AN - Thanks for the reviews guys! Much appreciated. x

The Glorious Dead

A week or so later, I was pleased with myself. The housework was all done, as was my laundry and I'd managed to submit some chapters to my publisher who'd been so pleased he'd sent me a cheque, or was it check, in the post.

I decided to treat myself, so out I trotted to get myself a pizza and some ice cream. When I returned Bill was sitting on my porch steps.

"Hey there stranger," I said as I joined him, "What's brings you to town?"

"Good evening, Evelyn," he said with a smile, "I see you survived your visit with Eric."

"Oh, he's just a big pussycat," I lied, and changed the subject, "So how's your work going?"

He proceeded to tell me he'd met someone, a lovely blonde haired waitress called Sookie Stackhouse. A twinge of jealously shot through me but I told myself I was being stupid. He told me she'd saved him and he'd saved her but didn't tell me the circumstances. A look of disgust came across his face as he told me this and I wanted to ask about it, but a twisted form of wisdom told me not to. She's special, he'd added with an air of fascination.

"She's asked me to speak at her Grandmother's history meeting in Bon Temps," he continued, "I'd like it if you came. A friendly face is always a good thing. Tomorrow night at 8pm." He gave me the whereabouts and I said I'd go.

He kissed me on the forehead and stood, "Goodbye Evelyn," and he was gone, like the wind.

The following day came and went without much ado, and before I knew it, it was time to get ready for Bills' talk. I pulled on my favourite dark blue jeans and a black tee and my leather jacket. I'd no idea how suitable I looked for such an occasion but upon my arrival a little while later, nobody looked at me twice. I stood up towards the back of the church and waited with the rest of the Bon Temps community. I heard whispers of murders while I waited, apparently there'd been two deaths the previous week and the townspeople were blaming vampires. But I didn't hear much more than gossip.

Bill appeared on stage after an introduction from Grandma Stackhouse. Hmm, William Thomas, I'd not known that, I'd have to remember. The room listened with a certain amount of trepidation but, for the most part, fascination as Bill discussed his human life in the war, his family and some basics facts about vampires. Early on in his speech he looked kindly towards a pretty blonde seated a couple row from the front on my left. My detective powers deduced that this was the girl he'd been telling me about the night before.

The Mayor gave Bill a photograph which brought a tear to his eye. He dabbed them away swiftly and returned to his podium. He glanced at me and I winked back, and he carried on with the Q & A.

I waited afterwards to say my goodbyes and congratulations to him. I watched carefully as he had a cautious converse with Sookie and a man she'd come with. Grandma Stackhouse was stood by Bill and when Sookie embraced her Grandmother and then left with the other man, Bill's face was stony.

A few more and then it was my turn. I went to shake his hand, "Well done, that was a wonderful talk. I'm sure you've enlightened everybody here," I beamed, and he pulled me in and kissed my cheek lightly.

"Thank-you," he whispered in my ear, "Call you later."

"I look forward to the next talk. Goodbye," I smiled at Mrs Stackhouse and took my leave.

I arrived home some time later and chided myself for not yet getting myself a car. The cost of a taxi, sorry cab, was more than I wanted to pay on a regular basis. I let myself in and flicked on the lights.

There was a soft rap on the back door. Peculiar, I thought; why not use the front door?

I padded over to the back door and shouldn't have been surprised to find Eric stood there. Alarm bells went off in my head. I leaned against the door frame.

"Why hi there," I said cautiously.

The slight breeze caught his hair and it waved in the wind, "Evie," he smiled a suspicious smile, "Not going to invite me in?"

"Erm, no," and I stepped out onto the back porch and closed the door behind me, "What do you think I am? Stupid?"

"Not at all," he replied as I strode by him and sat on the step.

"Can I help you with something Eric?"

"Always," he grinned and perched next to me.

"I haven't mentioned 'our accident' to anyone," I emphasised the use of his wording.

"I know," he replied simply.

"Then why are you here?"

"Tell me," he said, completely ignoring what I'd asked, "Do you know why you remembered?"

"Not a clue," I answered honestly, "Though I'm glad I did."

"Why?" he seemed perplexed.

I grinned, feeling oddly comfortable for a fleeting moment, "You can't get away with anything now," and I nudged him with my shoulder.

He was quiet for a minute while he mulled that over and I thought I'd done something wrong.

"Why did you come here? To America," he asked after a while.

My face sank, "Why did you?" I asked defensively.

"I asked first."

