Eric pulled up to a large white, two story house, getting out of his car without a word to Kennedy. She sat frozen, unsure if she should follow him inside, or wait in the car. She watched him walk up to the porch, quickly noticing Pam and another vampire waiting for him. If they were allowed to see Sookie, she would too. She reached the group just as Eric knocked. "Who's this?" Kennedy asked of the man standing next to Chow, wearing the same dry, bored expression that Pam had.
"Chow. He's the new bartender," Eric said, his eyes never leaving the window. Kennedy nodded at Chow, smiling thinly at him. She ignored Pam, figuring she wouldn't care much if Kennedy said anything to her. She looked into the window along with Eric, happy when she saw Sookie shuffling towards the door. She didn't want to stand on a porch with three much too serious vampires the entire night. She smiled widely when Sookie opened the door.
"Hey Sookie!" she said cheerfully, earning a look from Eric. She smiled thinly, shrinking back slightly. Sookie looked at each of them, her eagerness not matching Kennedy's. "Um…are you gonna let us in?" she asked, looking at Pam's bland expression from the corner of her eyes. Even Eric looked more sullen than usual. She wondered why no one felt as happy as she did. Maybe they knew something that she didn't. Sookie smiled tightly, stepping aside to make room for them to walk inside.
"Eric, Kennedy, Pam, Chow. Please come in," she said with a heavy sigh. Only Kennedy smiled in thanks as she passed Sookie, stepping into the entry way and looking around at her surroundings. "Can I get you something to drink?" each of them nodded, walking to the living room while they waited. Kennedy found herself turning in a slow circle as she surveyed the room around her. The bright, cheery décor of Sookie's home was pretty refreshing after seeing Bill and Eric's bland, dark houses.
"Sookie, I love your house. It's so cu-" she was stopped by the stern look on Eric's face. She sighed heavily, clamping her lips shut to keep herself from saying anything else. She felt oddly like a child just then, one that seemed to constantly get into trouble. She smiled thinly as Sookie walked back into the room, three bottles of synthetic blood with the skill that only came from being a waitress. Sookie sat down across from them, looking at each of them slowly, waiting for someone to speak. Kennedy then remembered what they were there for. Bill.
"Has Bill told you he's leaving yet? Or did he already leave?" Eric sighed heavily beside her, his eyes shutting tightly. Pam scoffed loudly beside her, Chow merely shook his head. Sookie looked at Kennedy, her jaw slightly ajar. Kennedy looked at each of the people around her, wondering what she'd said that was so wrong. That was why they were at Sookie's wasn't it? To tell her Bill was leaving? "I take it…we were supposed to break it to her a little easier?" she asked slowly, looking over at Eric. He turned his attention to Sookie instead.
"Bill's leaving?…And he told you, and not me? This is a joke right?" she asked with a nervous smile. Kennedy shifted uncomfortably, this wasn't going to be easy. "Well where the hell is he then?" she asked, her tone changing quickly. Kennedy grimaced, looking over at Eric. She figured it would better that he do all the talking, apparently she didn't have the same calming effect that he did.
"He's going to Seattle. I'm not sure how long he'll be gone. He's working on the project the queen's given him, do you know anything about that project Sookie?" there was that damned project again. Sookie sat back, her eyes widening slightly. Clearly she knew something. Kennedy sighed when Sookie shook her head. She was sure Eric would just glamour it out of her now. When he turned to Pam, she felt a little shocked. Sookie must have been more important to Eric than she'd imagined. She felt a little childish for being jealous of her just then. "Be careful Sookie. We'll have someone watching you at night, I'll find someone to watch you during the day. With Bill gone you're an easy target." Kennedy perked up slightly.
"I'll stay with her tonight Eric. It'd be better than staying at Fangtasia the whole night." Sookie looked a little relieved that it hadn't been Pam or Chow to speak up, she wasn't sure how'd she react to Eric offering. Pam looked like she would actually smile.
"Good, that means I don't have to do it. Have fun Kennedy, this one's a hand full," she said, standing and giving Chow a look. He stood, following her to the front door. Sookie sneered after them, turning to smile at Kennedy at Eric. Eric stood, turning to Kennedy with a look that told her she better not screw anything up. Kennedy only smiled widely and sweetly at him. She was faintly annoyed that he seemed to think she wouldn't be able to protect Sookie.
