Taste of Sin
02
The plane ride to New Orleans was the loneliest couple of hours of my life. I had broken my relationship with my father as well as broken his nose. He sent me off with almost two thousand dollars to keep me sustained for a while and to wipe his conscious clean.
As I stepped off of the plane in my yellow sundress and white chuck taylor sneakers I couldn’t help but let a body shaking sigh— borderline sob—escape my lips. I was stuck in a new place where I didn’t know a single soul.
I grabbed my bag and tried to stay positive. If I remember correctly, my father insinuated that my cousin was also a telepath. I’d never met another one who had my ability, so it should be good for me; right? Perhaps she could help me to better understand my gift.
My head was throbbing as I moved through the crowd of people. Everyone’s minds were racing and I was too distracted to shut it out. How could so many people be thinking of so many things and yet nothing at the same time?
Where is she? I heard a woman thinking as I neared the exit of the terminal. The voice was sweet with a comforting southern accent. Damn, the least Rick could’ve done was send a picture of her…
I smiled as I spotted the blond who belonged to the train of though. She looked a bit like me with long hair. She was, as I would’ve expected, much shorter than me though. At least six inches shorter.
She smiled as well, Sinikka Stackhouse I take it?
That would be me, Sin for short, I ‘said’ in reply.
“Well, hello then,” she smiled and spoke in that adorable accent as I walked toward her. “My, you’re gorgeous. You look so much like Auntie Aire,” she complimented.
“Everyone tells me that,” I shrugged, “I don’t remember her much.”
“Well I do, so trust me sweetie,” she smiled politely. “My parents died when I was seven as well,” she added. “It’s hard sometimes, but Gran raised me well,” she smiled.
“I never got to meet Gran,” I shrugged. “My father didn’t like to have much to do with anyone, including me.”
“Rick is self absorbed and frightened by what he doesn’t understand. I’m glad you broke his nose. Listen, Sin, I know this isn’t easy for you but I’m going to try to make you feel as at home as possible. I know I haven’t seen you since you were about 5, but you were always my favorite… mostly because we’re birds of a feather,” she smiled.
Sookie was the sweetest person I’d ever met, and though I was pretty down about the abrupt change of course my life had taken, she was making me feel like good things were on their way. “Thanks,” I said softly, smiling slightly.
“You found her, I take it?” I heard someone say in a voice that was elegant, smooth and seductive with the most refined hint of a southern accent. I glanced toward the direction of the voice and spotted a man taller than me with brown tousled hair and pale skin.
“You’re a vampire,” I said in an almost whisper, the words coming out before I could stop myself.
“Yes, I am,” he said with a nod and a smile, not phased by my childlike and borderline rude slip of the tongue. “Does that make you uncomfortable?”
I shook my head. “I’m a telepath, I have no right to feel awkward around someone who is different.” I paused for a moment and smiled, “I’ve just never met a vampire before… and I’m a bit fascinated at the moment.”
He smiled elegantly. “I’m Bill, Bill Compton. Sookie’s boyfriend,” he introduced himself, extending his hand.
I reached out and shook his hand, “I’m Sinikka Stackhouse. Sin for short, and it’s a pleasure.”
“What a nice name,” he smiled, “is that a Scandinavian name?”
I nodded, “My mother was from Finland.” I then laughed a bit, receiving a confused look from Bill. “I’m sorry, I’m just contemplating the irony.”
“Of?”
Sookie giggled a bit. “Her father, Rick’s, reason for sending her away was to keep her away from vampires… and I’m dating one,” she said, having heard my silent reasoning.
Bill smiled and gave an understanding laugh. “Well, if you’re anything like your cousin, you’re safer with me around.”
“Bill!” Sookie gave a playful glare before that smile of hers broke through. “Well, he’s probably right… Stackhouses have a way of finding trouble.”
“We’re born with it,” I grinned as I followed them out to the parking lot.
“Great, so you’re just as bad as Sookie, I assume?” Bill asked in a teasing tone.
“Worse, probably,” I smirked.
“Well then,” Bill started while opening the doors to a black BMW for Sookie and myself, “with everything that’s been going on lately I’ll have to keep extra watch on you two.”
“What do you mean?” I asked as I sat in the backseat while Bill put the suitcase he’d taken from me into the trunk and slide behind the wheel.
