Hey again,
how have you all been? I want to say a huge thank-you to my wonderful team of betas; campyrs, BloodSucker815 and Tragedy99, i don't think this story would be posted without them. Thanks guys. Well here's chapter 2, Charlaine Harris owns the wonderful Southern Vampire Mysteries and on with the story!
I didn't even bother checking the peephole before throwing the door open and I couldn't stop the deep scowl from forming across my face. Standing before me was the same vampire from earlier looking just as refreshed as he would always look and it did nothing to help settle my annoyance.
"Yes?" I asked with a large sigh, letting him know precisely how I felt but not quite being able to be too rude.
"Miss Stackhouse, I've had word from the Queen, she wishes you to have a copy of this." He handed over a large cream coloured ring binder that was full of sheets of paper and had my name printed neatly across the top in a curling script. I didn't even bother opening it.
"Okay, shouldn't vampires be asleep by now?" I asked and I felt a blush creep across my cheeks at my question. "I'm sorry; I'm not normally this rude. I'm just really tired."
"It's okay," he replied with a smile tweaking at the edges of his full lips. "It's only a little after dawn and it's a dark day, I'm okay for a little while since I'm very old."
"Okay." I still gave him an apologetic smile before turning to actually open the binder; at least it gave me something else to concentrate on instead of the man in front of me. I'd just noticed how blond his hair was; easily as pale as mine which was a rare find on anyone over the age of five. The front page was another list of all the vampires within the Louisiana group and when I flicked the page over I found a sizeable picture of a strange man looking back up at me, someone I'd never seen before. Underneath the picture were a few paragraphs on the man and which group he belonged to, strangely his name was last. The following pages were exactly the same; biographies on what appeared to be every human attending the conference. "What's this for?" I wondered aloud.
"You are to memorise as much of this as possible and find out as much about them as you can in the course of the day's activities, which start at nine o'clock."
"Wait, nine?" I asked with wide eyes and without the use of my mental filter. I shook my head to clear it before offering him another apology which was only met with a chuckle.
"Yes, you have a little less than three hours."
"Okay, thanks. I'll see what I can do."
"Miss Stackhouse, what are you?" He was being overly formal and I couldn't figure out why. I got the impression from his confident stance and the clothes he was wearing, a black outfit consisting of a button down shirt open over a vest and tight fitting jeans, that he wasn't usually so formal.
"You can call me Sookie, and I think I'll leave that one for you to figure out yourself." The truth is that I'm a telepath which in no circumstances means that I'm at all physic, no matter what some people seem to think. I couldn't understand why he knew who I was but not what I was within the group, I wasn't exactly a secret anymore.
"Okay Sookie. If you find anything that needs immediate action the hotel does know to pass on messages directly from you to me." He nodded his head once in a goodbye and turned to walk down the corridor, away from the elevators. He'd only gone about ten paces when he partially turned around, not bothering to stop walking. "Nice pyjamas." I stared down at what I was wearing; a pair of boxers that I'd bought solely for this purpose in a bright yellow with black accents that made a smiley face and a vest top that had been bought for me by friend Amelia.
I shut the door behind me; quietly even though I wanted to slam it, even as frustrated at the lack of sleep that I'd managed, I didn't want anyone else to suffer. I padded straight down the hallway and into the bathroom where I finally caught a sight of myself in the mirror. My hair was a complete bird's nest with hardly any of it remaining in the bobble that I'd used to tie it up in a messy bun last night when I'd gone down to the bar. Long, dull locks hung down past my shoulders and my blue eyes looked equally as life less. At least I didn't have make up smeared across my cheeks but, the only thing that had saved me from that was being too lazy to apply any last night. Simply put, I looked bedraggled. At least looking in the mirror I could see the text on the vest top, 'I bite' but it was the text scrawled across the back that really amused me, 'it's worse than my bark'. I couldn't get away with wearing this outfit at home due to my grandmother being around.
Two hours later, which included falling asleep for an hour after my shower, I was heading down to the lobby dressed for the cool fall day which I knew I would be spending outside. According to the schedule it was a sightseeing trip around some of the more touristy areas in the city which seemed to me like it was a crèche facilities for the vampires who wanted something for the 'children' to do during the day. Even so I plastered a smile on my face in time to step off the elevator and meet a group of people milling around, some even talking in small groups.
"Hi, who are you with?" A young man, who seemed to be about my age, asked me before I was even three steps into the room.
