Silence

My first day at Merlotte's hadn't gone exactly the way I'd planned. In the time it had taken me to get moved in and Caleb registered for school--which had only been a few days--Sam had hired another waitress in his desperate need for one. I was thankful he still let me have a job at all, though it mostly consisted of bus boy work.

It had gotten dark, fast and though the girls were busy inside scrambling to wait tables, I'd decided to take a few extra minutes to call Caleb as I had taken out the trash for Lafayette. With the recent murders going on in Bon Temps, I wanted to make sure he was alright and though I understood he didn't exactly fit the killer's criteria, I knew he had a fascination with vampires.

"Hey." He answered through a mouthful of something.

"That better not be my ice cream."

He took a minute to swallow, "I ate dinner first." He defended, though he knew I didn't really care.

"Homework done?" I could practically hear his eyes rolling through the phone. He hated when I went into mom mode, especially since I was his big sister.

"Yes, and the dishes are washed."

"Thank you."

"What time will you be home?"

"Late." It wasn't as though I wasn't used to working late nights, so we were both already accustomed to it. At least this time I was simply cleaning off tables and not getting fucked like a female dog. "Don't wait up for me, you got school."

"Alright."

"Alright, I love you. I gotta go." I hung up my cell, turning quickly to get back inside before someone noticed my absence and stopped dead in my tracks.

Towering over my 5' 3" frame stood a man, lean, with blond hair that ended just above his shoulders. He was dressed in all black, his t-shirt stretched fittingly across his broad chest. He was beautiful, yet so much in a sense that it was terrifying--dangerous.

"You are not Sookie Stackhouse." His voice was calm, smooth as he curiously glanced down at me with the bluest eyes I'd ever seen. Every impulse was telling me I was in danger, that I should run or cry out and yet there I stood, paralyzed by my own fear. He could have easily been the serial killer especially since he was looking for Sookie--there was a rumor going around that she was the killer's next target, though I had definitely never been with a vampire, so why would he target me?

I opened up, attempting to allow his thoughts to enter my own just to be met with silence. It was as though he had no thoughts at all, which was impossible.

"But that smell," my heart leapt into my throat and I clenched my fists, leaning away from him as he took a step towards me and I knew what he was. Closing his eyes, the man inhaled deeply before a smile spread across his lips. "And you are good looking." He added it in a matter-of-fact manner, raising his eyebrows slightly.

It wouldn't matter now, I was out back, alone with him--a fucking vampire. If he wanted me, I was dead and there was nothing I could do about it. I certainly couldn't outrun him. Poor Caleb, who would look after him without me? I was all he had. Bon Temps had been too good to be true. Maybe my death would show him how dangerous vampires were and he'd leave them alone.

"Who do you belong to?" The question had caught me off guard as I had been silently making peace with whatever God would listen.

"Sorry?" My own voice was unrecognizable, it was too soft, too frail. His smile returned to his lips at my response, though I'd genuinely had no idea what he was talking about. He was very attractive, as intimidating as he was.

"So no one then. Excellent." His hand outstretched towards me, revealing a flyer I had not previously noticed in his hands. The word "Fangtasia" was written across the top and under normal circumstances I probably would have laughed. It was a nightclub for vampires and humans alike, however I doubted the humans were much more than meals with legs.

"Thursdays are lady's night." A short squeal rose in my throat as a woman's voice sounded from behind me. Without turning my back completely on the man, I took a step sideways, turning so that I could see the two of them. The woman whom has spoken looked bored, or annoyed I wasn't sure. She was smaller than the man, still a blond, and she was donning a long designer trench coat.

"Aww, Pam. I think you scared her." The man's voice sounded amused and I imagined him as a child, ripping the wings off of butterflies with that same grin. The woman, Pam, crossed her arms, definitely annoyed by whatever games the man was playing.

"Right. I scared her." She emphasized the 'I', because it was damn obvious she was not the one scaring me at the moment, though I wouldn't say she lightened the mood any.

"What's your name?" The man ignored Pam, turning his attention back to me. His smile had gone from his face, but I didn't answer--I couldn't. The only images that were playing through my mind were of all the shitty things I had done with my life, and maybe this was some sort of karma, but everything I had done had been for a good cause--for Caleb. "Don't make me ask twice." The seriousness in his tone caused me to jump a little, closing my eyes again. If they were going to rip my throat out and drain me, I had decided I'd rather not watch them do it.

"Beth." I didn't want him to know my full name, even if the shortened version made it obvious.

"Nice to meet you, Beth." He didn't outstretch a hand to me, thank God, but he continued to eye me. His voice made my name sound more sensual than it should have, or perhaps it was the way he emphasized it, as though he could taste my blood from the mere feel of my name on his tongue. "I'm Eric and this is Pam."

"Hi." Her hands were now on her hips.

"I'm going out of town for a while. I'll see you in three days, Beth."

"I don't..." Eric had walked past me to leave with Pam, but stopped as I'd opened my mouth. His head shifted downward a little in my direction, though he remained with his back towards me, waiting for me to finish whatever it was I was likely to regret. "What if I don't want to go?" Because I didn't. I didn't want anything to do with vampires, I had no interest in going to his vampire bar.

"Do you really want me to come looking for you?" Now Eric did turn around to look down at me. In a fraction of a second he was directly in front of me and my heart pounded in my chest. I remained still as his hand came up to grab a lock of my hair that had fallen from my bun to rest on my neck. "It would be all too easy, smelling the way you do." I was again staring at the ground, so whether he was looking at me or my hair still I had no idea, and I didn't care. I just wanted it to end, I wanted him and his vampire girlfriend to leave, I wanted to leave. "I will see you in three days." I felt my hair fall back against my neck and looked up to find I was alone.

Nothing. I had done absolutely nothing to single myself out and just because I smelled good I had been targeted by the Goliath of vampires.

Backing up against the dumpster, I slid onto the ground, bringing my knees up to my chest. Three days. I had no idea what this Eric has planned for me, but I couldn't help feeling as though whatever it was, it most likely meant the end for me. Not to mention Caleb, what was I suppose to tell him? Who would look after him like I had?

I clenched my fists, crumpling the flyer as I let the tears flow. There was nothing I could do, and I couldn't tell Caleb--he didn't deserve to worry about me.

God damn this hooker better be out here.

"Beth! Girl, we need you in here." Lafayette's voice called from the back door.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly regained my composure, wiping the stray tears from my eyes. I would deal with this, somehow.