The Sherriff's Perrogative

Some hours later, I rolled over onto my back and almost fell off the settee. I stretched and yawned as I took in my surroundings. Gradually I realised where I was and rose to a sitting position.

Eric still slept undisturbed across from me. Though I must admit the fact he hadn't moved at all and the fact he looked kind of, well, dead was startlingly humbling to me.

I padded silently into the bedroom, as if a noise would disturb him and took a cover from the bed. I trotted back into the living area and covered Eric over with the throw. I knelt down next to his head and gently moved his hair from his eyes. His skin was cold.

My eyes traced his face, the curve of his brow to the tip of his nose and across his lips, which could say and do wonders. He scared me. Though not for the reasons I should be scared of him. A powerful, silent killer, I'd seen it with my own eyes. Danger in the flesh; in more ways than one. His strong hands could snap me like a twig, break my neck. He could drain me dry if he so desired to. Yet, I felt an odd easiness when I was with him. He made me nervous but I feared that was because of the feeling growing deep inside me. I trusted him, though whether that was a good idea or not I didn't know yet. He might turn round to bite me in my ass. Hmm, that might be nice.

I smiled and shook my head. It was too soon. These were not thoughts I needed to be thinking right now. Rationalism took over, I should think of him as just an exciting sexual encounter and enjoy it while it lasted, for that was all he wanted from me, and to drink from me I supposed as well. Though to a vampire, the two went hand in hand.

I stood and took my laptop case from the table and took it through into the bedroom. I removed it from its bag and plugged it in at a socket. I sprawled out on the bed and turned it on, taking a minute to enjoy the soft velvetiness of the sheets. The clock on the desktop read 3:30PM, gosh I'd slept half the day away though I reasoned it was ok since I'd been up all night and probably would be tonight too.

I logged on to the forum, I'd been curious about this Meeting the Sun. I re-read the post Eric and I had read in his office. The mechanics behind the process were pretty simple; a vampire was left outside at the mercy of the sun at dawn. He would burn and experience the true death. Exploring the internet told me the Fellowship of the Sun believed that all vampires should meet God's glorious light and members of the society were avidly waiting for a vampire to Meet the Sun at their hands. I hoped this vampire would not be Godric, for Eric's sake.

Checking my emails, I discovered I had a few junk and one from my publisher. This was an email I was pleased to read. They wanted me to travel to their London offices to discuss my book as soon as possible. I pulled out my phone from my jeans pocket and begin to dial the number, when I realised the office in London would be shut. It was 10pm in the UK now; I would call first thing in the morning.

My stomach grumbled; reminding me I'd not eaten in a while. I knew I should write but instead curiosity got the better of me and I slipped off the bed to pull on my boots, which still lay where I'd kicked them off. I glanced at Eric as I picked my key card up from the table and wondered what time he would stir. I shrugged and left the hotel room.

Walking softly down the corridor to the elevator I noticed there were no windows at all, no possibility of any light seeping through. A heavily built man stood at the entrance to the lift. He smiled politely as he pressed the button for me. I assumed he was a security guard, as he was dressed in a black uniform. Very smart, I thought. I guessed that was part of the attraction of this hotel. It was guarded during the day so sleeping vampires may rest in peace, if you'll forgive the pun.

I pressed the button for the lobby and the doors slid shut silently. It didn't take long to reach its destination and the doors swished open onto a bustle of humans busying themselves with cleaning and mundane chores. At least they wouldn't disturb their guests with their noise.

I wandered through the people and across to a lady stood at a podium.

"Good afternoon miss," she said politely, "Do you wish to dine with us?"

"Yes please," I said, keenly. I hadn't expected there to be an actual restaurant with food.

"We cater for all our guests," she smiled, acknowledging the surprise in my voice, "If you'd follow me."

She took a menu from underneath her podium and trotted off. I followed dutifully after her. She sat me next to a blacked out window, which gave me a wonderful view of the city. I'd presumed I was on the ground floor, it appeared I wasn't.

"Can I get you a drink whilst you decide?" she asked, placing the menu in front of me.

"Yes please, I'll have an iced tea."

"Coming right up," she said with a big smile and left me to peruse the menu.

