Silence

Nerves

I hurried around my living room, unpacking, cleaning, doing anything and everything I could to keep myself busy. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I hadn't eaten anything all day and though I knew I should be hungry, I was afraid I'd probably throw it up on Eric's shoes. What had be meant by "wear something sexy"? As if he wasn't intimidating enough just being a fucking vampire, he had to go and say things like that. I could only hope that he didn't throw up his invitation to fuck again, because I wasn't sure how I'd handle it a second time.

There was something about Eric Northman and I couldn't place it. He was terrifying, entrancing, and sexy as hell. I'd never wanted to read someone's mind as badly as I wanted to his, to know what he was thinking in that beautiful head of his. A part of me shivered at the thought, because I had a fear it was nothing good. So why the hell was I going to work for him? Because as dangerous as I knew he was, there was something about Eric that made me want to be around him.

I had quit my job at Merlotte's, just as Eric had wanted, keeping my excuse as short and sweet as I possibly could. I told Sam I'd found a job bagging groceries at a store in Shreveport, which I wasn't sure if he completely believed or not, but he didn't press the issue. The serial killer had yet to be caught and though I didn't believe it was Sam, I didn't think it would be wise to go around flaunting the fact I would be working at a vampire bar. I guess a part of it was also shame, Eric had threatened me and now I was going to work for him.

Just as I'd gone to grab one of Caleb's boxes to take to his room, there was a knock at the door. Caleb was at school for another hour and I' hadn't been looking forward to facing anyone else today. I hadn't even told Sookie I'd quit and I wasn't really looking forward to telling her either.

Setting Caleb's box down just outside his room, I started for the door. It was daylight still, so I didn't have to worry about it being Eric or Pam, but I wasn't expecting any company and as far as I knew nobody even knew where I lived. I took a breath, peeping through the curtains. Lo and behold, it was Sookie Stackhouse.

"Drew Marshall," she stated, marching inside just as I'd opened the door. I didn't mind really, I was home alone and she was probably used to just walking in people's homes growing up in such a small town as Bon Temps.

"Um... who?" I asked, my hand still on the doorknob as Sookie turned around to face me. She was already in her uniform, meaning she was actually planning on going to work today.

"That's who the killer is, we're getting his picture faxed over to the Sheriff's office tomorrow hopefully."

"Good, Sookie that's great news!" I genuinely was happy she and Sam had found something out, and after only one day. Maybe they should be a part of Bon Temps law enforcement. Hopefully now they'd catch the son of a bitch before he actually did manage to kill Sookie or someone else.

"I know, but I just wanted to come check on you." This woman was unreal. There was no one in the world that cared so much about other people, especially when there was someone trying to kill them. I decided to change the subject. I didn't need Sookie telling me what I already knew; that working for Eric Northman was more than likely a bad idea.

"How did you know where I live?" Sookie just gave a shrug,

"My gran was friends with your aunt." Right. Should have seen that one coming, everyone knew everyone here. "Hey, why aren't you in your uniform?" Beth, what happened? I wasn't sure why, but it wasn't easy to block out Sookie's thoughts, especially when she wanted me to hear them.

"Eric just wanted to talk and uh, I found another job in Shreveport." I gave her a shrug, folding my arms innocently across my chest. It was coming, I knew it was. I may not have known Sookie Stackhouse for very long, but she wasn't very difficult to figure out. She was stubborn, probably the sweetest person on the planet, but stubborn as hell and curious.

"About what?"

"Stuff." Sookie please stay out of my head, I don't want to be mean. Pineapples, birthday candles, the smell of fresh cut grass. I was trying to think of anything but Eric Northman and Fangtasia, and it wasn't easy.

"Oh my God, did you say you'd be his?" Sookie's eyes were wide with shock.

"What? No!" I scoffed, crossing my arms. I was offended she'd even think I would give in that easily. There was no way I would ever let Eric claim me as his, though not for a lack of him trying. "Sookie, I think you should go." I bit down on my lip, holding the door open for her. I didn't want to kick her out, Sookie had this aura about her that just made you want to be nice to her, but I wouldn't continue to let her be all judgmental and nosy in my own house. Even if she didn't know what it was exactly she was being judgy or nosy about.

Sookie stood for a moment longer, arms crossed, glaring at me. Finally she stepped forward towards the door, pausing just as she'd reached the door frame.

"Eric is dangerous, Beth." The look in Sookie's eyes made me turn away. I didn't want her to see the guilt I felt for taking the job in the first place. "Just remember; you have friends." And Sookie left leaving me feel even more terrible than I already did.

Sookie's warning about Eric stayed with me the rest of the day. Even after Caleb had come home from school, I'd still found it difficult to pay attention to anything. The day was gone and I had no idea what I was suppose to even wear, but did it really matter? He must have been joking about the whole sexy thing just to get a reaction out of me.

"So you got a new job?" I was in my room, clothes scattered everywhere, mentally beating myself up over what to wear as Caleb stood in my doorway. I knew what he was thinking without reading his mind; he was worried I'd returned to my old job. Tossing a pair of jeans across my bed, I let out a sigh, walking over towards him. I hadn't told him where I was working for fear he'd think vampires were suddenly okay.

"Hey," I placed a hand on each side of his face, making him look at me. There was too much worry in his face and I understood the sense of protectiveness he felt over me as his sister, but I was the adult. I was the one that was suppose to look out for him, I was the one that was suppose to worry. "It's an honest living, kiddo."

"Alright." He said with a half smile. He wanted to believe me, but I could see he was finding it difficult. I may not have been telling the whole truth, but I wasn't lying to him and I could only hope he would believe me.

