Chapter 9

Fangtasia is northern Louisiana’s premier vampire attraction. The bar is packed nearly every night since it opened; usually on weekends, the line to enter the club is at least a three hour wait. Fangtasia offers humans the opportunity to live dangerously; they can see what they perceive to be a vampire’s natural state…for a price of course. Places like Fangtasia had sprung up all over the country after the Great Revelation, but Fangtasia was the first of its kind. The club’s reputation as being the best vampire attraction in the country is legendary. Of course, the star attraction at Fangtasia is Eric Northman.

Sookie arrives that evening a little before 10:00 pm, which is still early for the bar, but there is a short line of patrons waiting to enter. She exits her car and studies the building. Fangtasia is located in a strip center on the end closest to the highway; at the far end is a Toys R’Us. Sookie shakes her head at the irony. The exterior of the building is the same gray brick as the rest of the building. The side of the building has a red neon sign displaying the name of the bar. The bar has no windows, only a black leather padded door. Standing at the door of the bar is a tall statuesque blonde woman encased in a black leather corset dress. Her red lipstick contrasts starkly with the pallor of her skin. Sookie starts walking to the back of the queue.

Kristen Bauer Van Straten as Pamela Swynford de Beaufort

The vampire at the door calls out in a bored voice, “Are you lost sweetheart?”

Sookie shakes her head no and continues walking. The vampire at the door gestures for Sookie to come over. Sookie makes her way to the door, much to the protest of the other patrons in line. The vampire snaps her fangs at the humans and hisses. The people in line quiet down and the vampire retracts her fangs.

“Identification,” the vampire asks with her hand out. Sookie hands over her driver’s license. The vampire glances at it. “Sookie Stackhouse from Bon Temps. Are you looking for a good time, Sookie Stackhouse?” The vampire licks her lips while letting her eyes roam over Sookie’s body.

Sookie raises an eyebrow at the vampire. “I was invited here by someone. Maybe you know him: Eric Northman.”

The vampire hands Sookie her license and gestures for her to go inside. “I hope you find the evening as,” she pauses as if contemplating her words, “fulfilling as Eric will.” Her fangs snap down as she gives Sookie a lecherous grin.

Sookie walks through the leather door and is immediately assaulted by the thumping of a Crystal Method song blaring through the speakers. She walks down a dark narrow hallway that opens up to the main floor of the club. Along the wall nearest her is a bar that spans the entire length of the wall. The wall is a blood-red color with signs such as “No biting on premises,” “No playing with your food on the property,” and “Drink at your own risk,” prominently displayed. A male vampire that looks to be Native American works the bar. His skin is a light tan color beneath the vampire pallor, he has long, straight, black hair, and he is wearing something on his chest that looks to be made of bones. Sookie steps up to the bar to order a drink, and the vampire is instantly in front of her.

“What can I get for you this evening?” The vampire tries to make eye contact with Sookie, and she can feel him trying to push his glamour at her.

“I’ll take a gin and tonic, please.” Before she has even finished the word please, the drink is in front of her.

Sookie smiles slightly and slides her money across the bar indicating he should keep the change. She turns around to scan the rest of the club, and the glamour stops pushing at her shields.

The two side walls are also painted blood-red, and have framed movie posters of famous vampire films on the walls. There are also original works of art depicting famous people throughout history as vampires. Along the walls are booths with black leather padded seats similar to the entrance door and blood-red table tops. High top tables are scattered around the room, and a gray dance floor is in front of the stage. The walls on the stage are black framed with blood-red velvet curtains. The stage is illuminated by white spotlights spaced out on the floor, and all the spotlights are focused on the throne sitting in the center of the stage. The throne is very crude in its design; it is simply a wooden chair, a little wider and taller than a normal chair, but a wooden chair nonetheless. It doesn’t matter that the throne is ordinary, because the occupant of the throne is absolutely extraordinary.

Eric Northman sits on his throne observing the vampires and humans intermingling in front of him. He wears all black; leather boots, jeans, and a leather unbuttoned vest exposing his white sculpted chest. He appears indifferent to his surroundings, except for his eyes. His blue eyes lock on Sookie. He beckons her forward with two of his fingers.

Sookie saunters towards the stage. She can hear the thoughts of all the humans around her. The thoughts vary between jealousy and desire; jealous because the “master” as they call Eric has chosen her, desire because they are envisioning different sexual acts involving themselves with her, her with Eric, or themselves with her and Eric. She stops at the stairs leading to the stage waiting for Eric to address her.

