Arrogant A-Hole
I can't believe the response to the story and I can't thank y'all enough. I wanted to try writing the story in a different style and I'm so glad that it's been met with great appreciation. Thank you so much. I also had to post the story today. Sunday and Monday are going to be my grieving day. I've taken those days so that I can grieve for whatever character from the Atlanta 5 meets his/her end. There's no way that I can focus when The Walking Dead is going to cause my such emotional agony.
I'd like to say that all main characters, from the first chapter to the last, belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine. Enjoy, everyone! Have a great day and weekend.
The sexy vampire was staring at me and he had a condescending smirk on his face. I could see that he was going to be a handful but I didn't mind it. I figured that I could handle him or at least I'd really like to give it that old college try. He is hot as fire and as dangerous as sin and by goodness, he knows it.
"Have a seat," the vampiress said to me as she pointed at the couch.
"Thank you," I said as I sat down. I ran my hand over the leather cushions of the couch and nodded before looking up at them. "Comfortable and quite nice," I said. I even bounced a little to show just how comfortable the couch actually was. "I've always appreciated a nice piece of furniture."
The corner of the sexy vampire's mouth twitched into a slight smile.
And I don't know what happened or what was said after that because I couldn't tear my eyes away from that tall drink of vampire that was standing in front me. He is so tall; at least 6'6 maybe. He has beautiful, long blond hair. His body is to die for and his clothes fit him perfectly. I'd never seen a man wear a pair of jeans the way that he was wearing his. Y'all should've seen him in those jeans. I think that I even drooled a little so I sneakily dabbed at the corner of my mouth for good measure. But his eyes, his eyes are his best quality. Those sapphire blue eyes are piercing. I could tell that he's seen and done so many things in his long life and I'd love to do a few of those things with him … but only if I was a different type of woman … but I'm not … so I won't. I may be on the outs with my parents but they did not raise a floosy. I can think all of the dirty thoughts I want … as long as I don't act on them.
Right?
"Mrs. Stackhouse," he said as to get my full attention. That sexy voice of his broke me out of my trance. I noticed that the still condescending smirk was on his face and it was getting broader by the second. He looked as if he knew what I was thinking. So, I cleared my mind and gave him my most comforting and polite smile as I sat tall on his very comfortable couch.
"Miss. Stackhouse," I said. "And that's me. How are you doing this fine evening, sir?"
He smiled at my greeting but didn't answer. "I see here that you're a telepath," he said as he sat down at his desk. "Very interesting."
"I am a telepath and quite interesting." I was still smiling and hopefully impressing him with my self-confidence.
That's when the vampiress sidled over to him and stood by his side. I couldn't believe what was happening and if I couldn't believe it, I know that you're not going to. They began speaking Swedish. Right in front of me. Obviously, they didn't get past the telepath part. They didn't know that I could understand every word that they were speaking. They didn't know that Fintan began teaching me foreign languages when I was a little girl. He said that because of my gift, I needed to learn them as soon as I was able. I have to keep myself safe, he said. And from the way things were working out tonight, I knew that he was right. Thanks, grandpa.
"Hon ärannorlunda," the vampiress said. (She's different.)
"Hurså?" he asked. (How so?)
The vampiress chuckled. "Detfinnsmer till henneänattvaraentelepat. Hon visaringenrädsla. Hon är stark ochmodig." (She's more than a telepath. She's strong and brave.)
The vampire looked me up and down as he spoke. "Kan hon lästevårasinnen? Kan hon lästesinnenvampyren?" (Can she read our minds? Can she read the minds of the vampire?)
The vampiress looked at me and licked her lips. "Med de tankarsom jag har haft ihenneikväll, tvivlar jag påatt hon kan. Jag hartänktpå de mångasättsom jag kanglädjahennemedan hon bär den klänningenoch jag troddedemallamedan du tittarpåhenne. Hon lätaldrigpåatt hon hördenågonavdem. Jag försökteattintetänkadem men hon serganskaläckra, gör hon inte?" (With the thoughts that I've had of her tonight, I doubt that she can. I've thought of the many ways that I can please her while she's wearing that dress and I thought them all while looking at her. She never let on that she heard any of them. I tried not thinking them but she looks quite tasty, does she not?)
The vampire agreed with her as his eyes travelled over my body. "Ganska," he answered. (Quite.)
