a/n Thanks everyone for reviews! I was so surprised and touched by the response ~ you guys are awesome!! I hope to update at least once a week, but I thought I'd go ahead and get you started on Chapter 2... happy weekend!!

a/n Another thank you to my beta, Northwoman! She rocks! Also, these (awesome) characters belong to the (amazing) Charlaine Harris.

Chapter 2

The next day was Saturday, and I had to take a good, long, cold shower before walking into the kitchen where Gran was making breakfast thanks to the hot dreams I'd had all night. Jason had beat me to the table this morning - he lived in our late parents' old house across town, but never missed an opportunity for a hot and home-cooked meal. He looked up at me from his plate, mouth full and smiled. "Good morning, Sook."

Gran slapped his arm. "Mind your manners, Jason Stackhouse. No one can understand what you're saying with your mouth full."

She had raised us from the time I was 7 and Jason was 10 when our parents had died in a flash flood, and Jason knew better than to talk with his mouth full at her table. I grinned at him. "I saw you had a new friend last night at the bar, Jason," I said, unable to resist. My brother was a widely-known womanizer, but viewed as a mostly good guy by our little populace.

"That's just Amy. We'll see," he said cryptically, shooting a glance at Gran. He didn't want her to know his reputation, although I knew she was well aware of it.

Gran smiled at me, handing me a plate. "You have to work today?"

I shook my head. I'd somehow managed to get a Saturday off, even though I was the only single barmaid at Merlotte's. I'd planned on using it to catch up on my errands - the library, the post office, the grocery store - and my suntanning. The warm June sunshine was calling my name already.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Gran went with me to the grocery store, but then I was home alone all afternoon and into the evening when she went to her social club meeting. After tanning and doing yard work all afternoon, I sat on the front porch to read. I was about to give up on reading by the porch light when the vampire from Merlotte's appeared on the steps.

Startled, I jumped up. He held his hands out, palm up. "I'm sorry for frightening you," he said.

I looked at him warily. "If you're here to proposition me again, buddy, think again," I said defensively as I sat back down. He raised an eyebrow. I'd bet not many people called him buddy.

"No. I am here to introduce myself. I am Eric Northman, from Shreveport. A colleague of mine knows your cousin Hadley."

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "She's not in trouble again, is she? She never paid back the money Gran gave her for rehab a few years ago. We've not heard from her since then." A terrible thought crossed my brain, but he had said knows, as in, present tense. "What's that have to do with me, anyway?"

A look of frustration crossed his face. "No, Hadley is not in trouble. Hadley talked about you with my colleague and she thought you sounded, interesting." What I found interesting was his emphasis there.

"Interesting?" I repeated. "How so?"

He seemed to choose his words carefully. "Talented, in a particular way. My colleague would like to offer you a job of sorts, Miss Stackhouse. And I'm the messenger."

I rolled that over in my brain for a few minutes knowing he was talking about my telepathy. Hadley and I had been closer as youngsters, but she had chosen a different path than mine when puberty hit. "No need to be so formal; calling me Sookie is just fine. Is your colleague also a vampire?" He nodded. "What would this job involve?" I loved working for Sam, but I couldn't say no to a few extra bucks.

He came up the last few steps cautiously, clearly not wanting to frighten me. I motioned to the chair beside me. Gran would die if she knew how inhospitable I had been so far to my guest. He sat down and met my eyes. I was surprised and exulted again at the silence of his brain. "So it's true?" he asked, his eyes looking like a kid's in a candy store. "You can hear thoughts?"

I nodded cautiously, thinking I should have not been so forward. "I can. Sometimes in words, sometimes in pictures." What had I just gotten myself into?

"Can you hear what I'm thinking?" he asked guardedly. I had a feeling that would not be so good for me, so I was relieved that I could shake my head no. He smiled. "That's good."

"What would I be doing for your colleague, Mr. Northman?" I asked again, getting curious about this proposition, but also about the vampire presenting it to me.