"I got it Eric. You just go hang out with those humans that want them some Viking." Sookie tried to hide her laughter as Eric frowned down at Kennedy. He ignored her comment, following Pam and Chow outside. Once they'd all left, Kennedy turned to Sookie, surveying the house again. "So…what now? Do I just watch TV or…what do people normally do when they watch you for the night? Or am I the first one? Do you get into a lot of trouble or something?" it was pretty obvious Sookie had never met a vampire that talked as much as Kennedy did.
"Well…I have to get to work soon. I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind letting you stay until my shift's over. Just wait here 'till I get ready," before Kennedy could say anything back, Sookie was up the stairs and headed for her room. Kennedy wondered where it was where Sookie worked, and she also wanted to know who Sam was. She felt a little uninformed for being Sookie's supposed body guard. She figured that someone should have at least told her a little about Sookie so she wasn't completely left in the dark. Then again, maybe Eric didn't know as much about Sookie as Kennedy had thought. Kennedy was a bit grateful when Sookie came back down the stairs dressed in a Merlotte's uniform. Kennedy cringed.
"Is Merlotte's the only place in Bon Temps for people to go? Surely you have to have some other buildings…" Sookie smiled thinly, shrugging as she picked up her purse and keys. Kennedy grimaced at Sookie's tiny yellow car, it was a step down from Eric's sports car. "Can more than one person fit in that thing?" she asked as she stood next to the car, looking inside the window at the small car. Sookie rolled her eyes, opening her door and unlocking Kennedy's
"Get in, unless you want to walk to Merlotte's? I'm sure you could find the way yourself." Kennedy sighed heavily, preparing to fit into the cramped space inside. She soon realized she was being over dramatic. She fit comfortably inside, Sookie smiling triumphantly at her. The drive to Merlotte's was short. Kennedy grimaced at the bar, annoyed that she would have to return. She hated to remember how people had reacted to her the first time. Sookie gave her a reassuring look when she saw Kennedy pause in front of the door. Kennedy was surely the strangest vampire Sookie had met so far. Giving her a slight shove, Sookie walked in after Kennedy, smiling at Arlene, Lafayette and Tara who stood behind the bar. Their smiles each faded when they noticed Kennedy close behind.
"Guys this is Kennedy…Bill's sister?" she said it as if being Bill's sister made them obligated to be nice to her. Kennedy smiled at them, propping herself up on a barstool. The cute human she'd seen only a night before came from somewhere in the back. He stopped when he saw Kennedy, looking over at Sookie who was smiling at him. He sighed heavily, knowing that meant she wanted something. He walked over, smiling tightly as he looked between Sookie and Kennedy. "Is it alright of Kennedy stays for awhile? She's Bill's sister…she won't cause any problems," she said the last part through her teeth, aiming it at Kennedy. She smiled and nodded.
"Uh sure…it's fine I guess. Tara, get her a True Blood?" he called over his shoulder as he walked off. Tara smiled nervously, shoving a bottle into the microwave. Lafayette eyed Kennedy up and down. Sookie smiled at the group again, turning on her heel before she went to wait on her tables. Kennedy wished she hadn't left her alone. She hated how everyone was staring at her, like she was some sort of zoo animal that was sitting in a cage for their entertainment.
"What brings you to this redneck town?" Lafayette asked, slightly catching Kennedy off guard. She turned to him, smiling in thanks to Tara who handed her a bottle of warm True Blood. She shrugged, taking a large drink. It seemed to make people stare at her more.
"Bill's…on a trip. I told Eric, you know Eric right? That I would stay with Sookie for tonight to look after her. I guess she get's into a lot of trouble or something…" Lafayette nodded, looking over in Sookie's direction. "Trust me…I wouldn't come here if I had the choice. Not my fault Bill decided to live here. It's more bland than when I lived here…and let me tell you that was a long time ago," she figured that she rambled when she was nervous. Something she did when she was a human as well. Lafayette nodded, pouring a drink into a small glass before drinking it all in one swallow. The look of disapproval on Tara's told Kennedy he did it often.
"How old are you anyways?" he asked, earning a glare from Tara. He shrugged it off and looked back at Kennedy. She decided she liked Lafayette, he was good people.