The look that he gave me, made me shift in my seat.
The vampiress then closed her eyes. "Kan du luktardet?" she asked. "Hon äroskuld." (Can you smell it? She's a virgin.)
The vampire nodded. His nostrils flared as he looked at me. "Jag vill ha henne. Skicka de andraborta. Positionenharfyllts." (I want her. Send the others away. The position has been filled.)
Are you guys hearing this?
Can you believe that this is actually happening … and right in front of me?
Pam smiled at me and said, "Ta henne om du vill ha henne. Hon ärintekänt till människanellervampyr. Du kangörahennes din." (Take her if you want her. She isn't known to man or vampire. You can make her yours.)
I hate to say this again but …
Did she just say what I think she said?
I think that she did.
That b word.
"Okay," I said as I stood up from my seat. "I've had just about enough of this rudeness. What are your names?" I looked at the then unknown Pam and said, "I sure as heck would like to know since you two have clearly decided that he can have me if he wants me; which I DID NOT consent to, by the way. Who in the heck do you people think you are?"
Pam leaned back on her expensive thigh high boots and crossed her arms over her chest as she watched me. "You speak Swedish?"
"Uh, yeah," I answered. "And apparently, it's a good thing too. If you'd read further down on my application under other qualifications, you'd know that. I speak several different languages as a matter of fact."
They looked at each other with wide and amused eyes before turning back to me.
"Your names," I repeated.
The vampiress was tight lipped. She just looked at me. Determined to keep me in suspense.
The sexy vampire, on the other hand, decided to answer my question. "I'm Eric Northman. This is my child and co-owner of the bar, Pamela Ravenscroft."
"Pleased to meet you both," I said as I curtsied and smiled. Gran would have so proud of the good manners that I'd displayed. I know that she would have been very proud considering how angry I was. I then walked to his desk and stood there; a smile still plastered on my face. "What you two said earlier was quite rude and if you're going to speak about my virginal status, I should at least be a part of the conversation. And for future reference, my lack of a sex life is not on the table for discussion. If you want to know something, you need only ask. For example, I cannot read the minds of vampires. And shame on you," I said as I pointed at Pam. "Thinking nasty thoughts about me while I'm going to meet your boss for an interview," I whispered. "I'm glad that I couldn't hear them. I would have been embarrassed for the both of us. I would think that you would be just as embarrassed. I also think that you've been in this world long enough to know not to do that. That is not a very professional way for you to handle yourself at all. If I had good mind to, I'd report you to the local labor board for sexual harassment."
Again, the corner of Eric's mouth twitched into an almost smile.
"Didn't I tell you that she was different?" Pam asked as she tooted her own horn and completely ignoring everything that I'd said.
He continued to smile as he nodded.
I, for one, was still not amused. "You should both know better than to talk about people when they are still in the room too," I said. "You are both old enough to know better and to have better manners. I'm sure your mothers taught you that before you were turned." I stood in front of his desk with my hands on my hips and stared them both down.
"You do realize that you are in a closed room with two vampires?" he warned me.
"So?"
He gave me a hearty and strong laugh. "Pam," he said once he'd apparently gotten over what he thought of as my comedic performance. "Do as I've said. Send the others away. I want to talk to Ms. Stackhouse alone."
Pam winked at me as she sailed out of the room.
Eric sat down at his desk and smiled up at me. "Have a seat, Ms. Stackhouse. We need to talk about a few things if you are going to take this job."
"No, thank you," I said as I politely declined his offer. "I'd rather stand, if you don't mind."
"Whatever you want," he said as he picked up my résumé and application. He nodded as he read over them. He even made a couple of unflattering faces. "You speak several languages. I'm impressed."
Are vampires deaf or what?
"As I've already pointed out," I reminded him. "And why are you surprised? I'm not some backwoods hick." I leaned forward and whispered, "I can also read. I'm starting to learn to ride my bike without training wheels … all by myself too. You should see me. My maw is going to start letting me ride past the driveway next week." I smiled as if I was extremely proud of myself.
"You're very sarcastic," he said.
"Only when I feel that I'm being insulted," I firmly replied.