Eric remains silent as he inventories her appearance. He starts with her feet, which are encased in sky-high red Louboutin’s. His eyes skim up her tan, shapely legs to the bottom of her dress which flirts with the tops of her knees.

The dress is white with red flowers scattered over it; hugging the curve of her hips and butt, emphasizing her narrow waist, enhancing the natural fullness of her breasts with its deep sweetheart neckline. Nestled between the swell of her breasts is a long gold chain containing the Celtic symbol for the tree of life. Her nails are painted the same shade of red as her shoes. In her left hand is a red Gucci clutch; in her right hand is her drink.

Sookie sips her drink through the straw; her red lips wrapped around the straw and sucking lightly. His fangs snap down in appreciation and a noticeable bulge is evident in his pants. Her blonde hair is hanging down her back in loose curls. He ends his perusal by latching his scorching blue eyes on hers; Sookie’s own eyes fill with humor.

Eric leers at Sookie. “Well, aren’t you sweet.”

Sookie sasses back. “Not really.”

He gives her a sly grin as he stands from his throne and walks to the stairs. He extends his hand to her. She sets her drink on the nearest table before grasping his hand to walk up the stairs. As he escorts her, Eric leans down to inhale her scent; Calvin Klein’s Obsession mixed with her natural sweetness is a heady combination. He leads her to the chair that one of the other vamps hurriedly placed on the stage, and remains standing until she sits. He continues to stare at Sookie as he resumes his seat on his throne.

“Miss Stackhouse, I am pleased to see you have taken me up on my offer, although I did not expect it to be so soon.”

Sookie shrugs. “Life is short; one must take advantage of an opportunity when it is presented.”

Eric hums in approval. “And what an opportunity it is,” he says heatedly.

Sookie grins mischievously at Eric. She is enjoying the banter between the two of them immensely. The attraction between them is palpable. The smell of arousal is present in the room, and several sets of fangs snap down.  Eric’s face turns to glare at the other vampires in the room, waiting until all of them retract their fangs.

“So tell me Miss Stackhouse, what brings you to Louisiana?”

“I was born here; lived here until my parents died when I was five. My grandparents then sent me to boarding school. Then I went to college in Mississippi, graduated, traveled a bit, and now I’m back visiting my family until I start my job,” Sookie summarizes her life and then takes a drink of the gin and tonic the waitress had brought her at Eric’s request.

“And what is your job? Perhaps I can come persuade you to work for me. I’m sure we can find something around here that would fit your talents,” Eric says as he focuses on her red wet lips.

Sookie cocks an eyebrow at Eric. “Does everything always come back to sex with you?”

Eric gives a genuine smile. “It is one of my more pleasurable past times.”

Sookie can’t help but laugh. She answers his earlier question with humor in her voice. “I’m a mediator. And no I’m not interested in a job offer. I don’t think you could afford my going rate,” she says archly.

“A mediator, and what is it exactly that you mediate?”

“I tend to mediate situations that are between two or more parties that cannot find a resolution otherwise.”

Eric looks intrigued. “Are you any good at it?”

Sookie snorts. “You might say I have a hidden talent for it.”

The entire time Sookie talks with Eric, she’s scanning the thoughts of the humans in the bar; really it is instinctual to her. She hears something that worries her, and looks at Eric in alarm.

“Eric, we need to go,” Sookie says hurriedly.

“Are you trying to get me alone, Miss Stackhouse?” He leans closer to her, his eyes alight with anticipation and he licks his lips hungrily.

“No! There’s an undercover cop in the bar, and he’s called in reinforcements for a raid,” Sookie says frantically.

“Let them come, we are doing nothing illegal here,” he says settling back on his throne. His hand closes around Sookie’s in a painful grip. “Tell me how you know this.”

Ignoring his demand Sookie says, “There’s a vampire in the ladies room feeding on a man.”

Eric rises swiftly and gestures for Sookie to follow him. The vampire from the entrance speeds to their side. They make their way out the back door of the club just as the Shreveport S.W.A.T. team moves through the front entrance. Eric picks Sookie up, vamps over to her car, and sets her down. She has the keys out of her car and is quickly climbing in.

As she is closing the door, she hears Eric call out. “It was a pleasure seeing you, Miss Stackhouse. You will come again.” Eric and the other vampire speed away and Sookie floors it out of the parking lot.

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