Apologies for the lateness of this Chapter.

Disclaimer: The True Blood Characters in this belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

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"FANGTASIA"

Chapter Four

2 weeks later.

A strange ennui had affected Eric of late. He had only been back a few hours and already the boredom was beginning to settle in. He had taken a few days break from his usual activities, waiting upon the whim of the exquisite Vampire Queen of Louisiana. And although she provided excellent entertainment, he found that even her bevy of more unusual delights had seemed dull.

He leant back, into the black fur of his seat and examined his nails as he heard his childe Pam approach. Pam was tall, blonde, beautiful and immaculately dressed. She placed her elegant, well manicured hand upon the crest of the large, throne-like chair on which he sat, and leant over to whisper against his cheek. This action was done mostly for effect. They were on show right now, performing as they often did at night for the audience about them.

Although semi-occupied with various themes of alcohol, drugs and dance, most people in the club were acutely aware of every movement made by the couple. They were the central feature in this place. They sat higher than the crowd, on a platform amongst vermillion walls that were dimly flushed with sordid lights and framed by theatre-style curtains of scarlet velvet.

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed her yet," Pam stated with a smirk. She straightened, placing one hand upon her hip as her gaze flickered over the crowd.

Eric tilted his head slightly and raised his eyes to her.

"I've not seen anything tonight worth my interest," he replied with a shrug. Anyone who entered the bar while Eric was there, got a least a cursory look-over.

Pam sniffed in mock offence, but Eric sensed that she was in some way relieved.

"Don't you have enough pets already?" he asked, his voice low and languid.

Pam shrugged, and replied in her slow, southern lilted accent. "You can never have too many pets."

Eric responded with a small smile. "So which one is she?"

Pam gazed at the second booth beside the bar, where two women were seated opposite each other on dark-red, leather seats.

Eric quirked his brow with amusement, as he saw a blond and a brunette he had briefly looked at earlier. "Really Pam, one's a vamp wannabe, and the other, a half drugged-up hooker. You must be getting desperate for entertainment."

Pam sniffed, and Eric sensed that she was offended this time.

"Maybe, I see something you can't."

"So which one is it?" he asked pleasantly, although he didn't really care either way.

"I'll let you work that out," she replied sharply.

Eric smirked as Pam left the platform in a huff. She was so easy to tease and clearly he was more bored that he should be.

Eric glanced back at the two women again. The blonde was probably in her late 20's and was wearing jeans and a low-cut, tight-fitted, black tank-top. She was a little on the thin side, and her face looked hollowed, the angles of her cheeks and jaw a little too sharp for his liking. She might have looked pretty years ago, but rough living had taken care of that. Her hair was left un-styled, to wave about her face in a shaggy pile. She was restless and seemed to be fidgeting with her hands.

The brunette commanded more attention than the blond. Her black hair was pulled back sharply on either side of her heavily made up face, giving the illusion of a sophisticated mo-hawk style. Eric snorted. Like many who patronized Fangtasia, her flamboyance was quite common. An ornate tattoo travelled, twirling and twisting around her wrist all the way up her to upper arm. It featured vines and thorns. She wore black, long leather pants that sat very low. They fitted snug over her shapely legs. The pants were split the whole length down either-side of the legs, revealing the skin beneath. Studded spikes broke the black monotony down the seams and they were laced-up to keep them together. She wore hot-pink, patent leather heels, a spiked leather collar and a black, satin corset.

With his heightened senses, Eric tuned into their conversation and quickly frowned.

"I can hook you up," the tattooed girl was saying quietly with a slight nod. "I need to know what your current deal is."

The blonde woman looked hesitant. "My source, he likes to keep his business quiet, you know what I mean.

The brunette shrugged. "It's up to you. I can give you a sweeter deal, if I know what your arrangement is."

Sensing the discomfort of being watched, the brunette decided she needed to speed this up a bit. She fought the sudden urge to look over her shoulder. The blonde seemed to pick up on this need.

"Outside?" the blonde said hazily.

The brunette nodded, then stood and hastily made her way to the door. The compulsion to look back could no longer be denied and as she stepped through the doorway, her clear aqua eyes flicked back and met the eyes of a tall, blonde, male vampire. There was a brief flash of connection, and with her heart pounding she rushed out into the parking lot.

Holy Crap, she thought in a panic. It's the vampire that bit her!… He was here. She tried to calm herself. Technically, she wasn't doing anything illegal… yet. As the blonde woman appeared in the doorway, she motioned to her in a direction and started walking.

Eric summoned Pam as he saw the women leave.

"I was wrong Pam, you have developed a discerning eye it seems," he smirked at her. "What is the name of the brunette? She was carded at the door I assume."

