it was really very nice. Adriane was glad she didn't have to share, or for that matter pay for the expenses. It was all on Eric, so Adriane had every intention to take advantage. She was just starting the water when a knock at her door was heard. "Well I suppose I shouldn't be surprised", Adriane made her way to the door. She had expected it to be Sookie; on the way back to the hotel she had given her grief for going off on her own. After opening the door, she found herself staring into Jessica's blood streaked face.
Adriane was ashamed to admit, that in reality she had entirely forgotten about the new vampire. "Are you ok…I guess that's a foolish question"; "Go ahead and come in." Adriane motioned her into the room. She closed the door behind her and wondered how she could help. Vampires could be so difficult to understand for Adriane. She knew they were human once, and that their emotions still existed within them. However, Adriane was so used to being able to feel the emotions of humans that it was quite unreal for her to be around someone that was closed off to her.
"What's wrong, how can I help you?" Adriane took Jessica's hand and led her to the bed. "Here...um…go ahead and sit." Adriane hesitated, but decided to pat her on the back reassuringly. She was not close to the young vampire, but she knew that she would soon learn more about her. "I hate him, he destroyed my life and now he wont even let me go out!" Jessica continued to rant about Bill incessantly. Adriane shook her head and nodded in all the right places, hoping this would help calm her down. "Have you tried talking to Bill, about how you feel?"
"He doesn't give a damn!" Jessica began to sob into her hands, " I just want to go out…I've never even been out of Louisiana." Adriane had heard from Sookie about the incident with Jessica's family. A new vampire lacked the necessary control to be on their own. "What if you could go out…but only at certain places and with the right supervision?" Adriane looked thoughtfully across to Jessica. She began to slowly wipe her blood filled tears away, "What do you mean?"
Later on….
"Absolutely not, how dare you even make this suggestion!" Bill was livid by the very idea of it. Adriane believed that his anger was only a result of him having to deal with it. To be fair, Bill was every bit devoted when Sookie was involved. However, he was lacking in that devotion where his charge was concerned. "So basically you want her locked up at all times while your out and about?!" Adriane couldn't help but become a little defensive over it. She had luck on her side though, as it happened that Sookie was completely on her side. "Bill, please be reasonable…its your responsibility." Sookie looked up at Bill with such doe like eyes.
Adriane's plan was simply enough, it just required some of Bill's attention in regards to Jessica. She believed it was possible for Jessica to go out too places that were populated with other vampires, it seemed reasonable. Jessica would undoubtedly be the youngest there, if she were to lose control the situation could easily be contained by the other vampires present. Besides, in the back of Adriane's mind she thought it would be nice to see the 'cowboy' again.
"We are here on a mission, not a tour." Bill simply wasn't giving in to Sookie's influence. "I guess that's it then." Adriane did not want to return to Jessica, she could already hear her sobs at this news. "No, I believe that's not it." Eric had entered the room with his usual grace and stealth. "Is it not polite to knock before entering", Bill was clearly annoyed now.
"I believe I did pay for the door and the room it opens into", Eric obviously enjoyed causing Bill this annoyance. "As for this situation, I have decided I will allow it," Eric spoke in a tone that left little room for argument. Before Bill could even comment, "However there will be conditions, Adriane you will assist bill in watching over Jessica." Eric said all of this with such an arrogant smirk, that Adriane regretted ever getting involved. How she wished, she could wipe that smirk off his face, "I will go through with it, but not because your telling me too." Adriane couldn't let Jessica down, not after getting her hopes up.
"I would speak to you." The way Bill looked at Eric made Adriane nervous, vampire are really scary when there mad. "Really Bill, how often must you 'speak' to me", Eric continued, "It will make little difference, may decision will not change." Adriane decided in would not be wise to linger in Sookie and Bill's room any longer. She knew that once Bill was done arguing with Eric, she'd be in his sights for sure.