"Fair," he said. He placed my papers back onto the desk as he leaned back in his seat. He stared me in my eyes as he talked to me. "Starting tomorrow night, you will be here every night at first dark; no later than 6:00. You will stay here until the bar closes; which is 3:00 am. You will be paid handsomely. The job was originally set to pay but $800.00 per week but because of your many talents and your divine sense humor, you'll have a salary of $2000.00 per week." He then leaned back in his chair and said, "You will sign your contract tomorrow night when you get here. I'll have my lawyer draw it up tonight." He gave me a final nod as if that was it.
He sure is bossy.
That's when Pam came back into the room. "The others have been told that the position has been filled," she announced. "They weren't pleased but who gives a shit, right?" Again, she winked at me but I was too pissed to acknowledge it.
"You jerk," I said as I glared at Eric.
Pam looked down at Eric and he looked up at her. With his arms folded over his chest, he asked, "Would you mind repeating that?"
"Yes, I would so I won't. Who do you think you are … ordering me around like that?"
Pam stood tall. She was completely surprised and amused.
"Mr. Northman, you don't ask me if I want the job. You order me into taking the job. You are extremely highhanded and bossy. You haven't given any consideration to what I might want out of all of this. I don't think that this is the right place for me. I think that I will be leaving." I then nodded my head brusquely and stared at him. "It was a pleasure meeting you both." I turned to leave but was stopped by a hulking vampire blocking the doorway.
Eric gripped me by my shoulders and looked into my eyes. I could feel pressure behind them and this tickle in my brain as he began talking. "You will work for me. You will accept this job offer and you will start tomorrow night. You will also stop your insubordinate ways and do as you are told. You are not my equal and you will acknowledge that. Ms. Stackhouse, you will be mine. Are we clear?"
What the …?
"Let me go!" I yelled as I wriggled out of his grasps. "You should really be ashamed of yourself!" I smacked his arm as I stood toe to toe with him. "You tried to glamor me," I growled. "That's even ruder than talking about my sex life."
He looked at Pam and back at me. "You can't be glamored." It was kinda sorta a question but not quite.
"I cannot," I said as I stared him down. "My grandpa told me that my telepathy could possibly shield my mind from certain mind tricks that the vampires try to put on people. He was right … thank goodness." I scolded Eric with my eyes as I shook my head from disapproval. "You have no manners at all, Mr. Northman. My gran would tan your bottom if she knew of the antics that you pull."
Something flashed behind his eyes before he spoke again. "$3000 a week," he said. "Work for me, Ms. Stackhouse."
I cocked an eyebrow and patted my foot as I looked at him. "Are you asking me or telling me?"
"Yes, Master," Pam said from behind us. "Are you asking her or are you telling her?"
"Pam," he replied calmly, though I could see in his eyes that he wasn't calm at all. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply but he said nothing. He stood like that for quite some time … for a long time, as a matter of fact. He'd stopped moving completely.
I glanced at Pam. She looked at me and shrugged her shoulders.
I tapped his arm. "Mr. Northman?"
Nothing.
I tapped him again. "Mr. Northman? Are you there?"
Still, he said nothing.
"If you think that this is going to make me take the job, you're sorely mistaken," I said.
He still said nothing.
Oh, God. I've killed a vampire or something. Have any of you ever heard of this happening? I sure haven't. How I wished that you guys were with me in that office at that time. I didn't know what to do or to think. Sadly, I was on my own.
What have I done? Wait a minute. He's not dead, dead. If he was dead, dead, there'd be a bloody mess in this room. Maybe he's in a coma or something. Maybe I'd put him in a coma. I shook my head no but would that be so bad? He probably wouldn't be so bossy with me next time. And maybe he'll mind his manners. I glanced quickly at Pam and thought that maybe I should do the same thing to her. I unnecessarily shook my head no. If I did that, I'd be just as rude as they are.
Sighing, I said, "Ms. Ravenscroft, is he going to be okay?"
Pam shook her head no. Her normally blank face was reminiscent of how I imagined mine looked. "I don't think so. You've done something to him that no one has been able to do in a very long time. Eric is a very old vampire and when he gets like this, it's best to leave him alone for a while. He's extremely upset right now. He's not used to being denied." She then shrugged her shoulders. "There's no telling what he'll do to some poor, innocent human tonight to curb his anger."
My eyes widened and my heart began to pound in my chest. I turned to look at her to see if she was joking. Her face was blank and her eyes showed no sign of amusement. "Are you serious?" I asked her.
