saturday night and the moon is out

[feel_human]

Tucked away off the road in Bon Temps, there's a road house. Warm light spills from its windows, and the sound of a jukebox playing drifts out into the muggy Louisiana night. The regular assortment of trucks and Hail-Mary-please-keep-this-lemon-goin'-just-a-little-longer cars sit in the dirt parking lot; what amounts to about half the town's small population... or, at least, of those of the 'drinking age and above' persuasion.

Inside, it's a bar of the type scattered all across the American South: homey, no-nonsense. Booths and tables. A man in a plaid flannel shirt wiping the bar; a crossdresser in the kitchen singing Gospel hymns and rolling his hips in time with the words just to scandalize the prep cook. A handful of waitresses, bustling about.

Sookie makes her way briskly through it all, a tray balanced on her palm and her eyes kept stubbornly front, as voices swarm around her. Aloud, and... less so.

...I’m just going to have one beer tonight Jesus one beer that’s all...

...better not gripe about me eating fries not after what I did for him last night...

...I cannot wait to get the hell out of this podunk town...

 

 "Well, make sure you do, and before it’s too late," she responds, thoughtless, to the young man. "Because every year you wait? You just get more and more stuck here. Believe me, I know."

He stares at her. So do his parents.

So does the other table. And she realizes, too little too late, that he hadn't said that out loud, not at all. She laughs, uncomfortable. "I’ll get y'all some ketchup," she says, brightly, and flees, ponytail swinging against the nape of her neck as she goes.

Stupid, Sookie, she chides herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

Comments

[feel_human]

She claps a hand to her mouth as a blade flicks into existence and Sam swipes with it, leaving a slash in Bill's arm and another across his stomach. They smoke, of all things, and she sees a few dribbles of dark blood, molasses-thick, soak into the fabric of his shirt.

But it's what she sees when her gaze lifts to her face that makes her own blood run ice-cold. He's glaring at Sam, his eyes cold as winter, his skin pale in the dark, and when he opens his mouth, she sees two neat, gleaming fangs that have dropped to replace his incisors.

Bloodsucker, Sam had called him. "Oh, my God," Sookie says, faint, unable even to realize she's taking the Lord's name in vain. Is this why she couldn't hear his thoughts? She feels sick.

Bill's glance shifts to her, and she sees his nostrils flare, as though he can scent her on the breeze. There's a moment, and then -- it seems to take some effort -- he retracts his fangs and straightens. "Silver," he says, contemptuously. "You certainly are well-prepared, Mr. Winchester."

[gavemea_45]

"Damn right." It's too late to do anything but wish that he'd used a false ID after all. Hopefully none of this'll get back to Dean or D-- or John; hopefully his screwups won't cause them any trouble, whether or not he survives.

"I didn't come here looking for any of you. But when I saw you homing in on her-- no way was I just gonna stand by."

Lower, he adds, "Sookie, just stay behind me, okay?"

[feel_human]

Sam's back is a tense wall in front of her, and Bill -- Bill is -- "What is goin' on?"

She looks from one of them to the other, her back still against her car. "Vampires? And... what are you, some kinda vampire... hunter?"

Bill narrows his eyes, his glance dropping briefly to the canteen in Sam's hand. "You misunderstand my interest in her," he tells Sam, then looks over Sam's shoulder at Sookie. "I did not come here to harm you, Miss Stackhouse."

[gavemea_45]

"He's a vampire, yes," Sam says, low and steady. He watches the way Bill's glance flicks to the canteen and tightens his grip on it just a little, ready to react. He can have it all the way open before Bill reaches him, especially now that he's been sliced with silver.

"People like me - we try to keep people safe from the things that are out to hurt them. Not just vampires. Most people never have to find out about any of that kind of stuff. We help those that do."

He raises his chin, staying careful not to meet the vampire's eyes, and challenges, "Yeah? So what's your interest in her, then?"

[feel_human]

"That is a matter for me to discuss with Miss Stackhouse," Bill says, frigid. "I cannot think how it might be any of your concern."

Sookie's face is white and drawn, but she's focusing just as hard as she can, trying to listen to Bill's thoughts. It's all for naught; she gets nothing but that perfect silence.

[gavemea_45]

"Yeah, no," Sam spits at him. "Not gonna happen. She goes home safe. Sookie, get in the car, okay? Get in your car and start it. He can't come inside your home unless you invite him. Remember that."

[feel_human]

"I would not impose on her safety for the world," Bill says, with such old-fashioned manners Sookie can almost forget the neat little fangs she'd seen glittering in his mouth.

"Don't you boss me," she snaps, frustrated. "Neither of you! Land's sake, seems men are all the same, vampire or not. Bill -- "

This she addresses to the vampire, meeting his cool gaze with her own eyes snapping with temper. "If you're not here to drink my blood, or whatever it is you do, what do you want?"

He stares her down for a long moment before a small frown appears on his brow. In his intent focus, he seems to have forgotten Sam entirely. "What are you?" he asks, almost wondering.

[gavemea_45]

Absolute frustration spears through him, but if he acts it's going to ruin whatever cautious thing this is right before a fight. Sam watches Bill more intently - and then turns enough as the vampire stares past his shoulder to realize that Sookie's staring him back, right in--

"Sookie, don't look him in the eye!"

[feel_human]

"Why not?"