Pam crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Yes, of course. This is her third visit here in as many nights. Her name is Jade Sullivan."

Eric nodded. "Thank you Pam." He didn't recognise the name. But she was familiar to him and he was surprised that he couldn't place her. Her scent was so very delicate, almost imperceptible. Quite strange. And, she had the audacity to deal and ply her wares at his bar. Eric got up and slipped out back into the staff area. He left the building; leaving by the emergency exit door.

The brunette was half a block away. The blonde had to almost run to keep up with her.

"You're walking too fast," she panted after her in complaint.

"Does this interest you, Jenny?" the brunette asked quietly. She stopped suddenly and slipped a couple fingers into her nicely rounded cleavage, pulling out a small vial of dark red liquid. "Get me the information, and for 'fifty' this will be yours."

The blonde's eyes lit up before she frowned. "That's too good a deal, what's the catch?"

"No catch," said the whispered reply. "I want names. I want to know who my competition is. Consider it a promotional offer." The brunette grinned lightly.

Jenny looked longingly at the small vial before it was slipped back down into the corset from where it came. "I'll need some time… a couple of hours," she said.

"You have my number," confirmed the rapid response. Her heart was pounding; she could sense trouble and wanted to get a move on.

The brunette turned to walk away as a figure driven by the wind, appeared before her. She took a step back and felt the blonde woman shift nervously beside her.

Idiot, she thought to herself. You should have run as soon as you left the club. The pressure to get this job done fast, was affecting her judgment. She mentally berated herself, aware of the presence before her and refusing to look directly at it.

"Well.. well," said Eric, his voice conversational. "What do we have here?"

There was a moment of silence before Jenny spoke up with a nervous voice. "We are on our way home."

Eric caught and examined the scent of the blonde. Her blood was heavily tainted and he figured she had been with at least fifteen different lovers in the last fortnight. He looked her over, his eyes devoid of compassion. Nothing but a low quality bag of blood.

"Tell me," he began, as he directed himself to her. His soothing voice was low and compelling. "Did your friend here, offer to sell you some 'V'."

Jenny paused for a moment, her eyes round and large. She had been glamoured.

"Why yes, yes she did, in exchange for some information," she said clearly.

Keeping his eyes on Jenny, Eric sensed the brunette's rapid rise of fear and he grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaving while he continued talking to the blonde.

"You need to go home now, Jenny. I would hurry along very quickly," he commanded darkly.

The blond nodded obediently. "Yes, I shall leave right now," and she started walking off.

Eric turned his attention to the other woman. He loosened his grip on her wrist. She had remained quiet, and was avoiding eye contact by looking at the ground.

"Do you deny what she has claimed?" he asked quietly. There was a dangerous tone to his voice.

"Would you turn me over to the police if I admitted it was true?" she responded quickly, hopefully. Her voice was whispery. It had a melodic ring.

Eric laughed. "So you think you will get off that easy. There is huge jail time for dealers."

She gave no response, nor did she look at him. Eric used the pause of time to look her over carefully. Her scent was nagging at him. It was faint, sweet, delicious and untainted. This was no fangbanger before him. He was intrigued. She was quite stunning on close inspection. Nice long limbs, slim but with a feminine rounded flare about her hips that accentuated her trim waist.

"Maybe we could come to an arrangement," he mused.

"I don't think so!" her voice snapped back suddenly. She looked up at him briefly and he saw a flash of complete loathing. Her heart beat rapidly now, not out of fear it seemed, but out of fury!

"I deny the accusation, completely., " she continued hotly. She had thought it over now and decided to risk blowing her cover.

"So you deny you are in possession of vampire blood?" he continued, his voice highly amused.

"Absolutely," she countered.

He pulled her close and she felt a rush of wind around her. He had moved, quickly taking her with him so that they were relocated, off the main street and down in a little alley somewhere. He held her firmly and started sliding his cool hand underneath her corset against her bare flesh.

She flinched and growled. "Hey! Keep your hands off me!" she twisted, attempting to get away.

"You had your chance to come clean," he smirked at her. "And by lying, I can only assume you are inviting this level of intimacy." He slid his hand higher, up to the valley between her breasts. Her skin was like silk and there was no sign of the vial. To his surprise, a blush of embarrassment entered her cheeks. He frowned and removed his hand.

"Where is it?" he asked.

"I will get it if you will let me move." She hissed at him, struggling furiously.

He released his hold on her and she reached down into her corset. A pink tinge still coloured her high cheekbones.

"I… ah-um… I sewed a little internal pocket into the top," she started awkwardly, trying to remain calm. She really didn't want to piss off this vampire. "Is this what you want?" she held up a small vial, filled with a dark red liquid.