"I am," she said. "It rarely happens but when it does, he can be quite scary." She leaned in just a bit and said, "He even scares me when he gets like this."
"Oh, goodness," I said. Fright filled my eyes as I looked up at her. I can't bear the thought of Eric hurting someone because of something I said or did. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I can't let him hurt someone on account of me. What can I do?"
Pam patted me on the shoulder as if to give me a little sympathy and comfort. I appreciated it … a lot. "I guess you're just going to have make things right," she said. She unnecessarily sighed and said, "If you can. I really don't see that happening. You should just go home and let whatever happens happen."
Is she serious? How did she expect me to go home after hearing something like that?
"Mr. Northman," I whispered. "I'll take the job but as far as the hours go, I will set them accordingly. I also need medical, dental, and vision insurance. I've never really needed any of those things but it's always best to be prepared. I would also like to be reimbursed for mileage if I ever have to travel and drive my car. I want my weekends free but if I have to work on the weekends, let me know ahead of time. At least give me a couple of days' notice. And if I ever have to travel out of state on vampire business, I will not go alone. Either you or Ms. Ravenscroft will be with me at all times. Oh, and I have to work tomorrow night at Merlotte's. I'll put my notice in then. I want to finish out the week." I looked at Pam and said, "That's the polite thing to do, you know?"
She rolled her eyes at me again. "Yeah, I know. Is that all?" Pam asked.
"And I want the $3000 a week," I quickly added. "I can get my own place."
Pam chuckled. "Anything else?" she asked.
"I don't know," I said. "If there's more, will I be able to add it into the contract?"
"Maybe we can work something out," she said. "Do we have your word?"
"You do," I said as I nodded. "I always keep my word. You and Mr. Northman have my loyalty. I will be here to read over the contract tomorrow night but I have to finish out the week at Merlotte's. I have to work clear up until Friday. Sam is my friend and I can't leave him less a waitress." I looked at Eric again and asked, "Will he not hurt anyone tonight on my account?"
"Since you've given us your word, he won't," Pam said.
"Good," I said. "I'll take the job."
"Good," Eric said as he looked at me and smiled. "I'm glad that you see things my way."
I jumped when I heard his voice. That a-hole wasn't in a coma at all.
He continued to talk as I gawked at him. "The contract will be here tomorrow night. I'll call the shifter and let him know that you'll need tomorrow night off. I'm sure that he'll understand." He looked at me and smiled. Can you believe it? He had the audacity to smile at me.
My eyes widened. "You both tricked me! You tricked me!" I looked at Pam and asked, "How could you?"
She shrugged her shoulders and said, "My master wants you. I helped him get you."
"You cheated!" I yelled as I turned to Eric.
"So," he said. "Be here tomorrow at 6:00."
"You are an arrogant a-hole!" I yelled. "And I told you that I have to work tomorrow. I can't just leave like that. I can come after my shift is done so that we can go over the contract but not before that."
"Deal," he said as he winked at me. He stepped from in front of the office door and opened it. He held it open for me and smiled. "I will see you tomorrow night."
"Fine," I barked as I turned away from him in a huff.
Before I could leave his office, he said, "Ms. Stackhouse?"
"What?" I spat at him.
"I like your gumption. I could see your loyalty and your honesty as soon as you walked through this door. Your many talents are a plus but you, Ms. Stackhouse, are the reason you work for me." His face softened as he continued to stare into my eyes. "I didn't have to tell you that but I wanted you to know the true reasons you were hired. The job is yours if you want it. And yes. I am asking."
Pam crossed her arms over her chest as she stared open mouthed at her master.
And for some unknown reason, I believed him. It didn't hurt that those eyes had me. I stepped in close to him and looked up at him. I could see the centuries of an unchanged life in his eyes. I could see his honor and his loyalty. And in his eyes, I could see a lot more. I needed to know what it is.
"I want it," I said before I'd even realized I'd spoken.
He lightly brushed his hand across my cheek and said, "I'll see you tomorrow night, Ms. Stackhouse."
I backed away from him; my eyes still on him. "Goodnight, Mr. Northman."
As he closed the door, I blinked my eyes and shook my head several times when I could no longer see him. I chuckled to myself. I think he'd glamored me after all.