Sorry it has been so long since I updated this story. I started a new job and things have been crazy.

(^.^)

I grab my keys and purse from Sam's office, and walk toward the back door. "See you later Sam!" I call over my shoulder, and he looks up from his paperwork long enough to smile.

As I get in the car, I check my phone for messages, and sigh when I see only voicemails from Bill. Pressing in the correct combination of buttons, I delete them all, without even hearing what he has to stay.

My car rattles to life with a wheeze, and I hope it will last long enough for me to save the money for another one. It's been nearly two weeks since I told Eric and Bill that I was done with both of them, and have succeeded in avoiding all vampires. Those first few nights I was certain that I was seeing shadows in the trees around my house, and I had felt as though I were being watched. But that had stopped after a while.

Of course I can't help it when Bill comes into the bar, but when he does I just go about business as usual. Eric had been silent, and I hadn't heard a word from him since that night in the Compton house. But I had been extremely lucky in the past week, and I was almost certain that he was behind it. The local construction company apparently had mixed up some information in their database, and I ended up with a driveway of free gravel. Then I won a contest I hadn't even entered in and got a free one thousand dollar shopping card at my favorite clothing store.

Jason had stopped by just this morning, and told me that the Best Buy in the next town over had also made a mistake, and he ended up getting a new TV for free. Then he found some money hidden away when he was going through some of Momma and Daddy's stuff in the basement of their house. He wanted to split it with me, but I insisted he kept it since he needed it more than me.

Tara had moved back in with Lafayette just a few days ago, and they were getting along well enough. It was lonely at home at night, but I got used to it, especially since I no longer liked leaving the house after dark. I'd changed my entire schedule to restrict my nighttime activities as much as possible. Sam had even changed my schedule so that I always worked the day shift. I always went to bed early, and slept through most of the darkness. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night, and imagine that I would see either of the two vampires standing in my back yard, just watching the house. As though they were waiting for something significant to happen, and in my opinion they could just keep waiting. The last two weeks, without all the drama and confusion, had been like a vacation.

I stopped next to my house, and made my way inside just as the sun started to set. Every color from of the rainbow was splashed across the sky, in a way that only happened on occasion, and it reminded me of the finger paints I'd used as a child. I remembered how I would make pictures for all of my friends and my Gran. I even recalled one time when I had drawn an inappropriate scene that I'd seen in my 2nd grade teachers mind. She had turned nearly purple when she realized what I had done, and that's when she insisted on having me tested by professionals. Of course Gran wouldn't let anyone touch me, especially any kind of special doctor, so after a while everyone gave up.

As I walked in the backdoor, I glanced over a photo of myself, Jason, Tara, Lafayette and Gran all standing together on one of my birthdays. There was a cake in front of me with ten candles, and Gran had always insisted that we leave the picture up even though I was missing a couple of teeth in it and had obviously been surprised by the camera. I'd considered taking the picture down after she passed, when I redecorated the kitchen, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I flipped on different lights as I walked through the house, checking everything over. It was a habit that I'd fallen into, and hadn't given up, since the short amount of time that I'd been responsible for Eric. He had been very keen on safety, and after watching him check the house over multiple times, it had somehow started to become my duty.

Making myself dinner, I wondered what Tara was doing, and called her while I was stirring my small pot of spaghetti sauce. Nobody answered the phone, and after leaving a message, I proceeded with my dinner. Immediately afterwards I grabbed a book, turned on my TV for background noise, and began to read.

A short time later I glanced at the clock, and had to do a double take. It was nearly one in the morning, and I had been reading for over 4 hours. Turning everything off, I went upstairs, and was about to curl up into bed when I heard a faint knocking on my front door. I hoped it wasn't who I thought it, but of course I wasn't disappointed when I opened the door slightly.

"What are you doing here Bill? It's one in the morning." I yawned to emphasize my point, and he glanced at this watch as though he hadn't known what time it was all along.

"I…well I noticed you were still up, and I wondered if there was a reason. If there is then maybe I could help?" He cocked an eyebrow, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes." I said, looking pointedly at him. He only smiled, completely lost, until I said, "You!" I closed the door in his face and marched off to bed. How could he have that much nerve? To come over and act as though I never said a single word to him about not being his. I suddenly realized just how exhausted I was, and finally lay down to go to sleep.

The next morning, I got up to someone ringing my doorbell.

Going downstairs I groggily jerked the door open, and was surprised to see a delivery man standing there. He had a long box in his hand and he handed it over to me as soon as I signed the deliver paperwork, then he promptly left. Opening the box on the dining room table, I was surprised to see that it was full of delicately wrapped purple flowers that I had never seen before. I wondered who they were from, and found a small card. Turning it over, it had a simple –E.

I smiled, realizing they were from Eric. Looking further inside the packaging, I found a small pamphlet that explained that they were Moon Lilies, and would only bloom under the light of a full moon. Luckily there would be one that night and I continued to smile as I arranged the flowers in a vase, and put them on the kitchen counter. It was my day off, so after getting a shower and getting dressed, I headed off to Shreveport to use my gift card for new clothes.

When I got home it was just half an hour past sunset, and I scanned the area for anyone who might be waiting for me, but found nothing. Loading up all of my bags to make a single trip, I got into the house, and not a moment too soon as I felt a void coming up behind me quickly. Just as I got across the threshold, I turned and was relieved to see that it was only Eric. "Do you want any help with those?" He asked, and I shook my head as I set the bags down against the inside wall. "I know you're not really interested in seeing me, but I have some work that requires a telepath, are you interested?"

I thought for a second, before asking, "What's the job?"

"He smiled slightly, "I am hoping to hire some new employees at the bar, but some of their resumes seem… off. Could you read them for me to see if there's anything I should know?"

I was uncertain for a second, but then I reminded myself that I had promised to work for him a long time ago, so finally I nodded. "When do you want me to come to the bar?"

"Tonight if possible, we need new staff, so I need to hire someone quickly." He said, and his tone was all business.

"How about I come there in an hour? I want to put this stuff away and eat then I'll come over."

He just nodded and immediately took off at vampire speed.

As soon as he was gone, I slumped into the kitchen chair, and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe that I had been so good when talking to him. Then all at once I realized the difference between Eric and Bill. Eric was someone that I hated to miss, but always looked forward to seeing, and with Bill it was the opposite. I no longer had any desire to see him, but I would always miss him. Then again who doesn't miss their first love from time to time? At that moment it seemed all too obvious that I had made the wrong decision two weeks prior at Bill's mansion. I should have never turned Eric away.

With a new goal in mind, other than the job at hand, I headed upstairs to get ready to go to Fangtasia.

(Eric POV)

Pam's emotions suddenly spiked from the front door, before she closed herself off, and I turned to see who had affected her. It took a moment before the culprit walked through the entrance, and as soon as she did, I felt as though I would fall out of my throne.

(Sookie POV)

Eric's eyes met mine as soon as I walked in the door, and for a second I read nothing but pure lust on his face. Then he put up his usual cold mask, and I walked forward toward him. "Let's go do business." I said, and without a response he stood and led me into his office. This was going to be fun.

(^.^)

Hopefully next I won't take so long putting up this next update! Sorry!