Beauty and the Beast

I had been living with my dad for a week when everything came crashing down. For some strange reason, I had grown close to Lafayette. He was like the older brother I never had. Sookie and Arlene were very motherly, especially Arlene. Tara was a little wary and usually stayed away from me.

I sat outside in the dirt, scratching my dad’s Collie behind the ears. I heard someone walking up the dirt path. I looked up and saw Tara.

“Hey dog.” she said before walking past me to where my dad was yelling inside the trailer. I rolled my eyes and went back to scratching the dog.

Not two minutes later, there was more yelling, only this time there were two voices. I looked down at my dirty converse. “Just like momma and her boyfriend.” I whispered. The Collie placed his head in my lap. I smiled and patted his head. “Good dog.”

Later that evening, the bar was busy as usual. I was sitting behind the bar people watching.

“Hi Sookie.” I said as she passed to fill two glasses with Bud.

“Oh, hi Dakota.”

“That’s a cute scarf.” I said, referring to the green and white scarf around her neck.

“Why thank you.” She said, fingering the scarf slightly. “Could you take this to table 4 for me?”

“Sure.” I said, taking the glasses of Bud from her.

I made my way over to table 4, dodging people and chairs.

“Here you go.” I said, setting the glasses in front of the couple.

“You’re Dakota, right?” the young woman asked me. “Sam’s daughter?”

“That’s me.” I said, giving her a smile.

“I’m Alex and this is my fiance Allen.”

“Nice to meet you both.”

“Likewise.”

I made my way back to the bar.

“Tara called. She ain’t coming in.” Terry said.

“What? Hell, we’re already short a waitress.”

“Don’t worry, Sam. We’ll make it work.” Sookie said, zooming past Lafayette and my dad.

“I can bar-tend.” I said, leaning against the edge of the bar.

“Since when did you know how to bar tend?”

“My momma taught me when I was younger.”

My dad threw an apron at me. “I’m not paying you.”

“No problem.”

”Sookie has been with that vampire.” Arlene said coming up to where Rene sat.

“Nah, that’s just bar talk.” Rene said with his spicy Cajun accent.

“She told me so herself. Oh, my Lord. Suppose she gets pregnant. How in the world can she nurse a baby with fangs?”

“You just be her friend. She needs one now more than ever.”

My dad watched Sookie as she delivered a plate of food to a customer. When she started walking back to the bar, he started walking towards her.

“Don’t go anywhere. I need two more pitchers of Bud.”

My dad grabbed the scarf that was around her neck and pulled it off before holding her head to the side.

“Hey! Keep your hands to yourself Sam Merlotte. You have no right to touch me.” She attempted to push him away.

“You’re a damn fool, you know that?” Everyone in the bar stopped what they were doing.

“What I do on my own time is no concern of yours,” She turned towards the customers, “or any of y’all’s.” She turned back to my dad. “Yes, I had sex with Bill. And since every one of y’all’s too chicken to ask, it was great.” I swear my jaw about popped off and onto the bar floor. “I enjoyed every second of it. And if you don’t like that, you can just fire me.” She shoved her tray into my dad’s chest before storming off.

I finished filling the two pitchers of Bud. The bar was extremely busy, so I guess it was a good thing I can multitask.

Suddenly, the door opened and three people walked in. I swear the whole bar seemed to freeze. The three went around looking at customers like a hunter stalking their prey.

“Get us three Tru Bloods,” The tall, black haired one said.

“Y’all need to go somewhere else. This is a family place. Locals only.” My dad said, stepping forward.

“Well we just closed the place up the road, so that makes us official citizens of Renard Parish. We’re the new locals.” My heart almost pounded out of my chest. He was one of the vampires that killed my mom, only his hair was now smoothed back instead of in spikes.

“My place, my rules.”

“Discrimination against vampires is punishable by law in the great state of Louisiana. Personally, I don’t give a fuck. But, I. Am. Thirsty.” His eyes landed on me and he smirked. I started slowly make my way towards the kitchen, keeping my eyes locked onto his.

“You. Are. Not. Welcome. Here.” My dad said, copying the vampire.

The black woman chuckled. “That shit only works in a private home.” Thankfully the black haired one was distracted by Sookie.

He gasped a little. “How nice to see you again, Sookie.”

I felt a hand wrap around my arm and I was dragged into the kitchen.

“You don’t need to see this, Baby Cakes.” Lafayette said. I peeked out from behind his shoulder and out into the bar.

I heard Sookie yell “Sam!” before my dad was slammed down on to the bar, a bald vampire holding his jaw.

“I’m going to reach down your throat and yank you inside out by your dick.”

I went to yell out, but a hand was placed over my mouth. I looked up and Lafayette shook his head. I felt so helpless like I did when my mother was killed.

A different vampire came into the bar. “Stop this!” He shouted.

Lafayette let me go and I went around the bar and stood behind my dad. My heart was still pounding like I had run 20 miles.

I didn’t sleep well that night. I kept falling asleep and waking up, seeing the bright blue eyes above me. But finally around 3:30 I finally fell into a deep sleep.

I sat on the dirt ground, holding onto my side. I looked up and saw a tall, blonde man dressed all in black leaning over a blue haired man.

“Eric.” I whimpered. He looked behind at me, blood dripping down his chin.

He appeared in front of me and grabbed my hand off my side. He moved it in front of his face. He deeply inhaled and his fangs popped down. He took two of my fingers in his mouth and I felt his tongue lick the blood off them. I closed my eyes, my breathing becoming labored from the pain in my side.

He entwined his fingers with mine with one hand and gently cupped my face with the other. He leaned down until our noses were almost touching.

"I promise nothing will ever hurt you, Cupcake." I shivered as his cool breath fanned over my face. "Nothing will ever hurt you again." Tears began to gather in my eyes.

“I….I love you, Eric.” He moved down to my neck and his lips ghosted over the skin before his fangs scraped along the pulsing vein.

“I love you too älskling.” He whispered.

I sat straight up in bed. I could still feel his cold breath over my neck. This strange man, Eric had been haunting my dreams for years.

I got out of bed and went into the living room to go to the person who had made them disappear for the last week. There was no one in the trailer.

That’s odd. I thought. I grabbed my phone and dialed Sookie. No answer. I tried Arlene.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Rene, is Arlene there?” I asked.

“Yeah, hold on a sec.” I could hear him shoutintg for her in the background.

“Hello?”

“Hey Arlene. I was wondering if you’ve seen my dad today.”

“Sorry Sweet Cheeks, I haven’t. Is he not home?”

“No. I don’t know where he’d be. He usually wakes me up before he goes to the bar.”

“Hold on for 5 minutes and I’ll be there.”

“Thanks Arlene.”

“No problem Sweet Cheeks.”

I hung up and sat on the couch. My dad’s Collie looked at me. “Where could he have gone?”