"I'm a hundred and seventy as of two months ago." the look on Lafayette's face told her that wasn't what he'd meant when he asked her age. "Uh…well technically I'm eighteen. Well, I was when I got turned," she said looking down at the bottle in her hand. It stung a little to remember her life had ended, well not ended technically, at such a young age. "Anyways…you guys know Bill?" she asked looking at both Lafayette and Tara. They nodded, each with an expression of amusement and regret. Tara obviously didn't like she was on speaking terms with a vampire. They made her nervous, Kennedy guessed.
"I know Eric too, I guess you could say I work for him. He's your maker." it was a statement, not a question. Tara looked at the two of them, wondering who this Eric was that they were both talking about. Kennedy opened her mouth to argue, but was stopped when she noticed Lafayette was looking at something behind her. She turned slightly, her eyes widening at what she saw. He was a human, it was easy to tell. Kennedy took him in, from his sandy blond hair to his muscular body that could have nearly matched up to Eric's. Nearly.
Tara smiled widely, waving at the guy who stood in the doorway, a slightly confused expression on his face. Clearly they were friends. "Hey Jason."
"You know him?" Kennedy asked without looking back at Tara. She eyed Jason up and down once again, fighting to keep her fangs kept away. She couldn't, however, keep her mouth from watering at the sight of him. She could practically taste the fresh blood pumping through his veins. She could almost hear it calling her name, telling her that it had to be tasted. She had to keep herself from licking her lips. Lafayette laughed when he saw Kennedy's reaction.
"What is it with them damn Stackhouse's attracting vampires? And both Compton's no less," he said to Tara, who shook her head, trying to hide a smile. So Jason was related to Sookie. She supposed now that she knew that she could see the resemblance. Jason had by then noticed Kennedy's not so secret staring, and he smiled a smile that made Kennedy finally lick her lips. He walked towards the bar, not noticing the stares from nearly every person in the bar, or the fact that the girl he had his sights on was really a vampire. "This is gonna be trouble," Lafayette mumbled.
"Hey, you knew in town? I'm sure I would have remembered seeing someone like you," Jason said as he leaned against the bar, looking Kennedy up and down much in the same way she'd done to him. Then she remembered Eric. "
Sort of…I'm visiting my brother, Bill Compton?" Jason smiled and nodded, his smile fading a little when it dawned on him what that meant. Clearly Jason wasn't the brightest star in the sky. She could almost see the gears in his mind turning, trying to put everything together.
"Bill…oh, right. Then that means…" she knew what was coming. He was going to turn and walk away, just like most humans did when they met a vampire. Jason was obviously nothing like Sookie. But then he smiled once again, still nodding away. "Well that's cool…How long you in town for?" this caught Sookie's attention. She walked over, smiling widely. Kennedy hadn't noticed how often she smiled before. Sookie set her tray down, eyeing both Kennedy and Jason.
"Are you interested in my friend Kennedy Jason?" both Kennedy and Jason looked at Sookie. How had she heard them from all the way across the room? Surely the music, and the noise from all the bar goers was too loud for her to hear them. "I think she might already be spoken for, sorry Jason." Kennedy went to argue, shutting her mouth once again. She couldn't actually confirm that. She wasn't sure what she would call the relationship between her and Eric. It was too confusing to think about. Yet Sookie clearly thought they were together.
"Oh…sorry," Jason mumbled, taking a step back. Kennedy's shoulders slumped forward slightly. Eric had managed to ruin her night, and he was in a completely different city. His skill still impressed her. Sookie smiled appreciatively, watching Jason walk off to sit with one of his friends. Lafayette leaned over the bar, getting a closer look at Kennedy. She turned when she felt him staring.
"You know, you sure ain't like no other vampire I've ever met before," he said, Kennedy smiled nervously. He was right. She wasn't like other Vampires. While others stayed relatively the same to how they'd been when they were made, she had evolved along as the years went by. She noticed how other teenagers her age acted, and she mimicked it until it became a second nature to her. Sometimes she thought she was a little more human than she was a vampire, and it was a little refreshing to think of herself that way.
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A/N: Why am I bringing Jason into this? Well because I'll need him later of course! Thanks for all the reviews guys! Keep 'em coming!