"Please, call me Eric. The details are negotiable, but she wants you to be a truth detector basically. We would provide the transportation and an escort" he smiled winningly, making me think it would be him, "and compensation, of course."

"I don't know how I feel about working for a vampire," I said truthfully. The one sitting in front of me was the only one I'd ever met. "How would I be sure I was safe?" I read the newspapers, and about the girls who disappeared after getting involved with a vampire.

"Do I make you feel unsafe?" he said, leaning a fraction closer.

Oh, boy. My face flushed and my heart raced. Certain parts of me were quite alert and screaming, "Yes, yes, and I like it!" His face was so close to mine. I could easily lean closer and put my lips on his. I sat back abruptly - where had that come from? I didn't even know if he thought of me like that! Which, I realized was quite refreshing.

A small grin started on his handsome face. "You would be safe with me, Sookie," he whispered. "I promise."

Who knew whispering was such a turn on? I cleared my throat and tried to get my fogged brain back to reality. "Where would I have to go?"

"Shreveport, maybe New Orleans. I own a bar in Shreveport and it could be considered neutral ground for meetings." He leaned over a bit more; he was clearly enjoying my discomfort. I pushed my hair back off my neck absentmindedly - had it somehow gotten warmer after dark? His fangs slid out, surprising me.

I shot out of my chair and back a few steps. "None of that, Mr. Northman, um, Eric. I'm sorry I don't have any TrueBlood to offer you, but I can't help it that you showed up unannounced."

He looked down for a moment and when he looked back up at me, his fangs were nowhere to be seen. "I'm sorry,Sookie. I don't mean any harm. You are very beautiful," he said quietly.

I blushed. "Thank you."

He stood and took a couple of steps toward me. "I find you very alluring. I would like to know you more."

Parts of me were hoping he meant know in the Biblical sense. "That's nice, Eric, but I work a lot, and..." Many years of loneliness were hard to break in one night. Besides, I didn't even know this man, er, vampire.

He stepped closer again and slowly, carefully reached out to brush my hair back off my face. "Please don't say no. Let me take you out to dinner?"

I laughed before I could stop myself. "What will you eat?"

He grinned and I thought maybe I didn't want to know the answer. "I would be more interested in the company." He brushed an index finger across my cheekbone and my body felt like it was on fire. "Please say yes. I am not accustomed to working this hard for a lady."

I was quite sure that was true. Why would he with looks like his? I desperately wanted to say yes - the peaceful quiet of his head would be a nice break from other dates I had been on - but something was stopping me. A warning in the back of my brain. I didn't know this vampire at all. I didn't know any vampires at all. He seemed nice enough, but.... what if he wasn't? Finally, I said, "I'll make you a deal, Eric. One date. But first, you have to spend an evening here, with me and my Gran. I can't just go out with any man... I mean, vampire off the street!"

"That I can do. What evening would you like? Tomorrow?"

"My next day off is Wednesday."

I thought I heard him say something under his breath like, "Damn shifter," but that didn't make any sense. "Wednesday it is. Can I have a kiss for my trouble?"

Straightforward, this one. I smiled - I liked that in a person - and presented my cheek. He leaned forward slowly, so slowly I wondered if he'd ever get there, and kissed me gently on the cheek while running a hand down my arm. My face flushed and I looked up at him only to be caught in the spell of those eyes again. "See you Wednesday, Eric," I said then turned to walk inside before he could talk me into much more than a kiss on the cheek. I don't think I could have said no.

Eric's POV

I stood on her porch for a few seconds after she slipped inside. I think in all of my years, I had never wanted to kiss a woman so much. I had told her the truth – I found her very alluring and very beautiful. It was obvious that she treated me just like anyone else and I was unaccustomed to that. Most humans cowered from me and none dared to call me "buddy." I grinned at the memory; she was cute when she was serious. Hell, who am I kidding? She was cute all of the time.

As I took to the air, I called Sophie-Anne. "You have spoken to her?" she answered. I loved the way she got straight to business.