I decided on the Pasta Carbonara with Chicken and closed the menu and pushed it to one side. A waitress delivered my drink to me and I ordered my meal, placing it on the room bill. I was sure Eric wouldn't mind, I mean a girl did have to eat. Tough, if he did. She took my order with a massively overdone grin and as she turned to leave I noticed two red marks on her neck. The tell tale sign of a vampire liaison. I caught myself absent minded rubbing my own neck where I'd been bitten.

There were few other people in the restaurant. An older gentleman, who looked out of place in an establishment such as this, sat a few tables away from me. His trilby hat placed on the table and a walking stick propped against the vacant chair across from him. He noticed me looking at him and politely tipped his head. I smiled back and he returned his attention to his coffee and the paper he was reading.

A middle aged lady, dressed over the top in an emerald evening gown sipped a champagne flute whilst talking to a much younger boy, whose casual blue jeans and t shirt combination didn't match his companions' attire at all.

Two scantily clad girls, much younger than I am, sat across the other side of the restaurant and I could see they'd been burning the candle at both ends from where I sat. They sat lethargically in their seats and seemed to be barely sharing any conversation.

I sipped my iced tea and the waitress brought over my meal. I tucked in, I hadn't realised how hungry I actually was. When the waitress returned to check my meal was ok a few minutes later, she asked if I would like any supplements with my meal. I was confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Some of our human guests request a vitamin supplement with their meals, most ask for B12," she replied.

"Oh, um, no thank-you," I said.

"Are you sure? Your vampire would thank you for it. B12 assists with the formation of blood."

"Maybe tomorrow," I smiled, just wanting her to leave me alone. She nodded with a smirk, making some assumption about me. I returned to the last few mouthfuls of my meal and finished my drink wishing I could know what she was thinking.

I left the restaurant and returned to the main lobby. There were a few shops and I ventured into one out of curiosity. Would a vampire hotel have the same knick knacks as a regular human one?

I perused the shelves and found pretty much what I expected to find. Toiletries, souvenirs and the usual tat.

Unexpectedly my phone rang in my pocket, I pulled it out and was surprised to see my father's mobile number pop up on the caller ID.

"Hey Dad," I greeted him, "What you doing up this late?"

"Hello, Evelyn darling. I just thought I'd give you a quick call, your mother mentioned you'd rung the other night and disturbed her sleep," he chuckled, and I immediately felt a pang of loneliness. I missed my Dad, even at my age, "How are you doing?"

"I'm ok Dad," I replied, "The publishers have offered me a book deal!"

"Oh, Evelyn, that is wonderful," he said, "Does that mean I'll be seeing you soon?"

"Not sure yet Dad, I'll let you know when I do," I told him, "Anything exciting happening across the pond?"

"Oh no, only the usual scandal. I'm sure your mother filled you in when you spoke to her?"

"Yeah, she said Mr Johnson died, and somebody became a vampire."

"That's about right," he laughed, "What have you been up to? Have you seen any more of America yet?" He knew that was part of my wanting to come here to the States. I wanted to see the world, life was far too short.

"Actually yeah. I'm kind of in Dallas right now," I answered.

"Really? What are you doing there?" my Dad asked.

"Kind of a funny story really." It really wasn't and the words didn't make sense to me as they came out of my mouth and I didn't know why I'd said them.

"Well, don't keep an old man waiting!"

"I'm here with a vampire Dad, on business," I waited for him to react.

"Well, Evelyn, let's not mention that to your mother," he said after a pregnant pause, and I could almost hear the grin spread across his face, "You know how she can be."

"Thanks Dad," I replied, as I wandered though the hotel back to the elevator.

"All I'll say is be careful darling, but knowing you, you already are being."

"Yes Dad." He wanted me to live my life and make the most of it. He didn't want me sulking around and living life a bitter widow and he'd told me as much, at Jack's funeral.

"Well, darling. I'll let you get on with your business," he paused, "Love you Evie."

"Love you too Dad." And the phone went dead.

I tucked it away in my pocket and showed my key card to the security dude at the elevator doors and he nodded and let me into one. I pressed number 9 and the elevator was on its way. A smile crept across my lips as the lift raced upwards. Dad just gets me. He understands me, always has.