Are you Sookie Stackhouse? He asked mentally and I couldn't tell whether he was asking as a test of my telepathy or in general wondering to himself.
"Hi, I'm with the Louisiana group, you?" I replied, offering my hand out for a shake which he gracefully accepted. He had a mop of jet black hair that wasn't really long yet not cropped enough for short and it was in a messy style that really suited him. Bright blue eyes stared back at me from under his fringe and I couldn't help but notice that they seemed kind; they were eyes that would make you tell everything, even if you didn't want to.
"Chicago, oh and I'm Caleb." He smiled at me, the motion brightening up his entire face and creating little laugh lines around the corners of his mouth along with crinkles at the edges of his eyes.
"Sookie." I retracted my hand from his firm grip and scowled to myself; I didn't use to be this cautious, not giving any more information than what I'd garnered from the other person, it was the vampires that had truly taught me such wariness.
"Which trip are you going on?" He raised his eyebrows sending them disappearing underneath his hair line in an expression that made him appear at least five years younger than his actual age of twenty seven, that piece of information I picked up straight from his mind. He wasn't easy though, he wasn't a broadcaster at all and I'd only gathered his age during skin on skin contact. The only thing I could get from him was a wave of intention, almost like what I got from shifters, yet I knew somehow that he wasn't a shifter of any sort either.
"There's more than one?" My smile became brighter, covering up my sudden nervousness around this man even though nothing had really happened to set my alarm bells ringing. I squelched the feeling down, and tried desperately to ignore it; I had a feeling that I'd need a human friend to help me through the next few days.
"Yes," he laughed good-naturedly and held out a sheet of paper for me to inspect that did indeed have a list of different trips offered. "Which do you fancy?"
"I think I'll just check out Covent Garden's shopping, I've heard a lot about it and there's Camden Town tagged along with it." There was also no price; all the other trips cost for transportation, although this was a shopping trip, I could just opt to browse and until I got paid for this trip I had to be very careful.
"That's what I'm doing too. Come on, let's get out of here. Have you met any other Americans?" We walked over toward the lobby doors and I stopped in my tracks when I realised I would actually have to leave the safety of the hotel. "What's wrong?" He now stood beside the doors, his hand on one of the handles ready to hold it for me.
"The Fellowship was out there yesterday," I stated as calmly as possible. The black glass of the doors meant that I couldn't see anything outside from where I stood.
"They were moved on, threatened with police action, it is safe now." He smiled at me again, only one side of his mouth twitching upward as he tugged on the heavy door and gestured for me to precede him.
"In answer to your question, I haven't, are there any more?" I asked once he was beside me on the sidewalk, half a pace in front since he apparently knew where he was going.
"Two, they're also with my lot but they aren't here yet." I nodded my head and we walked in silence for a few hundred yards until we turned down a side street and I was facing a tall sandy coloured brick building that was surprisingly ornate. Two large archways were attached at either side, green metal frames with glass making up the rest which allowed the sunlight to come streaming through, lighting everything up in a delightful way.
Three street performers were taking up position at different points; a magician was interacting with the crowd gathered around him, a man painted like a statue was making people jump every couple of minutes and to my far right a street dancer was wowing the people watching him. People were milling around everywhere; some shopping, some watching performers but most were simply wandering around without a direct purpose, just soaking up the atmosphere. Right then and there, despite the noise filling my brain and the unsettling company, I knew I was going to have a good day.
"Hi, do you happen to have any sweet tea?" I asked the bar tender as, for the second night in a row I found myself sat in the bar, this time perusing the menu for dinner.
"No love sorry. We have a selection of other teas though; Yorkshire, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Traditional Afternoon, Rooibos and decaffeinated." His pen was poised over the little pad in his hand and he wasn't even bothering to look up at me.
"Erm, I'll take the Yorkshire please, and a Caesar Salad." He scribbled furiously on the pad for a couple of seconds after I'd finished talking then disappeared as silently as he'd arrived with only a nod of his head letting me know that he'd comprehended my order properly. I didn't particularly like the service; they just didn't seem polite as at home.
The day had taken its toll on me, no matter what I'd thought when I'd first laid eyes on the main building of Covent Garden, I'd been trying to shield as much as possible to cut out on the background noise from the crowds around the shops whilst keeping them low enough to get information from Caleb. It had been an exhausting task, especially since I'd actually needed to seem somewhat normal so that he wouldn't become suspicious of me, I had to hide my telepathy, even if he wouldn't believe it himself I doubted he would have any qualms about talking to his vampire group about me.