"To get away from it all. I couldn't deal with everyone else's shit anymore," I replied, hesitantly, "My husband, he… I couldn't save him… You know, Eric, I don't want to talk about this anymore."

He nodded, "Why don't you invite me inside instead?"

"Very funny, I don't think so."

"So you are unsure," he mused.

"No, I don't trust you," I replied flatly, "I barely even know you. You could just glamour me into doing it anyway. Then I'd let you in and you'd do God knows what and I wouldn't know, wouldn't remember for a while at least. You could take me to the moon and back and I wouldn't know."

I swear he almost growled at me, "Don't give me more ideas," and he grasped my chin to turn my head to him, "I have enough already."

I considered staring him down but fear clamped my eyes shut, "I won't look at you."

"Can I ask a question?" he replied, letting go of my face.

"Can I stop you?" I replied boldly, my eyes still closed. I had some semblance of safety in that.

"Have you ever been with a vampire?"

"How is that any of your business?" I said, my defences up.

"You have fed at least one that I know of. Surely Bill didn't pay attention only to your neck?"

"You know," I said and opened my eyes, unable to resist averting his cocky tone any longer, "You needn't be jealous."

He persisted, "Do I have anything to be jealous of?"

"You have people throwing themselves at your feet daily, well…nightly. You can, and do, have whatever takes your fancy," I tried to deflect, "Why on earth are you here with me?"

Eric sighed, "Those people do not interest me. They come with the territory. They are merely attracted to me like flies are to honey."

I rolled my eyes. Eric had a bloody answer for everything.

"Right now, I'm curious," he continued, "Those who are glamoured very rarely regain memory of the event."

"Ever thought I might just be that little bit cleverer than everybody else?" I interrupted, perhaps a little egotistically, but what the hell, it was the truth, "and maybe I use more of my brain than others do? Maybe I don't just think with my dick," I finished accusingly.

His face was stony, "Why must you fight with me?"

I shrugged. I barely even knew the guy sitting next to me yet I was arguing with him like I'd known him for a lifetime.

"I don't even know you. I saw you kill somebody and you made me forget that. Then you call me back to see you for some twisted mind play and now I come home to find you here, waiting to confuse the shit out of me!"

"Can't tell me I'm predictable," he replied with a smirk, such a delectable smirk. I sighed and shook my head.

"Just answer my question then I'll go," he repeated.

I looked him in the eye before I realised I'd done it, I glanced away quickly, "No," I answered, "I haven't been with a vampire."

And he was in front of me lifting my head with gentle fingers, I looked up.

"Was that so hard?" he smirked.

I smiled flirtatiously and raised an eyebrow, "Something is." I barely got the words out of my mouth before I was pressed backward into the deck, feeling him pushing against me made me quiver.

Oh shit, I thought, why do I open my mouth?

I could feel the adrenaline begin coursing through my body, making my heart pump and my veins throb. My breathing quickened as he watched my face. Suddenly I felt the vein in my neck twitch involuntarily, Eric's fangs clicked out and I panicked and froze. His hand was holding my waist under my jacket and he moved to nuzzle my neck. I gasped; I loved to be touched there. But this was tinged with fear as he lingered near my jugular.

"I will be your first," he whispered proudly into my ear, and he was gone, vanished.

I stayed where I lay, bemused. After I'd gone to Fangtasia for the first time, I'd asked Bill what Eric was like. Impossible, had been the simple reply. I understood that fully now. My phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out and sat up. Caller ID told me it was Bill.

"Hello."

"Good Evening Evelyn. I wanted to thank you again for coming tonight," said the smooth drawl.

"You know you're welcome Bill," I replied, "I saw your blonde friend."

"Yes Sookie was there."

"Who was that she was with?" I don't know why I asked.

"Sam Merlotte, her boss," he answered reluctantly.

"Oh," I said, sensing his tone of voice and changed the subject, "It was good to hear more about your life, I'd no idea you'd done and seen so much."

"It was difficult for me to speak about my family. I did not expect they would ask me questions about that."

""At least they didn't try to stake you and stage a coup," I said lightly, hoping not to offend him.

No reply came and I waited with baited breath.

"Hello?" I said into the phone, "Bill?"

I waited for a minute before speaking again, "Hello?" and nothing. He'd gone.

Oh well, I thought, something must've come up.

I stood and returned back inside. I sighed and locked the door, went for a shower and got into bed.

Nobody ever told me vampires were this confusing.