“Nothing,” he smiled a bit.
“Oh, please, Bill… Has that ever been a suitable answer for a Stackhouse?” Sookie asked before turning to me as we merged onto the highway a minute later. “Now, you don’t need to worry since Bill takes good care of me and that extends to you now. But, there have been some disappearances lately.”
“Disappearances?” I asked curiously. “Human, vampire or something else?” I asked, referring to the perpetrator.
“We don’t believe it’s vampires, but we’re really not sure,” Sookie said with a shrug. “It’s still a mystery at this point…”
“Which is why I’m heading to Shreveport before we return to Bon Temps,” Bill said, mainly to Sookie.
“What’s in Shreveport?” I asked inquisitively.
Bill shrugged, “Just a bar. I want to ask someone if they know what’s going on.”
I felt my eyes double in excitement, “Is it a vampire bar?”
“Yes,” Bill answered honestly, though his tone made it clear he hadn’t wanted me to know that.
“Can I come?” I asked like a child on Christmas, waiting to rip open the neat packages.
“No,” he said quickly. “You and Sookie will wait in the parking lot.”
“What if someone attacks us?” I retorted. “That’s hardly safe at all.”
“If someone were to attack you, I’d be able to get to you within a second,” Bill smirked, “so that’s not a good argument.”
“And if they were an older vampire? Thus making them stronger and faster than you? What then?” I shot back.
Bill looked completely blindsided by my reply. “How do you know…?”
“I read,” I said with a shrug smiling at Sookie who had actually silently given me that answer. “It’s much safer to bring us, besides you’ve taken Sookie before,” I added.
Bill looked over at Sookie with narrowed eyes. “Can’t you stay out of this?” he asked, though his tone was soft and loving. She shook her head and smiled. “Well, Sin,” he started, “that was Sookie’s and my second date… I wasn’t attached to her at that point.” It was an obvious joke and Sookie hit his arm playfully. “I am, however, attached to her now and since you’re her cousin I have to make sure I keep you both safe.”
“We’re safer with you, where everyone knows we are untouchable, than we are in the car. I’ll stay with her, Bill, and keep an eye on her. She’s just curious…” Sookie’s voice was entrancing.
Bill sighed as we took an exit leading us off of the highway. “Fine, but stay close to her.”
As I stepped off of the plane in my yellow sundress and white chuck taylor sneakers I couldn’t help but let a body shaking sigh— borderline sob—escape my lips. I was stuck in a new place where I didn’t know a single soul.
I grabbed my bag and tried to stay positive. If I remember correctly, my father insinuated that my cousin was also a telepath. I’d never met another one who had my ability, so it should be good for me; right? Perhaps she could help me to better understand my gift.
My head was throbbing as I moved through the crowd of people. Everyone’s minds were racing and I was too distracted to shut it out. How could so many people be thinking of so many things and yet nothing at the same time?
Where is she? I heard a woman thinking as I neared the exit of the terminal. The voice was sweet with a comforting southern accent. Damn, the least Rick could’ve done was send a picture of her…
I smiled as I spotted the blond who belonged to the train of though. She looked a bit like me with long hair. She was, as I would’ve expected, much shorter than me though. At least six inches shorter.
She smiled as well, Sinikka Stackhouse I take it?
That would be me, Sin for short, I ‘said’ in reply.
“Well, hello then,” she smiled and spoke in that adorable accent as I walked toward her. “My, you’re gorgeous. You look so much like Auntie Aire,” she complimented.
“Everyone tells me that,” I shrugged, “I don’t remember her much.”
“Well I do, so trust me sweetie,” she smiled politely. “My parents died when I was seven as well,” she added. “It’s hard sometimes, but Gran raised me well,” she smiled.
“I never got to meet Gran,” I shrugged. “My father didn’t like to have much to do with anyone, including me.”
“Rick is self absorbed and frightened by what he doesn’t understand. I’m glad you broke his nose. Listen, Sin, I know this isn’t easy for you but I’m going to try to make you feel as at home as possible. I know I haven’t seen you since you were about 5, but you were always my favorite… mostly because we’re birds of a feather,” she smiled.
Sookie was the sweetest person I’d ever met, and though I was pretty down about the abrupt change of course my life had taken, she was making me feel like good things were on their way. “Thanks,” I said softly, smiling slightly.
