Research - 6

I sat next to Eric for the remainder of the evening. We didn't speak much more, but instead watched the patrons of the bar. My writer's instinct flared and burnt brightly as I studied them and locked information in to my head. Some people were there purely to get hit on by vampires, of which there were at least 8 in the bar tonight, not including Eric or staff, whilst others were more than content to watch.

They were voyeurs, who got off on observing those exhibitionists who thrived on being watched. With vampires thrown into the mix it was an incredibly potent cocktail of emotions and sensation. I could feel the electricity buzzing through them all in the room. Some of the emotion was directed at Eric, who lapped up the attention like a regal monarch, sat up high on his throne. I wondered aloud if vampires had Kings and Queens, like we did in the UK, would he be considered for the post. Eric simply smiled at me, humouring me with his brief acknowledgement of my voice and returned his attention to surveying the crowd.

I rolled my eyes and admitted to myself this was not the vampire I would get information from. That had been made painfully clear on several occasions. Returning my interest to the people, I switched my concentration to the vampires, who seemed pretty much run of the mill, as far as vampires go. That was until later on, towards the 1am closing time, when a dark haired man walked into the bar, a vampire. He perched himself on a bar stool and ordered a Tru Blood. His hair was cut in a short relatively modern style and it suited him. From the way he was dressed and held himself I didn't think he'd long been a vampire, Levi's, cowboy boots and a flannel shirt. Nursing his drink, he scanned the crowd and his eyes landed on me, dark grey eyes with a fleck of green in them. How on earth I could see that with the distance between us I'd no idea. But I stared right back at this mysterious vampire. I wanted to go meet him; it was as if just by looking at me, he understood me. I couldn't look away, I began to stand but a cool hand on my arm stopped me.

"Evie," Eric said quietly, "What are you doing?"

I tuned my gaze to Eric, "I…I was going to meet that guy over there."

"Sit back down Evie," and I humbly obliged. I was bewildered. I looked back at the vampire, whose gaze had not left me. I began to watch his eyes again, his cool grey eyes…

Eric summoned the vampire over to him with a single wiggle of his index finger. The vampire rose gracefully and sauntered across the room.

"Evening Sheriff," he said, casting his eyes at me, "May I sit with you." It was more a statement than a question.

"Ye…" I began but Eric cut me off.

"No you may not. What is your business here tonight, Stephan?"

"I thought one of your humans here may know something about the disappearance of my brother, Sheriff," he replied coolly, "Since you didn't know anything, I figured maybe they did, but maybe didn't know they did."

"You think another vampire has killed Daniel?" Eric replied, reading between the lines, "You should've asked me first."

I watched this exchange with amazement.

"I apologise Sheriff. I am asking your permission now," Stephan asked politely, I didn't think vampires did polite.

"You may speak to those remaining, but you may not glamour the human with me to enable you to speak with her," Eric replied sternly.

Whoa, hang on a minute, glamour me? Oh fuck.

"You should not have been so bold," Eric added, "Next time I will not be as lenient."

Stephan didn't speak, but nodded and hung his head.

"You may go about your business," Eric allowed, and I watched Stephan slink away back to the bar.

I was aghast for words, I looked at Eric, who ignored me and watched Stephan begin his questions.

"Pam," he said quietly.

"What?" I asked bemused, but quickly shut my mouth when Pam appeared by Eric's side in a flash. She crouched and he whispered something to her, she nodded.

Eric turned to me and offered me his hand, "Come."

I obediently took his hand and followed him out of the bar and to his office. Stephan shot me an 'I've not finished with you' look and I looked away quickly as we passed through the crowd.

Eric was silent until we were in his office. He gestured to the chair behind the desk, "Sit," he commanded, and I unquestioningly took the seat. He came over to me and opened a drawer to my left, pulling out a laptop computer.

Eric placed it on the desk in front of me, opened the lid and turned it on. He stood close to my left, "Show me."

His words had turned very curt and abrupt, I thought I'd done something wrong, "Eric, I'm sorry. I didn't know he was trying to glamour me. Who is he anyway? Why do you care if he…" I stopped mid sentence and stared at the floor in front of his desk.

Daniel.

Eric's eyes must've been burning a hole in the back of my head as I turned to look at him, his gaze bored down on me, "We will speak of this another time, Evelyn," he said sternly, using my full name as if he were telling me off, "Show me your article."

"I, err…" I stuttered, but said no more and turned to the laptop.

Quickly finding the web browser, I brought up the graciously titled 'Vampire Information Forum' and logged on. Somebody had posted about the deaths of the vampires in Bon Temps in a fire…I would read that later. I scrolled through past messages and found the one I was looking for, 'Meeting the Sun'.

Eric's hands sat either side of the keyboard on the desk and he tilted forwards in a crouch over my shoulder to read it. His proximity began to stir excitement in my loins, but something told me now was not the time.

In essence the post was regarding a myth in human eyes called Meeting the Sun. A process carried out by a vampire which ultimately ended in his death, burning in the sun. Forum members were discussing the morality of such an issue. A couple of days ago, a reply had been put up from a member called 'SunLover'. Both Eric and I froze when we read it.

Fuck the lot of them. All vampires should Meet the Sun. I'm just elated that God has given me the opportunity to see it for myself.

I rapidly brought up SunLover's profile page. I scrolled though a warble of irrelevant biography stuff and to the part both Eric and I wanted to know.

Hometown: Dallas TX.

"Eric, I..." I faltered as I looked at his face, a single red tear slipped down his cheek. He rose and turned away from me. Whether he was upset, angry of just embarrassed I didn't know, but my legs urged me to go to him.

I stood and went over, he looked down on me with uncertainty in his blue eyes.

"You think that could be your missing vampire?" I asked and touched his cool arm.

"Godric," he said quietly and took a minute to recover himself. I'd never seen a shocked vampire before.

"Well, now you know you can go to Dallas and find him," I said.

He nodded, "Yes we can." He pulled out his phone, dialled and spoke in a language I didn't recognise.

"Well I'll go and let you get on with your arrangements," I said quietly to him, and went to go past him to the door.

Eric grabbed my arm and put the phone to his chest, "Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Home," I replied, a little confused.

Eric smiled at me, "It'll be good research for you; you're coming to Dallas with me."

"I am?" I replied stunned, Eric knew I was a writer?

"Yes, I can't leave you here with Stephan asking questions. Who know what accidents you may divulge," he grinned at me. So I was right! The 'accidentally' dead vampire was Daniel.

A realisation dawned in my mind, "Whoa, hang on just a second. He was glamouring me."

Eric gaze on me turned icy, "Was he?" he said with a raised eyebrow, other than that his face was unreadable. Though we both knew Stephan would've been successful in his attempts, had Eric not stepped in.

We both fell silent, eyeing each other with an unspoken converse.

I spoke cautiously, understanding why I had to accompany him, "I'll need to pack some clothes."

"We'll stop by yours on the way," Eric replied and returned to his phone, making arrangements.

I plonked myself back down in the desk chair and sighed.

Vampire research, my ass.