"Hello woman," a deep voice stated from across the table and my head shot up to reveal the vampire I'd met last night. "Sookie," he amended after our gazes had locked and I'm sure shock had taken over mine. I'd been staring down at the table, barricading up my shields so that I could relax somewhat within my own head.
"Hello Eric," I replied. Sitting back in my chair I noticed that he'd already made himself comfortable and I had to wonder how long he'd sat there watching me; there was a half full bottle of synthetic blood on the table, his jacket was draped over the back of the chair and I could only describe the way he was sitting as lounging. His long hair was pulled back into a knot at the base of his neck which left his face bare and I noticed for the first time, the stubble gracing his sculpted jaw.
"Did you learn anything today?" He enquired and gestured to the server, who'd just returned with my tea, to his glass, signalling that he wanted a refill.
"Nothing important," I replied honestly. I'd had learned lots about Caleb and I would probably class him as a new friend with all the information I'd gathered, even if he hadn't willingly given up all of it. There was still something in the pit of my stomach about him though, something I couldn't place my finger on.
"How old are you?" He asked suddenly, leaning forward in his seat to rest his elbows on the table.
"I am twenty seven." I quirked a quizzical eyebrow at him; he knew who I was so it wasn't too much of a leap to assume that he knew about me. "Why?"
"Just curious, you seem so much older and yet so much younger." He leaned back again on the chair just in time for the waiter to place a bottle of synthetic blood on the table in front of him. He nodded once in thanks before reaching over and simply snapping the beer bottle style top off, which caused the defined muscles in his forearms to stand out even more. My eyes followed upward from his arms until I reached his biceps which were stretching the thin material of his black t-shirt since his arms were now folded across his chest and I glanced up in time to see a knowing smirk flicker across his face.
"Don't you already know stuff about me?" I began tucking into the salad which came with the largest amount of chicken I'd ever seen on a salad and extra Caesar sauce if I wanted; my opinion of the service here had just improved, especially when I took my first bite and all the tastes washed over my mouth.
"Of course I do." He shrugged his impressive shoulders but made no further move to explain himself.
"Then why ask me?"
"You make for an interesting biography Sookie but you can't learn everything from paper. What's got you so jaded?" For some reason I had the inexplicable urge to tell him the truth, not all of it and certainly nothing too personal, but still a desire to tell the near stranger what had happened to me.
"Why do you want to know?" I took another bite of salad but couldn't resist adding a few drops more sauce.
"For that exact reason." Due to my full mouth my eyes widened and my eyebrows rose until he explained himself. "You talk to me like I'm a person, not just someone to be feared."
"I dated a vampire nearly two years ago now, it wasn't the best relationship and it ended terribly. Not before I was sucked down into the world of vampire politics by said ex-boyfriend and now I'm stuck here because I'm so useful." I wasn't really as bitter as I sounded; I was thankful for seeing the world and the vampires paid me well, enough to be quite comfortable for a couple of months after I did any work for them.
"Who was he?"
"I don't think you need to know that yet." If he wanted to find out he could, it wasn't really a secret but if I was honest with myself it was still painful to say his name because of the memories it evoked. Someone had to earn the respect and trust needed to be given that name by my lips.
"You live in Bon Temps?" He wasn't easily deterred and it was oddly fun; he'd said I spoke to him like he was real and he didn't speak to me like I was a possession.
"Yep, born and bred. Do you know the place?" He didn't have a southern accent, it was distinctly European but it was faint, as though the years had eroded it away.
"Yes, I live in Shreveport, I run the vampire bar there, Fangtasia."
"Oh, I know of that place." Sadly I was nearing the end of my salad so I took the last piece of chicken and loaded up the fork before popping it all into my mouth; it wasn't necessarily dignified but the salad really was great and a vampire wouldn't call me on my table manners.
"I've never seen you there, how come you've never been if you dated one of us?" It was difficult to determine what tone of voice he was using I just knew he wasn't being defensive and if his eyes really were as sincere as the blue depths appeared, he was genuinely intrigued.
"He didn't like Fangtasia apparently so we never went. So what about you, where are you from?" I poured myself another pot of the tea from the little pot the waiter had placed in the centre of the table.
"Originally Sweden, but I haven't been there in centuries."