“You found her, I take it?” I heard someone say in a voice that was elegant, smooth and seductive with the most refined hint of a southern accent. I glanced toward the direction of the voice and spotted a man taller than me with brown tousled hair and pale skin.
“You’re a vampire,” I said in an almost whisper, the words coming out before I could stop myself.
“Yes, I am,” he said with a nod and a smile, not phased by my childlike and borderline rude slip of the tongue. “Does that make you uncomfortable?”
I shook my head. “I’m a telepath, I have no right to feel awkward around someone who is different.” I paused for a moment and smiled, “I’ve just never met a vampire before… and I’m a bit fascinated at the moment.”
He smiled elegantly. “I’m Bill, Bill Compton. Sookie’s boyfriend,” he introduced himself, extending his hand.
I reached out and shook his hand, “I’m Sinikka Stackhouse. Sin for short, and it’s a pleasure.”
“What a nice name,” he smiled, “is that a Scandinavian name?”
I nodded, “My mother was from Finland.” I then laughed a bit, receiving a confused look from Bill. “I’m sorry, I’m just contemplating the irony.”
“Of?”
Sookie giggled a bit. “Her father, Rick’s, reason for sending her away was to keep her away from vampires… and I’m dating one,” she said, having heard my silent reasoning.
Bill smiled and gave an understanding laugh. “Well, if you’re anything like your cousin, you’re safer with me around.”
“Bill!” Sookie gave a playful glare before that smile of hers broke through. “Well, he’s probably right… Stackhouses have a way of finding trouble.”
“We’re born with it,” I grinned as I followed them out to the parking lot.
“Great, so you’re just as bad as Sookie, I assume?” Bill asked in a teasing tone.
“Worse, probably,” I smirked.
“Well then,” Bill started while opening the doors to a black BMW for Sookie and myself, “with everything that’s been going on lately I’ll have to keep extra watch on you two.”
“What do you mean?” I asked as I sat in the backseat while Bill put the suitcase he’d taken from me into the trunk and slide behind the wheel.
“Nothing,” he smiled a bit.
“Oh, please, Bill… Has that ever been a suitable answer for a Stackhouse?” Sookie asked before turning to me as we merged onto the highway a minute later. “Now, you don’t need to worry since Bill takes good care of me and that extends to you now. But, there have been some disappearances lately.”
“Disappearances?” I asked curiously. “Human, vampire or something else?” I asked, referring to the perpetrator.
“We don’t believe it’s vampires, but we’re really not sure,” Sookie said with a shrug. “It’s still a mystery at this point…”
“Which is why I’m heading to Shreveport before we return to Bon Temps,” Bill said, mainly to Sookie.
“What’s in Shreveport?” I asked inquisitively.
Bill shrugged, “Just a bar. I want to ask someone if they know what’s going on.”
I felt my eyes double in excitement, “Is it a vampire bar?”
“Yes,” Bill answered honestly, though his tone made it clear he hadn’t wanted me to know that.
“Can I come?” I asked like a child on Christmas, waiting to rip open the neat packages.
“No,” he said quickly. “You and Sookie will wait in the parking lot.”
“What if someone attacks us?” I retorted. “That’s hardly safe at all.”
“If someone were to attack you, I’d be able to get to you within a second,” Bill smirked, “so that’s not a good argument.”
“And if they were an older vampire? Thus making them stronger and faster than you? What then?” I shot back.
Bill looked completely blindsided by my reply. “How do you know…?”
“I read,” I said with a shrug smiling at Sookie who had actually silently given me that answer. “It’s much safer to bring us, besides you’ve taken Sookie before,” I added.
Bill looked over at Sookie with narrowed eyes. “Can’t you stay out of this?” he asked, though his tone was soft and loving. She shook her head and smiled. “Well, Sin,” he started, “that was Sookie’s and my second date… I wasn’t attached to her at that point.” It was an obvious joke and Sookie hit his arm playfully. “I am, however, attached to her now and since you’re her cousin I have to make sure I keep you both safe.”
“We’re safer with you, where everyone knows we are untouchable, than we are in the car. I’ll stay with her, Bill, and keep an eye on her. She’s just curious…” Sookie’s voice was entrancing.
Bill sighed as we took an exit leading us off of the highway. “Fine, but stay close to her.”