I left the elevator and said hello to the guard on the floor as I passed by and let myself in to the room. Eric remained where I left him.

I took off my boots at the door and tiptoed past the sleeping vampire and into the bedroom. I stripped off and threw my clothes in a pile on the floor. I disappeared into the bathroom and turned on the shower. It took mere seconds for it to heat up and I jumped in.

Standing under the power of the water, I let it wash away my worries and I thought of nothing but the sensation of the water on my skin. I must've stood under that flow for over half an hour before I began to wash myself and soap up my hair. I rinsed off and grabbed a towel from the rail. I reluctantly turned off the shower and stepped out to wrap the towel around me. I rung out my hair over the shower basin and grasped another towel from the rail and flung it over my head and rubbed vigorously.

Strong hands grasped my waist and I gasped in surprise. Was I dreaming again? I let the towel fall around my shoulders and looked ahead of me into the mirror. Eric stood behind me, staring into my eyes through the mirror.

My heart pounded in my chest as he pressed himself against my back.

I was definitely not dreaming. He turned me around in front of him and lifted me up onto the counter.

"I'm hungry," he said simply, staring into my face.

Nerves flooded my body and I hesitated. He saw my worry and slipped his fangs out slowly. He smiled and gently lifted my wrist. I let him. He bit softly into my wrist and looked deep into my eyes as he drank from me. I couldn't look away, I didn't want to.

He hadn't taken much when he pulled away. He licked my wrist clean and held it tightly in his hands as he licked his lips. I expected him to prick his finger and rub his blood into my wrist, but he didn't. He waited a little while before relieving the pressure on my wrist. I looked down. He'd left his marks visible on my wrist. He'd marked me.

He stepped back, "You should dress," he said, "We have work to do."

I nodded and slipped down from the counter. He left me to get dressed and called down to the front desk on the room phone in the living area.

"Bring my car around," I heard as I rummaged through my bag which he'd placed on the bed. I pulled out some black jeans and a jumper and put them on. I felt in the pocket of the trousers I'd left on the floor and found my phone. I walked through and tugged on my boots at the door. I ran a hand through my damp hair and stood waiting for Eric to finish on the phone.

He'd switched to his mobile, cell phone, and was talking in that language I didn't understand. I wasn't meant to. He finished his conversation and turned to me.

"Come," he spoke softly, trying not to make it sound like the order it was. I trailed after him as he left the hotel suite. We rode the elevator in silence and made our way out to the front entrance, where the Corvette was waiting for us.

Eric drove sensibly and I'd no idea where we were as he turned left and right, then right again and along a long road and to a place I couldn't direct you to if I tried. Eric pulled up in a side road and told me to wait in the car, before he vanished with the keys, locking me in.

Hmm, peculiar, I thought.

My phone rang. Bill popped up on caller ID. I dithered in answering.

"Hello?"

"Evelyn," said Bills smooth inflection, which sent a shiver through me and I immediately felt guilty, "Where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the cinema," I lied, "Why do you ask?"

"I have called on you to find you not at home, I was concerned."

"Oh you don't need to worry about me Bill, you have your own issues to deal with," though I hadn't meant to, my attitude was sharp.

"So Eric has informed you?"

"Yes," I replied, "Why shouldn't he?"

"It was not his place to tell you."

"Bill, what you do is none of my business, I understand that. You don't need to explain yourself to me at all. I have to go now, the show is about to start," I lied through my teeth, and I could tell he knew I was lying, I had just told him I was on my way there.

"Very well Evelyn. Enjoy your film," he replied curtly.

"Bye Bill," I said and didn't wait for a reply before ending the phone call.

I didn't wish to speak to him, I felt like I was deceiving him and I suppose I was. I didn't wish to hear the warnings about Eric, I knew them all too well, and I'd heard them before.

I stared out of the window. God only knew where I was or if Eric was coming back. I sat and waited patiently.

And waited and waited.

Twenty minutes later, Eric re-appeared. He slid silently into the car and started the engine.

"Did you find him?" I asked.

"Yes," he snapped at me, and spun the car round to return to the hotel.

I decided the best course of action was to stay quiet; I didn't want to upset the vampire any more.