"Yes, my queen, I have. She is. . .hesitant but not disagreeable. I think a few more visits should bring the negotiations into our favor."

"Why didn't you just glamour her into agreeing, if she was hesitant?"

I am truthful, but I am also shrewd. It could be bad for Sookie if it was widely known that she was immune to glamour. "I wish our dealings with this human to be above table, my queen. I believe she could be very valuable for a longer period of time if she came into this deal willingly," I said carefully.

Sophie-Anne laughed. "You are always thinking of my kingdom, Eric. But it sounds like you just might want to keep her for yourself."

Yes. I did. "I believe I am the only vampire she has ever met. If I can get her to trust me, she may be in our employ for quite some time – that is all. A telepath is more useful if they are not disposable, yes? And I have no doubt that she will be very helpful in my own area, as well."

There was silence for a few moments. "All right, Eric. Proceed as you see fit, but remember who is Queen, won't you?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. Goodnight." I clicked my phone shut and furrowed my brow. This was going to take finesse on more than one field, I could see. Good thing finesse is one of my natural-born talents.

After landing in Shreveport at Fangtasia and having my meal of the evening, I called Pam into my office. It had been a long time since I was forced to court anyone and I needed advice. Pam was very up-to-date on human habits because she reads Dear Abby constantly.

She came in and sat down across from me in her usual work attire – a filmy black dress. "Yes, Master? Any more news about the telepath?"

I nodded. "She is hesitant to trust me," I began and Pam scoffed. "I am the only vampire she has ever met."

"Then she should consider herself lucky for meeting the great Eric Northman," Pam said heatedly. Pam may be biased, a little.

"All the same, she knows nothing about vampires. She seems delicate, Pam, and I don't want to scare her off before we have a chance to gain her employ for Sophie-Anne. I am going back to visit her on Wednesday. Should I send her flowers?"

Pam laughed mockingly. "Are you dating this human?" It was obvious that was a ridiculous idea – I supposed it was, normally, but not with Sookie.

I rolled my eyes. "I am simply trying to make a good impression, Pamela."

"Dear Abby says not to be too pushy. I think it would be acceptable to take flowers with you, but sending them randomly may not be. Why are you so eager to please this human?" Pam asked skeptically.

That was a good question. I find myself drawn to her in some inexplicable way – like I've known her before. "Because our queen demands it. Humans are willing to go along with you if they think they are being treated well, are they not?" And she's beautiful and enchanting and unique. And untouched by humans or vampires. "I want to bring her here soon, Pam, to introduce her to the vampire scene a little. I will want you to be with her if I cannot." Pam nodded. "Is there any business to take care of tonight?"

"A new vampire wishes to move into our area. His name is Bill Compton. In fact, he wishes to live in Bon Temps – apparently it's where he's from," she said. Pam had no desire to return to her living roots when she was turned and doesn't understand the longing of some who do. "He seems harmless enough. Lorena is his maker and has released him." I knew Lorena – she was dark and twisted, even for a vampire. "He wishes to mainstream." Pamela also loves what she became and feels no desire to pretend to be human.

I nodded. "Do you know where he would live in Bon Temps?" It could be convenient to have an ally close to Sookie.

"Not exactly, although it seems his family home is now vacant and he wants to live there – he expects that if the VRA passes he will own it once again."

"He has my blessing. Work him into the schedule for appearances here and make sure he understands his duties."

This was a part of my job – to keep track of and approve any vampires that lived in my area. I am a very fair Sheriff and most vampires are very happy under my watchful eye – those that do what they are told, anyway. I make no outrageous demands of my underlings and I know they are thankful.

Pam nodded and I dismissed her with a nod of my head. She glided out of my office as I turned to my computer. Emails had to be answered and business had to go forward, but all I could think of was a certain blonde telepath and how she might change my future.

a/n Now, while you ponder what could happen next, you need to go check out the Deadpan contest! I've read a few entries so far, and they're so good!!

a/n If you're looking for something to read, I highly recommend it: http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/~deadpancontest (You know what to do with the dots and so on, right?)