Look Bill in the eye she does, her own flashing and annoyed. He stares back at her, looking more puzzled than anything else. "This is my place of work, and vampire or not, I am not gonna simper and scream and back down. Bill, if you have somethin' to say to me, you had better say it and be done with it!"

Anger is easier than fear; she grasps it with both hands. "Well?"

He peers at her again, shaking his head slowly. "What are you?" he asks again, and again her temper flares.

"I'm a waitress."

[gavemea_45]

"Because most people can't, without being glamoured," Sam grits out, shifting position a little. The vampire looks confused; god knows he feels confused, but there's no time for that. He has to stay on guard.

Still, he has to admit that Bill's not making aggressive moves. That's something, at least.

"That's probably why he's asking you that."

[feel_human]

Sam's observation hits her like a slap.

most people--
what are you?
crazy as a bedbug --

"Well, I'm -- " Her mouth is dry, and the look in her eyes turns uncertain. "I'm just... me. Just Sookie."

Bill studies her a long moment. "Oh," he says, softly. "I think you are much more than that."

[gavemea_45]

He doesn’t like the sound of that at all, and he likes the way the vampire’s looking at Sookie even less. Sam puts himself even more firmly between them.

“You heard the lady,” he says, tightly. “Now leave her alone.”

[feel_human]

Bill's eyes tighten, but he nods. "Mr. Winchester," he says, almost polite if not for the venom under his voice.

It dissipates as he looks back at Sookie, something like a promise in his glance. "Miss Stackhouse. I wish you a very pleasant evening."

And then he's gone, in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing behind but a flutter of leaves that settle slowly to earth and Sookie's rapidly beating heart.

[gavemea_45]

"Are you okay?" he asks, low. Sam keeps scanning the area around them, but spares a moment to look back at Sookie and meet her eyes.

"I figure you probably have a lot of questions, but this isn't a safe place."

[feel_human]

She coughs a short, stunned laugh. "Sam, I just found out vampires are real and that, apparently, one of 'em has some kinda business with me! No, I'm not okay!"

She's mad and scared in equal measure, and she fists her hand tight to keep her keys from jangling in her shaking fingers. "Is there a safe place? You said... they need an invitation to come into my home, right?"

[gavemea_45]

"Stupid question, I know. I'm sorry."

He shakes his head and keeps scanning the area. "Right. No invitation, no entry. It doesn't work for public places - like the bar - but a home's protected. If there's anything that can break it, I've never heard it."

Sam glances over at her. "I can get you there, if you're not okay to drive."

[feel_human]

It doesn't work for public places, he says, and she feels a stab of fear.

"What about motels? Does it work for those?"

[gavemea_45]

"Not really. It has something to do with things being more permanent than temporary." Sam darts another fast look at her. "But there's things you can do to help protect yourself. I'll explain, I swear I will. But right now we need to get out of the open. Please let me see you somewhere safe, okay?"

[feel_human]

"Sounds to me like I'm the one oughta be seeing you somewhere safe," Sookie points out, and huffs out a breath. "Well, you better come along with me. I don't think Bill took too kindly to you interferin', and Gran'd have my hide if I let a nice young man like you get eaten by some vampire."

She glances around and looks back at him. "You got your bike? You can follow me."

[gavemea_45]

"It's in the bushes over there," he says, startled. He wants to protest that she doesn't have to worry about him, but figures it'll be better to leave that argument until after she's safe in her home.

Besides, she's not wrong. He's pretty sure that Vampire Bill's gunning for him now.

"Here." He tries to hand her the knife. "Hold on to that, just in case. Silver's effective where steel isn't."

[feel_human]

"You think he'll stand still and let me try to stick this in him?" she asks, dubious, but accepts the knife. She'd learned long ago that sometimes it's just easier to let the men get their way.

"Well, go on, get it. I better call my Gran and tell her to expect company."

[gavemea_45]

"Probably not, but he might not expect it, either." Sam looks around once more and goes to retrieve the bike from its concealment, canteen at the ready.

[feel_human]

She watches him move off, then retrieves her cell phone from her purse and flips it open with trembling fingers. It takes her twice as long as usual to make her call, even with speed-dial, her hands are shaking so badly. When Gran answers, she forces the tremble out of her voice. "Hi, Gran."

Glancing in the direction Sam went, she shakes her head. "No, I'm fine. Well... there was a little ruckus at the bar tonight. No, I'm... I'm okay, Gran, really. One of my customers jumped right in and made sure I was fine. He was amazin'."

She listens, and nods. "Right. So... I was thinkin'... it just doesn't seem right to have him stayin' at the motel. Least I can do is offer a roof and a home-cooked meal or two. Is that okay?"

Adele Stackhouse is a lady of true Southern gentility; she could no more cast someone out than she could learn to fly. So of course she agrees, and Sookie closes her phone back up with the satisfied feeling that, whatever else happens, at least Sam can be kept safe by whatever magic means her house is impenetrable to vampires.

[gavemea_45]

It doesn't take him long to reload his arm sheath with a backup knife and wheel the bike back out and over to Sookie. Sam's so on edge that even the slightest sound gets his attention, but it looks like Bill - and any others he might be hanging out with - are either not around or waiting their chance.

"Ready?" he asks, as Sookie hangs up her call.

[feel_human]

She nods and opens her car door, forcing her hands not to visibly shake. "Just follow me," she tells him. "Shouldn't be too many other people on the road, this time of night."

With that, she slides into the driver's seat and buckles up, then starts her little yellow car.