Caleb returned to the living room to finish his homework and I finally decided on a simple black tank top and a pair of jeans. Tank tops were safe, I hoped, and since Eric was always wearing black I figured his assistant should match a little. I stopped just in the living room, watching Caleb as he juggled television and history.

I was doing the right thing, this would be good for the both of us. I'd finally be able to buy him his own drum set and he wouldn't have hand-me-down football equipment this year. Eric had promised to pay me twice as much as Sam, it was the right choice.

"I won't be home until probably around four, okay?" Caleb sat up from his place on the living room floor to give me a nod. He had food, he'd be fine, he always was. "Caleb," He turned back around to look at me, "I love you." I wasn't sure why I said it, Caleb and I never told one another we loved each other, we just kinda both knew and left it at that. He just looked at me for a moment before giving me a faint smile. It felt like a goodbye more than an 'I'll see you later'.

"I love you too." He responded a little awkwardly. I gave him a smile, trying not to look as worried as I was as I pulled the front door open only to come face to face with Pam as I'd gone to walk out.

"Jesus fuck!" I screamed, clutching my chest. I couldn't get used to the vampire speed thing.

"Surprise. Invite me in." I took a step back. She was holding several bags, some of them still on hangers so I could only assume they were dresses and as usual, she looked annoyingly bored.

"Wha-no. What are you doing here, what the hell is all that?" I motioned towards the bags in her hands.

"Eric sent me with your new wardrobe." She sighed, giving me an annoyed glare as she shifted her weight onto her other foot. "Now invite me in." My new wardrobe, I guess Eric hadn't been kidding. I didn't realize the job came with a uniform requirement though.

"I have a kid brother, I am not giving you free reign to come and go as you please." I stated, reaching out for the bags. Pam took a deep breath, clenching her jaw.

"Who is it?" Caleb's curiosity had finally gotten the better of him as he sounded from behind me. I turned to him as he walked up beside me, eyeing the bags in Pam's hands.

"Caleb, go back into the living room." I tried to push him away, but he didn't budge.

"Hello human child." I looked back at Pam in disbelief, did she just call my brother 'human child'? "I'm a friend of your sister's, can I come in?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Caleb!" I grabbed hold of his arm as Pam rolled her eyes, pushing past the both of us to lay the bags down on the living room floor.

"Oh shit, are you a vampire?" Caleb asked curiously, standing his ground. Caleb might have been book smart, but maybe on the real life situations he could use some study time as she'd just called him 'human child'. Pam's lips pulled together in a grimace as she spun around to face us, placing a hand on her hip.

"Yes, and you're stupid." She casually replied, turning back around to sift through the bags.

"Hey-hey!" I'd gone to get on Caleb about his language when it dawned on me Pam had just called him stupid. "Don't call him stupid."

"Here, wear this tonight." I'd barely had a chance to react as she'd thrown a bag at me and I wasn't sure how I managed to catch it, but I did.

"Wait," I couldn't manage to take my eyes off of Pam as Caleb spoke, "you're working for vampires?"

"Kind of--um, why can't I wear my own clothes?" I thought it better to just kind of ignore Caleb's question. Peeling the bag from over the dress, it was small and looked as though it would be extremely tight. It was a cream color, with lace three quarter sleeves. The dress looked more like a barbie doll dress than something a grown woman would wear, or maybe they did but it definitely wasn't my style. Besides, I'd stick out like a sore thumb in a vampire bar dressed in this.

"Because you will be on Eric's arm and he doesn't want you looking like..." Pam paused, giving me a quick look over, "well, he'd prefer you looked presentable." I felt my mouth fall open as I shook my head at her. She was so unbelievably rude.

"Whoa, you're dating a vampire?" Now I did look at Caleb, because that was so completely ridiculous I couldn't believe he would even think it.

"Definitely not." I stated with wide eyes before turning back to Pam who was pretending to check her nails as she leaned against the side of my sofa. "What do you mean on his arm? He said I was going to be his assistant."

"Get dressed, we're leaving in five." She ignored me, starting for the door. All I could do was look after her, angrily shaking my head and mentally calling her every name in the book.

"I thought you told me vampires were dangerous?" Caleb asked as the front door had swung shut behind her.

"They are dangerous." I told him, looking back down at the dress in my hands. I walked over to the other bags that were now laying on my floor, two more of them were dresses and the bags were filled with shoes. How the hell did they even know my size? "It's just, this one is willing to pay me a lot of money to be his assistant." I mumbled, looking back towards the front door.

"But you suck at math and you're not very organized." I had said assistant, not accountant, so I couldn't see where my math skills fit in, but Caleb was right; I wasn't very organized. I watched him as he picked up one of the dresses, deciding to just give him a shrug. He wasn't technically wrong. "He must really like you, this stuff looks expensive." Eric Northman, liking me? I couldn't help but to laugh at the idea.

"He's a narcissistic psycho, Caleb." Looking through the bags, I grabbed a pair of heels I felt matched the dress and started for my bedroom to change. "He just likes his employees to look nice because it reflects back on him." After all, Pam was always dressed in designer clothes, it only made sense he liked his employees to look nice. Caleb, however, did not look convinced as he continued to go through the bags Pam had brought.

"Okay." He said more to himself with a smirk. I rolled my eyes, closing my bedroom door behind me. What the hell did he know, he was thirteen year old boy.
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Sorry for the long wait, I didn't find this chapter particularly exciting, which is why it took me so long to get out, but I felt it was needed to ease into the next one.