"How old are you?" I asked without thinking, the oldest vampire I knew was Queen Sophie Anne; she was barely five hundred. "Sorry, you don't have to answer that." I thought internally to get my manners back in check and made a conscious effort to be more polite, more like myself with this vampire.
"I'm just over a thousand." I couldn't stop my eyes from bugging out of my head at that information; he was the oldest vampire I knew by nearly a millennia. "I love life," he added, shrugging his shoulders once again which caused the muscles in his upper arms to bunch tightly, stretching the fabric even more.
"You're the oldest vampire I know, how can you still be in love with life after all this time?" I was genuinely intrigued by the man now so I pushed aside my empty plate so that I could lean forward onto the table, resting on my elbows, much like he had earlier. I couldn't understand how he could still love the world after all the bad things that had happened within it, the horrible people it contained. I should know the true extent of the evil things people were capable of; I'd seen it first hand and I read it in their minds every single day. It wasn't just Bill that had jaded me.
"You know how people always say that their one wish in life is to see everything before they die?" I nodded my head. "That's my wish and I've discovered something in my centuries; you can never see everything that the world has to offer. I've seen more than most people can even comprehend; I've seen the worst and the best in people. I am the worst in people, but I still love this place."
"I just don't know how someone can still love this world after everything that goes on in it." He shifted in his seat then, leaning forward to mirror my position, our faces mere inches apart.
"Because you see the good that people are capable of despite all the bad things, all the vampires and werewolves, witches, fairies, maenads but worst of all vampires. People overcome the bad things. They're more than just lunch on the go." Just like that he snapped us out of the serious discussion and showed a toothy grin, his fangs elongated for a reason that I didn't know. It was amazing to not know every little detail about him unless he mentioned them. It was exciting to have to work for answers yet I still knew he wasn't all bad, there was some humanity in him somewhere or he wouldn't be talking to me.
"So what are you?" He switched topics so quickly it threw me for a loop and I almost answered him but before I could a smirk spread across my face.
"You'll have to figure that one out on your own." I glanced at the clock and found that it was nearing midnight already, I hadn't realised that much time had passed; the moments we'd spent deep in conversation must have been longer than I imagined. Still fighting jetlag I knew I had to go to bed to get a reasonable amount of sleep to be able to function tomorrow, no matter that I wanted to stay and talk. There was also the matter of a phone call to my grandmother.
"What are you thinking?" He asked suddenly, breaking my gaze from the clock and bringing it back to stare into his eyes. I still managed to notice how handsome he was. That's when I felt it, the licks of power at the edges of my brain, the invading mind wanting entrance.
"That doesn't work." I stated simply, clamping down on my shields so that hardly any white noise from the humans at surrounding tables could be heard and also so that he wouldn't be able to gain anything from me, try as he might.
"What doesn't work?" He replied innocently which was an expression that just didn't work on his face; he'd lost all of his innocence years before, centuries before.
"Vampire hypnotism, your enthralment whatever you want to call it. Controlling my mind doesn't work, never has. No one has access here." I tapped the side of my head, still staring at him and that was the only reason that I saw the flicker of awe cross his face and his lips twitching as he fought back a smile.
"What are you Sookie?" He asked again and let just a little bit of awe sneak into his voice.
"I said before, you'll have to figure it out on your own." With that I pushed my seat back to stand up but when my gaze flickered to the side at some strange motion I found the vampire already standing beside me with his hand held out.
I took the proffered help, even though we both knew I didn't need it, and watched as my small warm hand was wrapped up in his large cold one for the second it took for me to stand. My jacket and purse were then offered to me without me even seeing him pick them up.
"Thank you." He nodded at me with a questioning look taking residency in his eyes. I stepped away from him then, moving towards the exit doors but I stopped only a couple of feet from him. "Bill Compton," I stated before continuing on my way; he'd earned it just for talking to me.
So what did you think? You know I love feedback almost as much as I love a certain Viking vampire!
Anyway, next week i'll be updating chapter 3 on thursday since I move to London on friday :) Can't wait, I have a plan to go exploring the Natural History or Science, possibly both, next saturday and term starts on the 27th. I am hoping to get a oneshot out sometime early next week as well.
My car broke down on monday, i was on the motorway (middle lane as well) when i lost all power. Managed to get over onto the hardshoulder but i had my mum, who suffers from fibro myalgia in the car too and we couldn't get to her crutches. Anyway, it was an intersting day. Anywho, have a good weekend guys.
Oh and the title comes from the Aerosmith song Jaded.
Thanks for reading. *hugs*