He held out his hand and she placed the vial in it. He undid the little cork and sniffed, before wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Ugh.. What is this?'

"Um… it's a mix. True Blood with other legal but… um.. mild substances," she said quietly and she gazed back down at the ground. "So, can I go now right. I've done nothing wrong or illegal." She rubbed her wrist which he had grabbed earlier.

Eric looked her over again. His eyes narrowed on the collar around her neck. The studs on it were silver! How did she ever get in the club? Someone, apart from Pam, must have been on the door tonight.

She sighed, a sickening sensation entering her stomach as she noticed his gaze on her neck. "Please don't bite me again," she said plainly, there was a note of defeat in her voice.

"Again?" he queried vaguely. Her voice was so familiar now; its husky melodic quality had become increasingly apparent in her regular speech. It clicked!

"Elliane!" he stood back surprised. "I didn't recognise you…" he looked her up and down, "How different you look."

He reached out and cupped her cheek, bringing her face up to meet his before he started circling her slowing, the hand dragging gently over her shoulder and across her back. She was wearing coloured contact lenses, and the tattoo on her arm, he suspected or hoped, was an excellent semi-permanent job. How could he have not recognised her? That brief taste of her exquisite, sweet blood had constantly nagged the back of his mind. She was the reason he had felt so bored, that he had visited the Queen. He had desperately needed a distraction

"You know my name?" she said breathlessly, surprised by the mercurial change in events and atmosphere. She felt confused. The situation was now strangely similar of the last time she had seen the vampire. Much like déjà vu, she thought, except the sensation was not as ambiguous. She just knew what he was going to ask next.

"Where is Godric?" he questioned, his voice calm yet curious, his brow knitted with thought.

She suppressed a dry laugh as she tilted her head back and gazed directly into his cool blue eyes. "If I knew, I swear on my parents' grave, that I would tell you. You can not imagine how much I wish I did know. But, I have never met this Godric and I know very little about him."

"You wish to know more about him?" he quirked his brows.

She heaved a sigh, relieved that the situation seemed to have moved into calmer waters. "Only… so that I could tell you! And then… maybe you would stop touching me."

Eric blinked and stopped the soft stroking of his fingers against her ribcage, that he had by a subconscious instinct only, done in an attempt to calm her. It had appeared to work.

"You are an investigator… Correct? Are you FBI or another bureau?" Eric asked slyly putting his hands behind his back. What he really wanted to know was why she was in Shreveport without Godric. Godric had claimed her, but obviously hadn't yet made her his. Louisiana was Eric's turf. He was the sheriff here and usually would have been warned of her activities.

"I am not attached to specific branches of any group. I work… ahh.. off record." She replied.

She was in a dangerous line of work and Eric knew that there would be hell to pay if she was harmed. Godric had been acting odd for decades now, but the knew the appearance of this girl had given Godric some kind of zest.

Eric looked down at her with mixed feelings. He was grateful for her existence. Although she had done it unknowingly; she had pulled Godric back from a dark place. Eric had been very concerned about him. But he was jealous too, that it was she that had done so, and not himself, though he had tried in so many ways. A part of him resented the power she could wield over him, should she choose. He was vexed - mostly with himself. That he hadn't found her first. How long would he have to resist the persistent temptation to taste her yet again, to take her to his bed?

The silence had past too long and he saw that she was making a move to leave.

"Elliane, do you need names of dealers or users? Maybe I can help. We keep our own set of records at Fangtasia."

Elliane looked cautious. "What do you want in exchange?"

"Nothing; I have been meaning to pass the information onto authorities for a while now."

"I see," She nodded thoughtfully. She didn't trust him, her eyes narrowed.

"When, where and how?" she asked.

"Come to my club tomorrow night," he said congenially. "I shall have someone compile the information. Is 9pm a good time, or do you require it sooner?"

He was being extremely polite.

"9pm is fine." She agreed. He could sense her highly suspicious brain ticking over, looking for flaws or traps.

"Do you require an escort home?" he asked.

"Ah, no thanks," she stated firmly. "I can look after myself."

"Fine," he replied pleasantly. "I shall see you tomorrow then."

"Wait!" she called. He had been wrapping up this conversation so quickly, she expected him to whoosh away. Eric waited courteously.

"I, um.. We haven't been introduced properly," she blushed lightly at the social faux pas. "Who are you exactly?" She flashed a charming and radiant smile and he felt his knees weaken at the light that seemed to glow from her eyes.

"How rude of me," he whispered and he approached her. "I am Eric Northman," he put forward his hand and she extended her own to take it.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr Northman," she stated politely.

He lifted her hand and briefly brushed his lips across the back of it.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you."